A North Texas woman used ChatGPT to plan her entire bucket list trip to Chile. Here’s what you need to know before you use artificial intelligence to help with your vacation.
For many travelers, planning a big trip can feel overwhelming. But for Yolanda Alvarado, a senior psychology major at UT Arlington, artificial intelligence made the entire process effortless.
Alvarado is embarking on a dream trip to Chile for Spring Break, including a visit to the starkly beautiful Atacama Desert. The catch? She built her entire itinerary — from locations to lodging — using ChatGPT.
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WATCH HERE"It told me that there was a once-in-a-lifetime trip where I can see the desert, I can stargaze," Alvarado said. "It told me that it was great for solo female travelers. It's great if you want relaxation, but also adventure, which that's what sold me, because that is a perfect balance of what I wanted in a trip."
Alvarado said she's been using ChatGPT for about a year now to brainstorm trip ideas and fine-tune itineraries. She says the AI assistant has learned enough about her preferences that it feels like a trusted travel advisor.
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SIGN UP "I told it I can be available for eight days. I can go this day. I can leave this day. Can you make me a mock itinerary?" she said. "And it pulled it all up. And as soon as I saw it, I was like, yes, this is what I want to do."
Alvarado isn’t alone. More and more travelers are turning to AI to help with trip planning. AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini can provide personalized recommendations, suggest must-see attractions, and even build detailed day-by-day itineraries. However, experts — including AI itself — warn that there are some limitations.
AI-generated travel advice can sometimes be outdated, especially when it comes to business hours or prices, so it’s always best to verify with official sources. Some chatbots, like ChatGPT, don’t track real-time flight delays, hotel availability, or weather conditions. Google’s Gemini, however, does have access to those updates because it’s integrated with Google services.
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For Alvarado, AI-assisted travel planning isn’t new. Last year, she used ChatGPT to help coordinate a whirlwind spring break trip to Denmark, Sweden, and Cancun — all within a week. She said the trip was a blast, with no issues.
When she returns from Chile, we’ll check in to hear how her AI-inspired adventure turned out. If her past experiences are any indication, it’s bound to be a memorable one.
