Southwest Airlines and ChatGPT claim that planning a trip is now easier with a first-of-its-kind U.S. airline AI plugin. Southwest, alongside OpenAI and Amazon Web Services (AWS), developed an AI tool that lets travelers search, compare, and shop for flights directly in ChatGPT. The idea is that customers are already brainstorming ideas with the chatbot, so the companies decided to make it an all-in-one tool.

Smart Search and Fare Comparisons

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By launching inside ChatGPT, Southwest aims to appear earlier in the travel discovery process. Users looking for travel inspiration can share their preferred destination style, like beaches or mountains, along with their starting city and timeline. If travelers already have a specific trip in mind, they can check schedules, compare travel dates to find better prices, and view fare products including Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra.

“Customers are evolving how they plan their travel, and Southwest is helping to shape what comes next,” said Sabrina Callahan, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at Southwest Airlines. “It is a meaningful example of how we test and learn with AI innovation to continue the Customer-first approach that defines our brand.”

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Moving from Chat to Final Booking

While the plugin handles flight discovery, actual ticket purchases remain on Southwest.com. When travelers pick a flight, ChatGPT sends them directly to the airline website to finish their reservation. Account sign-in, Rapid Rewards management, seat selection based on tier status or cardmember benefits, and payments all happen on Southwest.com or the official app.

“We’re putting the right technology in place to support what our Customers need today with flexibility to build what they’ll need tomorrow,” said Lauren Woods, Executive Vice President & Chief Information Officer at Southwest Airlines. “By creating a secure, scalable foundation for AI, we can add new capabilities more quickly and thoughtfully, making it easier to serve Customers across their journey.”

Because OpenAI operates ChatGPT, Southwest does not control the platform’s generated answers. Fares and schedules can change, so the information on Southwest.com controls the final purchase.