(Lebanon, NH – September 21, 2026) — Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a mainstream travel planning tool in just three months, but experienced international travelers remain unwilling to let AI take control of their trips or accept its recommendations without verification, according to the latest Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey.

The survey found that 51% of travelers now expect to use AI in some capacity when planning international travel, 31% to narrow travel options and another 20% primarily for inspiration. That’s a sharp increase from March, when only 36% expected to use AI for travel planning.

At the same time, the percentage of travelers who say they will not use AI at all has fallen dramatically, dropping from 36% in March to 26% today.

“The adoption curve has accelerated remarkably,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies and a member of the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the US Department of Commerce. “In only three months, AI has moved from an emerging planning tool to something that a majority of experienced international travelers expect to use. But increased use should not be confused with increased trust. Travelers are embracing AI as an assistant, not an authority.”

Unlike earlier in the year, when AI users primarily viewed the technology as a way to narrow choices, today’s travelers are also turning to it for trip inspiration. Non-US-based travelers lead that trend, with 31% saying they will use AI mainly for inspiration compared with just 16% of US-based travelers.

US-based travelers, meanwhile, continue to be somewhat more likely to use AI as a decision-support tool to narrow travel options (32% versus 27%), although the gap has narrowed considerably since March, when US travelers were more than twice as likely as non-US travelers to use AI in that way (24% versus 11%).

The role of human advice also shifted significantly. In March, non-US travelers were considerably more likely than US travelers to rely primarily on human recommendations (31% versus 22%). Today, that relationship has reversed. Twenty-six percent of US-based travelers now say they rely mostly on human recommendations compared with only 15% of non-US-based travelers.

Despite growing acceptance of AI, trust remains carefully qualified.

Nearly 60% of travelers said they trust AI-generated travel information only after verifying it through other sources. Just 6% mostly trust AI without verification, and no respondent said they completely trust AI-generated information. One-quarter (25%) said they do not trust AI-generated travel information at all.

The survey also suggests travelers’ caution is grounded in experience. More than one-quarter (27%) said they have encountered incorrect or outdated AI-generated travel information. Nearly one-quarter (24%) caught the mistake before traveling, while 3% said inaccurate AI information affected their travel plans.

“The data show travelers are learning how to work with AI rather than relying on it blindly,” Richards said. “They’re verifying recommendations, checking sources and applying their own judgment. That’s exactly the right approach for international travel, where outdated visa rules, incorrect entry requirements or inaccurate safety information can have real consequences.”

Travelers also remain unwilling to delegate travel decisions to artificial intelligence.

More than six in ten (61%) said they would not allow an AI assistant to automatically make travel-related decisions such as rebooking flights or changing itineraries. Only 11% would allow AI to act with their approval, while 20% said it would depend on the circumstances. Not a single respondent said they would allow AI to make travel decisions without human approval.

“Experienced travelers have drawn a clear line,” Richards said. “AI can suggest destinations, compare itineraries and summarize information, but people still want the final say. International travel requires judgment, context and the ability to respond when conditions change—qualities that travelers continue to reserve for themselves.”

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About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey

Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, surveyed the world’s most experienced international travelers between June 30 – July 9, 2026. Respondents shared their attitudes, behaviors and preferences related to travel safety, technology and global mobility.

About Global Rescue

Global Rescue is the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services to enterprises, governments and individuals. Founded in 2004, Global Rescue maintains exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. The company has provided medical and security support during every major global crisis over the past two decades.