United Airlines is restricting unauthorised personal AI agents from booking flights through its systems, Quartz reported on 11 November. The airline said the restrictions will cover its own digital platforms as well as travel agencies and aggregators, with changes to its booking, ticketing and distribution policies.
United said customers who give AI assistants their account credentials risk exposing sensitive information. It said an assistant could make an unintended purchase, change an account or use MileagePlus miles. United also said automated tasks could violate Federal Aviation Administration or Department of Transportation rules. Flight check-in, for example, requires a person to acknowledge that their bags contain no prohibited substances.
Customers can still use AI agents to find United flights and fares, but the agents cannot complete a purchase on its site, Quartz reported. Chief Executive Scott Kirby told an event in Chicago on 10 November: “To be honest, I don’t want to create another middleman.”
Delta Air Lines said authenticated AI assistants can complete bookings, with additional safeguards for sensitive transactions, including trips for unaccompanied minors. Southwest Airlines introduced a ChatGPT plug-in earlier in 2026 that lets customers browse available seats and find trips.
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