7 Ways Travel Will Change in 2026

Travel technology company Sabre predicts that by 2026, booking a trip will become much smoother and smarter, largely thanks to “Agentic AI”—artificial intelligence that can actually do things for you, not just answer questions.

Here are the 7 major changes coming to the travel industry:

1. AI Will Take Action, Not Just Chat

• Goodbye Static Chat: Today’s AI chatbots mostly just answer questions or give suggestions.
• Hello Agentic Actions: In 2026, AI “agents” will be able to perform tasks for you. Imagine telling a bot, “Book me a flight to London and a hotel near the conference,” and it actually handles the entire booking, rebooking, and expense filing automatically.

2. All Travel Options in One Place

• Goodbye Content Chaos: Right now, travel agencies have to look at many different systems to find flights, hotels, and offers, which is messy and confusing.
• Hello Connected Retailing: All travel content (flights, low-cost carriers, hotels) will be pulled into single, unified marketplaces. This makes it easier for agents to find and sell the best options without jumping between screens.

3. New Airline Standards Become the Norm

• Goodbye “New” Technology: NDC (New Distribution Capability) is a technical standard that lets airlines sell richer offers (like special seat packages). It used to be experimental and difficult.
• Hello Standard Expectation: By 2026, this technology will be standard. It won’t be special anymore; it will just be the normal way airlines and agencies do business, making it easier to see and book custom offers.

4. Airlines Return to Travel Agencies

• Goodbye Direct-Only: Recently, some airlines tried to force people to book only on their own websites, bypassing travel agencies.
• Welcome Back Indirect: Airlines are realizing they need travel agencies to reach more customers. They will return to broader marketplaces, making it easier for you to book their flights through your preferred travel agent or site.

5. Smarter Shopping Without Errors

• Goodbye Disappearing Deals: We’ve all seen a flight price, clicked “book,” and then been told the price went up or the seat is gone. This happens because the system’s info was old (cached).
• Hello Intelligent Shopping: New AI tools will predict availability and double-check prices in real-time before you even click. This means the price you see is the price you get.

6. Payments Become Part of the Product

• Goodbye Back-Office Hassles: Payments used to be just a boring final step that sometimes failed or cost extra in fees.
• Hello Built-In Intelligence: Payments will be integrated smoothly into the booking process. This means easier checkouts, better fraud protection, and more payment options (like using points or virtual cards) right when you are choosing your trip.

7. Flexible Technology Replaces Old Systems

• Goodbye Old Legacy Systems: For decades, airlines have used rigid, outdated computer systems that are hard to change.
• Hello Open, Modular Future: The industry is moving to modern, flexible technology that works like building blocks. This allows travel companies to update their services quickly and easily, just like downloading a new app.

The Bottom Line In 2026, the frustration of fragmented systems and “dumb” chatbots will fade away. Instead, travel will be powered by smart AI that connects everything together, making planning and booking a trip simple, reliable, and fast.