Travelers are increasingly willing to abandon the brands they have long favored if a competitor can plan and book a trip faster and with less effort, according to new research from Accenture. The findings challenge a core assumption of the travel industry: that loyalty programs and accumulated rewards are enough to keep customers from defecting.
The survey of more than 5,000 travelers across 12 markets found that 96% would switch away from their preferred travel brand if another provider offered a significantly easier and faster experience. Even more striking, 91% said they would pay more for an option that reduced the time and effort required to plan and manage a trip. Accenture’s Consumer Pulse 2026 adds that 36% of loyal travelers — those who typically choose from one to three preferred brands in a category such as hotels or airlines — would let an AI agent switch them away from their favorite brands for a better fit.
The shift is being driven by agentic AI, which is changing every stage of the customer journey from initial discovery through booking and long-term retention. Instead of browsing dozens of websites, travelers can increasingly describe what they want in a conversation and let an AI agent recommend and arrange options. That means loyalty is no longer only about being remembered by a brand; it is about being relevant at the moment a traveler states an intent.
Despite years of investment in personalization and direct-booking technology, the booking process remains a major source of friction. Accenture found that 94% of travelers describe booking as moderately or very complex, and nearly two-thirds use four or more platforms before making a purchase. A typical journey might begin on a search engine, continue to a hotel website, move to an online travel agency for comparison, involve social media reviews, and span multiple devices before a reservation is finally completed.
Payment problems are a particularly costly obstacle. More than 83% of travelers report abandoning a booking because of payment-related challenges such as unexpected fees, declined cards, or limited payment options. Nearly half say the payment experience strongly influences which provider they ultimately choose. Every additional click, comparison, and handoff introduces friction that risks revenue and damages brand relationships.
The competitive battleground is also shifting earlier in the journey. Generative AI is beginning to influence which options travelers consider in the first place. A traveler may no longer compare dozens of websites personally; instead, an AI agent could recommend a different brand if it better matches the trip. That puts new pressure on travel companies to make their content, inventory, rates, amenities, and booking capabilities accessible and accurate enough to appear in AI-driven recommendations.
Radisson’s ChatGPT experience is an early example of this approach, allowing travelers to describe what they need and bringing relevant properties into the conversation rather than requiring them to navigate a digital ecosystem. The significance goes beyond adding another booking channel. It is about meeting travelers at the moment they articulate their intent and ensuring a brand’s information is relevant enough to make the shortlist.
Accenture argues that the travel companies best positioned to thrive will be those that treat convenience as a primary driver of loyalty. AI agents may shape discovery and booking, but preference will ultimately depend on execution: accurate inventory, seamless booking and payment systems, personalized offers, reliable service delivery, and loyalty programs that provide meaningful value. As travel becomes more digital and interconnected, operational excellence becomes a competitive advantage. Strong brands still matter, but they increasingly need to be backed by strong data and connected commerce capabilities that can deliver on the promise.