Today, Booking.com has unveiled a range of new AI-driven innovations bringing customers a faster, more seamless car rental experience – just in time for the peak travel and road trip season.
Rental cars will soon hit the open road en masse, with 1 in 4 (26%) planning to take a road trip, drawn to the spontaneity and flexibility (79%), and better cost (39%).
But the journey does not always run smoothly: confusing terms and conditions, unclear pick-up requirements and unwanted surprises have made car rentals a common source of friction for travelers.
With the help of AI, Booking.com is making the process easier, from discovery and booking to car reservation management and support.
Car Rentals with Booking.com app in ChatGPT
The Booking.com app in ChatGPT now lets travelers browse and find the perfect rental car.
The app lets ChatGPT users, globally, describe what they’re looking for (e.g. “an automatic SUV in Mallorca”), and receive relevant options to browse. When they’ve made their choice, they are seamlessly redirected to Booking.com to complete their reservation.
AI Car Rental Helper
Beyond search, Booking.com’s latest innovations are designed to simplify every stage of the car rental experience from booking to trip management.
Data shows a high number of car rental bookings result in follow-up customer service calls. To simplify the process – and avoid surprises – Booking.com’s AI Car Rental Helper helps instantly answer common questions about their rental booking. Payment methods, pick up checklists, insurance information and more, the tool provides key information, 24/7, for a smooth and simple pick up and drop off. Early testing led to fewer customer support calls, reservation changes and disrupted pickups
From today, the AI Car Rental Helper is available to French, Spanish (including Catalan), German, Dutch and Italian-speaking customers globally, as well as English speakers in the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
AI Car Rental Review Summaries
AI-generated review summaries on Booking.com make it easier for travelers to understand what to expect from a rental supplier to help inform their booking decision. Drawing on recent reviews from travelers, they highlight relevant themes (e.g. service, cleanliness, location, parking and amenities) without the need to endlessly browse through hundreds of individual entries.
These summaries provide a faster, more transparent way to compare options and make confident bookings. Currently available in English to travellers in the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, with more languages coming soon.
Smart Search
Smart Search introduces more specific filter options to car rental search, making it easier for travelers to quickly find vehicles that match their specific needs. Travelers can now filter by preferences such as number of seats, automatic transmission and unlimited mileage, reducing the time spent browsing through less relevant options and helping them make faster, more informed booking decisions. Now available in English globally.
“Car rentals remain an important part of many travel journeys.” said Eve Henrikson, SVP of Trips at Booking.com. “With these latest AI-powered features, we aim to make it even easier for customers to both search and book car rentals and ensure they have a seamless experience when they pick up their car – so they can hit the road faster this peak season.”
These latest innovations reflect how Booking.com’s AI tools are continuing to evolve to support travelers at the most relevant moments throughout their booking and travel journey.
