From itinerary to bookings: Use these free AI tools to plan your summer vacation

Planning a summer holiday has traditionally meant juggling multiple tabs, travel blogs and spreadsheets. This year, a growing number of travellers are turning to free AI tools to cut through the clutter — building itineraries, comparing options and even drafting packing lists in minutes.AI is quietly becoming a travel planner’s best companion and here are some tools you can use without spending a rupee.General-purpose AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini and Microsoft Copilot are increasingly being used to generate detailed travel plans. Users can input preferences — budget, travel dates, interests — and get day-wise itineraries in seconds.Unlike static travel guides, these tools allow back-and-forth refinement. You can ask for a more relaxed schedule, swap destinations or tailor plans for family travel, making them far more flexible than traditional research.For inspiration, AI-powered platforms like Roam Around and Wonderplan focus specifically on travel. These tools generate destination ideas and complete itineraries based on inputs such as trip duration and preferences, helping users discover options they might not have considered.They are particularly useful for travellers unsure about where to go, offering curated suggestions that go beyond popular tourist circuits.Search platforms are also integrating AI to simplify bookings. Google Flights helps track fares and suggests optimal booking times, while Skyscanner offers flexible search options to find the cheapest dates and routes.For accommodation, tools like Booking.com now use AI to recommend stays based on user behaviour and preferences, cutting down the time spent scrolling through listings.Navigation apps such as Google Maps go beyond directions, helping users explore nearby attractions, restaurants and transit options. With AI-driven recommendations and real-time updates, travellers can adjust plans on the go—whether it’s avoiding traffic or finding a last-minute café.AI tools are also being used for the less glamorous parts of travel. A quick prompt on ChatGPT or Gemini can generate a customised packing checklist based on destination weather and trip duration. Similarly, users can create budget breakdowns—covering flights, hotels, food and local transport—without needing complex spreadsheets.While AI tools can significantly simplify planning, they are not foolproof. Information on opening hours, local conditions or visa rules should still be cross-checked with official sources. Prices, in particular, can change rapidly, making it important to verify bookings directly.What’s clear is that AI is shifting travel planning from a time-consuming chore to a more conversational, on-demand process. Instead of hours of fragmented research, travellers can now sketch out an entire trip in a single sitting—and tweak it as they go.For summer travellers, that means less time planning, and more time actually looking forward to the holiday.