AI Travel Rankings Put Marriott, American Airlines & Expedia on Top

# BrightEdge Data Shows AI Is Making Its Holiday Travel List (And Checking It Twice). Marriott, American Airlines, Royal Caribbean and Expedia Are on It.

American Airlines, Royal Caribbean and Expedia lead their categories across ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews, with competition for the top hotel spot

October 21, 2026 09:00 ET | Source: [BrightEdge](https://www.globenewswire.com/en/search/organization/BrightEdge)

---

What Happened

On October 21, 2026 BrightEdge published a new study that charts which travel brands surface in AI‑driven holiday planning. By crawling the answers produced by ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews, the research shows that the most recognizable names in hotels, airlines, cruises and online travel agencies (OTAs) already appear in the very tools consumers use for quick travel ideas.

Key findings:

• Marriott commands the hotel conversation on ChatGPT with a 29.4 % share, while Hilton nudges ahead on Google AI Overviews at 28.3 %.
• American Airlines leads airline mentions on both platforms.
• Royal Caribbean shows up in almost 30 % of ChatGPT cruise answers.
• Expedia is the preferred OTA across AI‑generated recommendations.

Jim Yu, BrightEdge CEO, summed it up: “visibility is the new competitive battleground.” This is the first study to put a numeric value on AI’s direct impact on travel‑brand visibility during the holiday season.

---

Key Details

| Category | AI Platform | Leader | Share of Answers |

|----------|-------------|--------|------------------|

| Hotels | ChatGPT | Marriott | 29.4 % |

| Hotels | Google AI | Hilton | 28.3 % |

| Airlines | Both | American Airlines | 27‑31 % |

| Cruises | Both | Royal Caribbean | 24.8‑28.8 % |

| OTA | Both | Expedia | 22‑26 % |

Why These Brands Win

1. Robust Structured Data – Each brand has heavily invested in schema markup, allowing AI models to pull core facts such as price, routes and availability with ease.

2. High‑Quality Content – Regularly published blogs, travel guides, and user‑generated reviews give AI the depth it needs to answer nuanced queries.

3. Strong Brand Signals – Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data, verified Google Business Profiles, and high domain authority signal trust to AI algorithms.

4. Strategic Partnerships – Ties with major booking engines and travel aggregators enrich the data pool that AI models crawl.

---

What It Means For Your Business

1. AI Is Now a Real‑Time Search Engine

When a traveler asks ChatGPT, “Where should I stay in Miami for New Year’s?”, the model draws from the same index that powers Google AI Overviews. Brands that appear in those answers capture instant intent—no paid media required. For boutique hotels, regional airlines, or niche tour operators, a citation in an AI answer is the modern equivalent of a front‑page newspaper mention.

2. Optimize for **AI‑First** Visibility

Traditional SEO still matters, but the playbook is evolving:

• Schema is non‑negotiable – Deploy Hotel, Flight, CruiseLine, and Offer schema to unlock rich snippets.
• Answer‑Friendly Content – Craft concise, bullet‑point responses to common traveler questions (e.g., “What’s the baggage allowance on American Airlines?”).
• Local Citations – List your business in reputable travel directories, review sites, and industry‑specific platforms that AI crawlers frequent.
• Performance Signals – Fast load times and mobile‑first design now influence AI‑generated summaries.

3. Monitor the AI Landscape

BrightEdge’s data shows rapid shifts—Hilton overtook Marriott on Google AI Overviews within weeks. Set up AI‑search dashboards to see which queries surface your brand, then tweak your content strategy in near‑real‑time. Remember, AI models are continuously retrained, so today’s leader can become tomorrow’s laggard.

4. Leverage the Holiday Momentum

The holiday travel window is brief but intense. Use AI‑derived insights to:

• Build timely landing pages that answer holiday‑specific queries like “Best ski resorts for Christmas 2026.”
• Run AI‑focused ad extensions that highlight your brand’s appearance in ChatGPT or Google AI Overviews.
• Partner with influencers who embed structured data in their travel guides, amplifying AI visibility.

---

Key Takeaways

• AI assistants are already functioning as travel recommendation engines.
• Marriott, American Airlines, Royal Caribbean and Expedia dominate the current AI‑travel conversation.
• Structured data, premium content, and strong brand signals are the levers that push a brand into AI‑generated answers.
• Small and local businesses can win by embracing AI‑first SEO and tracking real‑time AI rankings.

---

FAQs

1. Will my small boutique hotel appear in AI answers?

Yes—if you implement proper schema, keep local listings accurate, and publish answer‑focused content, AI models can surface your property alongside larger chains.

2. How often does AI ranking data change?

BrightEdge’s research shows weekly fluctuations, with major model updates (for example, a new ChatGPT version) causing larger swings. Ongoing monitoring is therefore essential.

3. Can paid advertising influence AI recommendations?

Directly, no—AI draws from organic data. However, higher traffic and engagement generated by ads can boost your site’s authority, which indirectly improves AI visibility.

---

Why It Matters

For businesses aiming to be discovered by AI tools, this study serves as a wake‑up call. AI‑driven answers now occupy the front page of the internet, appearing before a user even clicks a link. If your brand is absent from that answer set, you miss out on high‑intent traffic that historically would have arrived via organic search.

VisibilityAI’s mission is to help local and small businesses get cited by AI. By mirroring the tactics of travel giants—robust schema, answer‑centric content, and clean local citations—your business can break into the AI recommendation pool. The payoff is free, high‑quality traffic that bypasses costly paid campaigns, especially during the peak holiday planning period.

Because AI rankings are fluid, the brands that dominate today may be overtaken tomorrow as models retrain. Continuous monitoring, rapid content updates, and a proactive AI‑SEO strategy turn AI from a threat into a powerful acquisition channel.