Will reservation agents be replaced by AI?
Updated
Reservation agents score 60 of 100 for AI exposure. AI can already do 54% of their task time. Another 26% gets faster with AI, and 20% still needs a person.
- 54% AI can do it
- 26% AI helps
- 20% Needs a person
High exposure
Higher than 91% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 21 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 11 of them today, speeds up 6 and leaves 4 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Maintain computerized inventories of available passenger space and provide information on space reserved or available. Inventory tracking is a core function of reservation software. | 75% AI can do it |
| Determine whether space is available on travel dates requested by customers, assigning requested spaces when available. Seat availability checks and assignments are routine system queries. | 70% AI can do it |
| Assemble and issue required documentation, such as tickets, travel insurance policies, or itineraries. Tickets, insurance and itineraries are generated documents from booking systems. | 70% AI can do it |
| Answer inquiries regarding information, such as schedules, accommodations, procedures, or policies. Schedule and policy questions suit chat assistants well. | 70% AI can do it |
| Make and confirm reservations for transportation and accommodations, using telephones, faxes, mail, and computers. Booking through computer systems is routine digital work. | 70% AI can do it |
| Contact customers or travel agents to advise them of travel conveyance changes or to confirm reservations. Automated alerts and confirmations cover most change notices. | 70% AI can do it |
| Plan routes, itineraries, and accommodation details, and compute fares and fees, using schedules, rate books, and computers. Fare and route computation from schedules is highly structured. | 65% AI can do it |
| Provide customers with travel suggestions and information sources, such as guides, directories, brochures, or maps. AI can tailor travel suggestions and summarize guides and maps. | 65% AI can do it |
| Announce arrival and departure information, using public address systems. Flight data can drive generated announcements with speech software. | 60% AI can do it |
| Inform clients of essential travel information, such as travel times, transportation connections, or medical and visa requirements. AI answers routine travel info; visa rules need verification. | 60% AI can do it |
Show the other 11 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Prepare customer invoices and accept payment. Invoices are automated; card payment runs through terminals and software. | 60% AI can do it |
| Promote particular destinations, tour packages, and other travel services. AI can draft promotional copy, but live selling stays human. | 60% AI helps |
| Provide clients with assistance in preparing required travel documents and forms. AI fills forms well; clients still sign and submit them. | 55% AI helps |
| Contact motel, hotel, resort, and travel operators to obtain current advertising literature. Drafting outreach to properties is easy; phone calls stay manual. | 50% AI helps |
| Trace lost, delayed, or misdirected baggage for customers. Bag tracing is mostly database lookup and messaging. | 45% AI helps |
| Confer with customers to determine their service requirements and travel preferences. Live conversation to gauge needs; AI can pre-fill preferences. | 40% AI helps |
| Examine passenger documentation to determine destinations and to assign boarding passes. ID checks need a person; boarding pass assignment is software. | 30% AI helps |
| Check baggage and cargo and direct passengers to designated locations for loading. Inspecting bags and guiding passengers needs physical presence. | 8% Needs a person |
| Provide boarding or disembarking assistance to passengers needing special assistance. Physical assistance and personal care for passengers with special needs. | 5% Needs a person |
| Open or close information facilities. Opening and locking a physical site needs a person present. | 3% Needs a person |
| Keep information facilities clean during operation. Cleaning a physical facility needs human labor. | 2% Needs a person |
How reservation agents compare
All occupations (923)
Office and administrative support (51)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $44,390 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 118,710 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +2.5% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Resolve overbooked flights and rebook passengers in reservation software
- Build group tour manifests and rooming lists in Microsoft Excel
- Conduct live needs interviews to set traveler preferences
- Check passenger ID and travel documents at the ticket counter
- Coordinate special assistance requests with airline and rail staff
- Write itinerary cover notes and insurance details in Microsoft Word
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about reservation agents and AI
Will AI replace reservation agents?
Partly. About 5 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly tracking passenger space inventory and checking seat availability on requested dates. Baggage checks, boarding help and in-person guidance stay with agents because they need a person present.
Which reservation agent tasks is AI taking over?
Three tasks score highest on exposure. Maintaining computerized inventories of available passenger space scores 75, and checking seat availability and assigning seats scores 70. Issuing tickets, travel insurance and itineraries also scores 70 because booking systems generate those documents.
Which reservation agent tasks stay human?
Physical work stays with agents. Checking baggage and directing passengers to a gate scores 8 because bags must be inspected in person. Boarding help for passengers with special needs scores 5 because it requires physical assistance and personal care.
How can reservation agents stay valuable?
Focus on the work AI handles poorly. Lead live needs interviews with travelers, where AI only pre-fills preferences and the task scores 40. Resolve overbooked flights and fare exceptions in the reservation system. Build group tour manifests in Microsoft Excel and contact group members directly.
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