Chicago, IL, August 3, 2026 – FCM Travel today announced its new AI-powered conversational booking feature which will allow travelers to simply describe what they need and receive options shaped by their policy, profile, past trips, loyalty status and preferred routes, dramatically cutting the time it takes to book. The feature forms part of continued enhancements to FCM Booking, FCM’s proprietary booking platform, and its ongoing global expansion – giving customers an easier, more intelligent booking experience.
Conversational booking is made possible by FCM's existing intelligence layer, Sam. By synthesising intelligence at every traveler interaction, Sam builds a richer profile in real time. Every recommendation will come with its reasoning attached, showing why it fits policy, matches a traveler’s usual routing, reflects their loyalty program, or follows how their team travels. That visibility will help travelers book with confidence, without second-guessing.
Conversational booking only works if travelers trust what they’re being shown, and that trust comes from context, not just convenience. That’s the experience we’re building toward – every recommendation explains itself, so travelers can act on it with confidence, and travel managers see adoption follow as a result.
- Jessica Dunderdale, Global Head of Product, FCM Travel
That same booking experience also travels with the user. Available first in Microsoft Teams and Slack, Model Context Protocol (MCP) technology will extend booking capabilities to the AI tools travelers use every day, including ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, without opening a separate app. For travel buyers, that means higher in-program booking rates and better data capture, without asking travelers to change behavior.
The intelligence that shapes conversational booking also feeds FCM’s reporting and proactive analytics, surfacing spend, compliance, and disruption risk as it emerges rather than after the fact. This sharpens the role of the travel manager – allowing them to translate what the technology surfaces into decisions that fit their business.
Booking is one moment in a much longer trip. Thanks to embedded native intelligence, FCM's technology and service teams stay connected with travelers from the first planning conversation through duty of care and in-trip support – not just the moment they hit confirm.
We didn’t build FCM’s tech ecosystem to replace our consultants’ judgment. We built it to take the routine work off their plate, so they can focus on the moments that actually need a person. Travelers get speed from tech and expertise from our consultants – they shouldn’t have to choose between the two.
- John Morhous, Chief Experience Officer, FCM Travel
Visit FCM Travel at GBTA Convention 2026 at booth 610 to see FCM Booking and Sam in action, or visit fcmtravel.com to find out more.
About FCM Travel
FCM is one of the world’s largest travel management companies and a trusted partner for thousands of national and multi-national organizations, including many household brands, Fortune, and FTSE 100 companies. With a 24/7 reach in 95 countries, FCM’s agile and flexible technology anticipates and solves client needs supported by expert teams who provide in-depth local knowledge and duty of care as part of the ultimate personalized business travel experience.
As the flagship corporate travel arm of Flight Centre Travel Group, FCM is able to deliver some of the most competitive rates, unique added-value benefits, and exclusive solutions for its clients to support their business travel requirements. A recognized leader in the travel tech space, the company has debuted several proprietary client solutions over the last 12 months including a new omnichannel platform featuring a "first of its kind" customized end-to-end user experience and FCM Booking, an innovative option to traditional OBTs.
Alongside its travel management services, the company provides specialist services through FCM Consulting and FCM Meetings & Events to service broader needs of clients. Discover the alternative at www.fcmtravel.com