Travel Retailing in the Age of AI

Airline retailing is entering a new phase, not just because of new distribution standards, but because AI is beginning to change how travelers shop. LLMs and AI assistants are already becoming part of how many travelers get inspired, plan, and compare options. If booking and transacting follow, the strategic question is no longer just which channel wins, but who influences the decision, shapes the offer, and owns the customer relationship and economics.

For airlines, that creates a new strategic agenda. How do you show up in the planning moment, before the traveler ever reaches your site? How do you make sure your products, fares, and ancillaries are surfaced the way you intend? And how do you participate in AI-led shopping without giving up control, margin, and loyalty to a new generation of intermediaries?

In this session, Kajal Narasimha (Partner) of ZS will speak with Glenn Hollister (VP, Sales Strategy) of United Airlines to discuss how airlines can respond to this shift in a practical way. The conversation will cover the implications for shopping, offer strategy, channel economics, and customer ownership, along with the capabilities airlines need to stay competitive as AI becomes a more active part of the travel journey.