Hyatt Uses AI Search and New Amex Offer to Chase Direct Hotel Bookings
Hyatt is doubling down on artificial intelligence, aiming to catch travelers before they even settle on where to go, CEO Mark Hoplamazian told industry peers in Berlin this week. The hotel chain is pushing to boost direct bookings on its own platforms. U.S. travel sites, meanwhile, have flagged a specific American Express promotion for certain Hyatt stays—another nudge intended to draw loyalty members to book straight with Hyatt. Timing’s important here: hotel groups are scrambling to ease reliance on online travel agencies—their third-party booking platforms typically run pricier than direct reservations. Hoplamazian pointed to World of Hyatt as a way to bring those acquisition expenses down. Skift, citing JPMorgan in a report this month, noted that major U.S. hotel brands are shifting from AI test phases to broader launches, with earnings boosts seen coming in 2026.
