AI as a travel agent: Away.ai aims to simplify booking
Away.ai wants to turn the often time-consuming process of booking a trip into a simple conversation with AI.
Published on September 9, 2026
Booking a holiday can mean navigating dozens of browser tabs, comparison websites and countless flight and hotel options. According to the founders of Dutch company Experiencegift, the process should be simpler. They are therefore launching Away.ai today, an AI platform designed to largely automate the process of searching for and booking a trip.
“The race for the traveller of the future is in full swing,” says Loes Daniels, founder and CEO of Away.ai, in a press release. “We believe this race will not be won by whoever offers the most options, but by whoever makes the right choice for the traveller, at the best value.”
An alternative
Away.ai is built on the idea that more search results do not automatically lead to a better choice. Users share their preferences, travel companions, budget and preferred travel dates through a conversation. Based on its own algorithm, the platform presents a limited number of flight and hotel combinations that users can book directly.
According to the founders, the system combines real-time data on prices and availability for flights and hotels with quality data. This allows it to look beyond simply finding the cheapest option and instead identify a combination that matches the user’s preferences.
Another feature of the system is its ability to suggest destinations that users might not have considered themselves. Away.ai therefore positions itself not only as an alternative to traditional booking platforms, but also as an AI assistant that actively recommends travel options.
Travel credit
Alongside AI-powered travel planning, Away.ai is introducing its own rewards programme. According to the company, users receive 2%of the booking value back as travel credit in the so-called Away Wallet with every booking. When a subsequent trip is paid for entirely with that credit, users can earn up to 4% in travel credit.
The credit can be used directly towards a subsequent booking and, according to Away.ai, does not expire or involve traditional loyalty tiers.
With this model, the company aims to give travellers another reason to book directly through its platform, in addition to the convenience of AI-powered travel planning.
The AI race in the travel industry
Away.ai is entering a market in which major international travel companies are also experimenting with AI. Expedia Group recently acquired Berlin-based AI travel startup Layla, further intensifying competition to use AI for travel planning. For Away.ai, the Netherlands is the starting point. The company says it plans to scale internationally and has teams in Amsterdam, London, New York, Athens and Dubai.
The Dutch company is therefore positioning itself in a rapidly growing market in which AI is playing an increasingly important role in how travellers search for, plan and book their trips.