United Airlines Officially Bans AI Agents From Booking Your Flights And Checking You In

United Airlines is banning third-party AI agents from booking or changing flights on behalf of passengers, warning that the tools could expose customer information and potentially violate federal regulations. The Chicago-based airline announced the restrictions on Wednesday, November 11, and added them to its Contract of Carriage, allowing it to cancel any reservation made or changed by an AI agent.

AI agents are tools that can book and manage flights on behalf of users with little human input. Delta Air Lines was reported last month to be blocking similar tools, but United has become the first major US carrier to formally announce such restrictions.

United Adds AI Booking Restrictions To Its Contract Of Carriage

As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the ban will apply across United's website and app, as well as through travel agencies and booking platforms. In its statement, United warned that sharing account login details with third-party AI assistants could put sensitive information at risk. It added that actions taken by these tools "may result in unintended purchases, account changes, or use of MileagePlus miles."

The airline also raised concerns that automated AI actions could break Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) rules. One example is the check-in process, which requires passengers to confirm that their bags do not contain prohibited items, such as explosives. United said,