Want artificial intelligence to help you book your next Southwest Airlines flight? The Dallas-based carrier now has a tool for that.
Southwest, which is headquartered at Dallas Love Field, announced Tuesday that a new plugin will allow customers to search destinations and compare ticket prices before they even visit the airline’s website. But, ChatGPT is not fully in control of the booking process.
How it works:
1. If you need travel inspiration, you can ask ChatGPT for vacation ideas, while sharing your destination type, city of origin and timeline
2. Or if you have a specific trip in mind, tell ChatGPT where you want to go and when
3. Customers may see available Southwest flights for their selected travel dates.
4. You can compare flight dates and times to determine the best option for your trip
5. When you’re ready to book, you’ll be redirected to Southwest.com to complete your reservation
Note: Fares shown on ChatGPT are subject to change until booked through Southwest’s website. Account management functions such as Rapid Rewards access, payments and reservations are still controlled through Southwest.com, not ChatGPT.
Southwest said it is working with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, and Amazon Web Services to create “more intuitive travel planning while thoughtfully expanding AI-powered capabilities over time.”
“Customers are evolving how they plan their travel, and Southwest is helping to shape what comes next,” Sabrina Callahan, Southwest’s chief digital and marketing officer, said in a statement. “It is a meaningful example of how we test and learn with AI innovation to continue the customer-first approach that defines our brand.”