United Airlines Blocks AI Agents From Booking Its Flights
United Airlines announced on Wednesday, November 11, that it is blocking personal AI assistants from booking flights on travelers' behalf.
United Airlines announced on Wednesday, November 11, that it is blocking personal AI assistants from booking flights on travelers' behalf. The move comes ahead of the busy holiday travel season.
The airline says it will restrict access to such tools directly on its own digital platforms. It will also restrict them indirectly through travel agencies and aggregators that distribute its tickets.
What is blocked, and what still works
AI agents can still show flight options and prices. What they cannot do is complete a booking on United's website.
The ban also covers managing reservations on a user's behalf. Travelers who want a United ticket will need to finish the purchase themselves.
Why United says it acted
United points to privacy and security. Handing account logins to a third-party assistant, the airline says, can expose sensitive information.
Such tools may also cause "unintended purchases, account changes, or use of MileagePlus miles," according to United's statement. MileagePlus is the carrier's frequent flyer program.
There is a regulatory argument too. United says automated actions could breach Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Transportation rules. Its example is check-in, where a human must acknowledge that their bags contain no banned substances, such as explosives.
The middleman question
Security is not the only concern. United CEO Scott Kirby said at an event: "To be honest, I don't want to create another middleman."
The worry is that AI agents could become new intermediaries between airlines and customers, with growing influence over ticket sales. Kirby sees great potential in AI but wants to be cautious about bookings.
A fast-growing category
Meta, Google, OpenAI and Anthropic have all released AI agents that go beyond answering questions. These assistants can book restaurant tables, shop and track down deals.
Airlines and banks are struggling to tell real customers apart from AI systems acting for them, particularly when users share their logins with an assistant. Leaked credentials create a security risk.
Other carriers are taking a different line. Delta and American Airlines allow certain AI agents to operate on their platforms.
"Sharing account credentials with personal, third-party, AI assistants can expose sensitive information," United warned.
