United restricts unauthorized third-party AI agents from booking flights

United Airlines said it is restricting unauthorized third-party personal AI agents from booking or managing travel through its digital platforms, travel agencies and aggregators. The airline said it is updating its booking, ticketing and distribution policies as part of the change.

The policy establishes an access boundary around AI travel agents designed for trip planning and booking: outside agents would need United’s authorization before transacting across those channels. United did not disclose when the restrictions will take effect, how it will identify agent activity or how a provider can become authorized.

United attributed the change to risks involving customer credentials, transactions and regulatory obligations. The company said sharing account credentials with third-party AI assistants can expose sensitive information, while agent actions could lead to unintended purchases, account changes or use of MileagePlus miles. The sources reviewed for the announcement do not independently document such incidents on United.

The airline also said automated AI actions could violate Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation regulations. As an example, it pointed to the acknowledgment travelers make during check-in about prohibited items. United did not identify a rule that categorically bars an AI agent from acting for a passenger.

FAA guidance for passenger carriers says airlines must present dangerous-goods information during ticketing and boarding-pass issuance and obtain acknowledgment from the passenger or someone acting on the passenger’s behalf. Separate FAA passenger guidance describes travelers reviewing safety notifications and checking a box to affirm that they understand hazardous-materials restrictions. The available records do not resolve how those requirements apply to personal AI agents.

DOT consumer guidance says a traveler who books through a travel agency authorizes that agent to find and book travel. It also notes that an airline may have limited ability to help with a ticket purchased through an agent.

United said it would update its Digital Trust Center with details about the restrictions, account protection and help for customers affected by unintended agent actions. The airline also said it will continue evaluating how personal AI assistants interact with its services.