Airlines risk losing direct customer ties as AI favors online travel agencies, Datalex says
XLI•Datalex’s October 2026 analysis found airlines risk losing direct customer relationships as AI flight searches favor online travel agencies, while EasyJet and Southwest launched ChatGPT plugins that direct customers to their sites to complete orders.
1. AI flight searches
Datalex’s October 2026 industry analysis found that airlines risk losing direct customer relationships as AI flight searches favor online travel agencies. It said broader airline content gives those agencies richer information for AI searches, while airline offers need to be discoverable and readable by AI.
2. Airline plugins
EasyJet and Southwest launched ChatGPT plugins in October, embedding offers in AI channels while directing customers to airline websites to complete orders.
