How to Use AI for Travel Planning (and Why It’ll Change the Way You Travel Forever)
- Nath
- Apr 11
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 21
Let’s be honest: planning a trip can be a lot. You start with a simple idea—"let’s go somewhere!"—and suddenly you're knee-deep in tabs, comparing flights, checking hotel reviews, debating whether to bring a rain jacket and trying to remember if Venice has Uber (it doesn’t, by the way).
Sound familiar?
Now imagine having your own personal travel assistant. One that works 24/7, doesn’t judge your weird snack stops, and serves up custom itineraries, hidden gems, and budget tips faster than you can say "carry-on only." That’s what AI can do. And in this post, we’ll show you exactly why it’s worth trying.
Spoiler alert: It might just change the way you travel forever.
How AI Travel Planning Is Changing the Way We Travel
We’re not talking about robots booking your beach cabana (although, that sounds amazing). We’re talking about AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and DeepSeek that can:
⏱ Save you HOURS of research time
📅 Create fully personalised, day-by-day itineraries
🛬 Find the best flights and hotel deals
🌏 Suggest unique, local experiences (beyond the tourist traps)
🤝 Tailor everything to your style, budget, and vibe
Whether you’re a solo traveller, digital nomad, food lover, or "I just want a chill beach" kinda person, AI learns what you like and adapts. It’s like having a super-powered travel buddy in your back pocket.
How to Use AI for Travel Planning (The Smart Way)
Here’s the secret sauce: it’s all about the prompt.
Asking AI, "Where should I go this summer?" will give you vague, vanilla answers.
But ask: "Find me 3 quiet beach towns in Europe with direct flights from London, great seafood, and local festivals in July"
...and boom. You’ll get suggestions, sample itineraries, event calendars, AND nearby wine tasting recs.
That’s the power of talking smart to AI. And yes, we teach you exactly how to do that in our AI Smart Traveller Planning Guide.
7 Smart AI Travel Planning Prompts You Can Use Right Now
🛫 "Find me the cheapest flights from Edinburgh to Lisbon in September with layovers under 3 hours."
📍 "Suggest a 5-day itinerary in Kyoto with food stops, temples, and low-crowd spots."
🚗 "How do I get from Bangkok airport to my hotel using public transport at night?"
🍽 "Where can I find the best hidden gem restaurants in Rome near Trastevere?"
🤕 "Create a packing list for 10 days in Iceland in April, with hiking and hot springs."
💰 "Estimate the total cost for a week in Porto, including meals, activities, and transport."
🏔 "Suggest lesser-known islands in Greece that are good for solo travel and budget-friendly."
Bonus? AI remembers your preferences (when using tools like ChatGPT Pro) and can build smarter plans the more you use it.
Google vs AI: Why AI Travel Planning Wins for Smarter Trips
Searching "best things to do in Paris" on Google = 20 tabs, 10 listicles, 5 pop-up ads, and a headache.
Asking AI the same thing = Instant, clean, personalised answer.
Try both. You'll never go back.
How to Start Using AI for Travel Planning Today 🌟
If this has you even a little curious, then you’ll love our full guide:
📚 AI Smart Traveller: Travel Planning Guide
Learn how to use ChatGPT, Gemini & DeepSeek to:
Plan trips faster
Discover hidden gems
Stay within budget
Travel like a pro (not a stressed-out tourist)
It includes AI travel prompts, sample itineraries, and real tools we use to plan our own trips.
So go on, give it a scroll. AI won’t replace your love of travel—it’ll just make it easier to love every part of the journey.
Safe travels,
👋 About NathalieTravel lover. AI experimenter. Hidden gem seeker.Co-creator of AI SmartTraveller and firm believer that planning your next trip should be part of the adventure. Join me as I test AI tools, dig up unusual destinations, and share smart ways to travel better.💛 Learn more about me →
Got more questions? Check our FAQ page for tips and answers.
Will for sure buy your full guide. I am positive it will improve my travel planning. I expect it to be a big help with the trip I am planning to take to Zanzibar.