ChatGPT can plan your dream getaway—if you know how to ask

Planning a trip takes time and often its more of a hassle than you’d like. If you don’t feel like spending hours researching, you can simply outsource the first draft of your holiday plans to ChatGPT. The chatbot suggests travel destinations, creates daily plans, compares means of transport, reminds you of charging devices, and even virtually packs your suitcase.

But how reliable are these suggestions? And can it actually save you money? We’ll show you what ChatGPT excels at in vacation planning — and warn you of pitfalls where it stumbles. Let’s dig in.

Further reading: 9 menial tasks ChatGPT can handle in seconds, saving you hours

Find travel ideas

If you don’t have any concrete plans yet, ChatGPT is an excellent starting point for finding ideas. Start with a few wishes or questions such as:

• I would like to travel with two friends for 5 days in September, budget maximum 300 dollars per person, like nature and hiking, but also a small city to stroll around.
• Which three European cities are cheap, family-friendly and under 400 dollars in autumn?
• I’m planning a 7-day round trip from Munich through South Tyrol, the Dolomites and Lake Garda with activities and accommodation.

ChatGPT responds with a list of suitable destinations as well as information on travelling, accommodation costs, local activities and much more – depending on the initial question or prompt (command).

When making hotel suggestions or flight connections, remember that the AI does not process real-time data. You have to check for yourself whether the specified bus connection still exists, a cheap flight is actually available, or the accommodation is out of budget in high season. In this aspect, the time saved by using ChatGPT is less than hoped for (at least if you want to accept the suggestions unfiltered).

The AI can also provide you with links to the official hotel websites, but you have to make the bookings yourself.

Personalized daily plans

Once the destination is clear, ChatGPT helps with fine-tuning: sights, restaurant tips, or travel routes can be packed into a personalized day plan if desired.

For example, if you write: “Plan 3 days in Porto with food, culture and a relaxed atmosphere”, you will receive an itinerary with breakfast places, tours, museums and sunset points. The more details you enter – such as type of traveller, preferences, restrictions or weather – the better the results.

Sam Singleton

Another example prompt: “I am a woman travelling alone, want to spend 5 days in Lisbon, travel safely, eat vegetarian food, and visit local bookshops. Plan for me a relaxed itinerary with addresses.”.

Even Plan B suggestions for bad weather or child-friendly variants are possible – just ask the AI.

Road trips, stopovers, and routes

To plan your route, enter the starting point, destination, duration and interests. ChatGPT generates suggestions for stages, places of interest, and possible activities based on this information.

Example: “I would like to do a 7-day round trip by car in July, starting in Munich, through Austria and northern Italy, focusing on nature, thermal baths and small towns. Please include distances and recommendations for accommodation or campsites.”

Information on tolls, border crossings, traffic and weather is also available, even if it’s not updated daily. You will still have to transfer the route manually to Google Maps or a sat nav app though.

A little etiquette in language and culture

Asking ChatGPT “How do you say ‘Hello” in Icelandic?” And “Do you tip in Portugal?” clarifies such questions in a matter of seconds. A quick AI crash course in language and etiquette is particularly useful for short trips. You can also check public holidays, festivals and school holidays so that you are optimally prepared. Example prompts:

• What public holidays and major festivals are there in Croatia in June? And what should I bear in mind when visiting restaurants?
• What should I know about eating habits and courtesies in Portugal?
• What traditional festivals take place in Andalusia in July?
• How do you greet someone in Icelandic? And how do you say thank you?
• How much is it customary to tip in Greek restaurants?

A little tip: Ask specifically about taboos or faux pas typical of the country. In many countries, there are unwritten rules of behavior that tourists should be aware of before they unknowingly cause offence.

Packing list including special tips

Last but not least, ChatGPT also helps you pack your suitcase, at least virtually. With information on your destination, duration of the trip and planned activities, the AI creates packing lists including practical tips on power adapters, clothing, first-aid kit and weatherproof equipment.

Example: “I’m flying to Thailand for 10 days, I’m mostly travelling outside and need a packing list for my rucksack including technology, clothing, and pharmacy.”

Sam Singleton

The result is impressive, but you have to add personal essentials yourself. ChatGPT doesn’t know that you can’t sleep at night without a sleep mask—not yet, at least.

Advantages and disadvantages of ChatGPT for vacation planning

A real added value of ChatGPT lies in the organization of individual travel ideas. The AI provides quick and flexible ideas that traditional booking sites often don’t offer. Especially those who are not planning a run-of-the-mill trip, but want to pay attention to personal preferences, travel type, or specific needs, will benefit from the variety of suggestions.

ChatGPT is not suitable for flight connections nor current prices and availability. If you think you can save yourself the trouble of doing all the research, the opposite is often the case: you should always check prices, opening times or timetables separately, which takes additional time.

Therefore, it’s best to use ChatGPT for inspiration, structure, and individualization. For anything that changes quickly, however, you still need to use a search engine or app. If you keep this in mind, you will save yourself frustration and still get plenty of original travel ideas.