Expedia Group is making another big move into artificial intelligence, this time by acquiring Berlin-based startup Layla, an AI-native travel planning platform designed to help people organise trips through natural conversations instead of endless searches.
The deal, announced on July 31, gives Expedia another piece of its long-term AI strategy. Rather than simply adding chat features to its existing services, the company is investing in technology that can guide travellers from the moment they start dreaming about a holiday all the way through booking flights, hotels, activities and transport. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Layla Wants Travel Planning to Feel Like a Conversation
Travel planning can quickly become overwhelming. A few destination ideas turn into dozens of browser tabs, price comparisons and itinerary spreadsheets. Layla was built to remove much of that friction.
Founded in 2023 by Saad Saeed and Sardar Bali, the platform acts as a conversational AI travel agent. Instead of searching manually across different websites, users describe the type of trip they want, and Layla suggests destinations, builds personalised itineraries and recommends flights, accommodation, restaurants, attractions and local transportation. The experience feels closer to chatting with a knowledgeable travel adviser than filling in search forms.
Expedia Gains More Than Another AI Feature
This acquisition isn’t just about adding another chatbot. Layla already specialises in AI-powered travel planning, while Expedia Group brings something the startup doesn’t have on its own: one of the world’s largest travel marketplaces.
That means access to a massive inventory of flights, hotels, holiday rentals, activities and transportation options, along with years of traveller data and booking technology. By combining those strengths, Expedia hopes to create an experience where planning and booking happen in one continuous journey instead of separate steps.
Expedia Says Personalisation Is Becoming the Standard
Shilpa Ranganathan, Expedia Group’s Chief Product Officer, said the acquisition supports the company’s vision of delivering more personalised travel experiences powered by AI.
According to Expedia, travellers increasingly expect recommendations tailored to their interests instead of generic search results. Artificial intelligence makes that level of personalisation possible by understanding preferences, adjusting recommendations and helping travellers complete bookings with fewer steps.
The company believes AI can connect inspiration, planning and reservations into a smoother experience than traditional online travel search.
Layla Team Sees Global Growth Opportunity
Layla co-founder and CEO Saad Saeed said the company’s original goal was simple: make planning a holiday feel as easy as having a conversation. Joining Expedia gives the startup something it could not easily build on its own—global scale.
Expedia’s marketplace reaches travellers in more than 70 countries, giving Layla’s technology access to millions of potential users while benefiting from Expedia’s travel inventory, infrastructure and international presence.
Expedia Continues Building Around AI
The Layla acquisition fits into Expedia Group’s broader AI roadmap. Over the past year, the company has steadily expanded artificial intelligence across its products while also partnering with major AI platforms. Instead of treating AI as a standalone feature, Expedia is weaving it into different stages of the customer journey, from discovering destinations to managing trips after bookings are confirmed.
Buying Layla speeds up that strategy by bringing proven conversational planning technology directly into Expedia’s ecosystem.
Why This Deal Matters
The online travel industry is changing quickly. Travellers no longer want to spend hours comparing dozens of websites before making a booking. They increasingly expect AI to understand what they’re looking for, narrow the choices and recommend complete travel plans in minutes.
That shift explains why travel companies are racing to develop conversational assistants instead of relying solely on traditional search interfaces. With Layla now part of Expedia Group, the competition to become the preferred AI travel assistant just became more interesting.
About Expedia Group
Expedia Group operates one of the world’s largest online travel marketplaces through brands including Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo. The company also runs a major business-to-business travel platform and an extensive travel advertising network serving travellers in more than 70 countries.
