SAP Concur Unveils AI Booking Agent and Trip Extras Features

SAP Concur is set to launch an AI-powered booking agent in the coming months, marking a significant step toward its vision of collaborative, interactive AI agents streamlining business travel processes. The announcement was made during the Global Business Travel Association Convention in Denver.

Key Features of the AI Booking Agent

• Flight Booking via Joule: Travelers can request flights within Joule, the SAP AI autopilot. For example, a traveler can specify dates for a trip to London, and the agent will suggest compliant options based on preferences and company policy.
• Rollout Timeline: Early access for SAP Early Adopter program participants begins in August 2024, with wider availability in Q4 2024.
• Broader AI Integration: SAP is investing $1 billion in AI, aiming to connect agents across finance, budget, travel, and expense data for real-time recommendations. For instance, AI could identify cost-saving opportunities or suggest high-ROI customer visits.

New Trip Extras Feature

• Vetted Third-Party Services: Travelers can add services like Heathrow Express tickets during flight bookings. Launching with ground transportation via Groundspan, with future additions like airport processing and visas.
• Customizable Options: Companies can opt in/out of specific extras for their travelers.

Enhanced Concur Request Tool

• Budget Authorization: Employees can now submit multi-trip budget requests (e.g., monthly client visits) or team-wide requests (e.g., conference attendance). Previously, requests were limited to individual trips.

Migration Updates

• Sabre GDS: Most customers are now eligible for migration to Concur’s new booking experience, with automatic upgrades ongoing.
• Amadeus: New hotel booking features are live, with European customer migrations in progress.
• Travelport: Delays persist as some clients remain on legacy systems (Apollo, Galileo, Worldspan). Upgrades will proceed only when all functionalities are matched.

Charlie Sultan, Concur Travel president, emphasized that success in AI requires strong data, security, and integration—areas where Concur excels due to its ties to financial and corporate systems.

For more details, visit Concur’s new booking experience.