United Airlines Restricts Third-Party AI Agents from Booking Flights

United Airlines is restricting third-party artificial intelligence agents from booking flights through its platforms, tightening controls as more consumers turn to autonomous AI tools for travel planning and other transactions.

United Airlines is tightening access to its booking platforms to prevent unauthorized third-party AI agents from making reservations and other account changes. [Photo: United Facebook]

The airline announced the restrictions on November 11, saying unauthorized personal AI assistants could expose customers' sensitive information and make unintended purchases or account changes.

United Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby said he did not want to create another intermediary between the airline and its customers, according to a report by Paige Oamek for Yahoo Finance.

"To be honest, I don't want to create another middleman," Kirby told The Wall Street Journal.

AI agents differ from conventional chatbots because they can perform tasks autonomously, including searching for products, making reservations and completing transactions with limited user intervention.

United said sharing account credentials with third-party AI assistants could expose personal information, result in unauthorized purchases or lead to the unintended use of MileagePlus miles.

The airline also raised regulatory concerns.

Certain travel procedures require direct customer confirmation, including the declaration that checked baggage does not contain prohibited substances or materials.

United said it would restrict unauthorized agents through its own digital platforms as well as travel agencies and aggregators.

The changes will involve updates to its booking, ticketing and distribution policies.

Other companies have taken similar steps. Amazon blocked Meta's Muse AI agent from shopping on its website in September, citing security and privacy concerns.

Not all airlines are taking the same approach.

Southwest Airlines launched a ChatGPT plugin in October that allows customers to discover destinations and search for its flight options as part of a phased AI-powered booking strategy.

The contrasting approaches highlight a growing debate over how businesses should accommodate AI agents while retaining control over customer accounts, transactions and regulatory obligations.