Google is enhancing travel planning with new AI-driven features across Search, Maps, and Gemini. As more users turn to AI tools like ChatGPT for trip assistance, Google is integrating AI to simplify the process.
Google Search’s AI Overviews can now generate travel itineraries. Users can type queries like “Create an itinerary for Costa Rica with a focus on nature”, and AI will suggest destinations, activities, and reviews. The results include images, location markers on an expandable map, and relevant travel information.
To save an itinerary, users can tap “Export” to send recommendations to Google Docs, Gmail, or save them as a custom list in Google Maps. This feature is available in the U.S. for English-language searches on mobile and desktop.
Google is also making its Gems feature in Gemini free for all users. Gems allow users to create AI-powered assistants tailored for specific tasks, including trip planning. With a travel-focused Gem, users can receive personalized destination suggestions, packing lists, and itinerary ideas.
Google has long provided price drop alerts for flights, and now it’s extending this feature to hotels. Travelers can track hotel prices for selected dates and destinations, applying filters such as star ratings or beach access. If prices drop, Google will send an email alert. This feature is rolling out globally this week on mobile and desktop browsers.
To help users organize their trips, Google Maps is introducing a feature that converts screenshots into travel plans. Many travelers take screenshots of places they want to visit but later forget about them. With this new tool, users can grant Maps access to their photos, allowing it to automatically recognize landmarks and locations in screenshots. These locations can then be reviewed and saved into travel lists, appearing on the map for easy reference.
This feature is launching in the U.S. for iOS users this week, with an Android release coming soon.
With these new AI-powered tools, Google aims to make trip planning more efficient and personalized, giving users smarter ways to organize their travels.
