A free AI trip planner can turn 'four days in Lisbon, love food, hate queues' into a day-by-day itinerary in a minute. Check how it handles your interests, whether you can edit and share the plan, and where it sends you to book. Nine tools follow in no particular order, plus the checks AI planners don't do for you.
Planning a trip used to mean twenty open tabs and a spreadsheet. AI trip planners compress that into a conversation: tell them where, when and what you like, and they'll suggest a route, sights and places to eat. The results are a brilliant first draft, and only a draft. They don't know about the roadworks, the museum that's shut on Mondays or the restaurant that closed last spring, so you'll still want to check the details.
The nine tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from general AI assistants to dedicated travel planners. Each description comes from the tool's own website or store listing, re-checked today. If you're keeping spending down, my prompts for planning a low-spend trip are a good starting point.
AI trip planners compared
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site or store listing describes free use, a free plan or a free app, Trial only means a time-limited trial and No means neither is stated. Some planners earn money from bookings you make through them.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | General AI assistant | Custom plans by conversation | Yes |
| Google Gemini | General AI assistant | Plans linked to Google Maps | Yes |
| iPlan.ai | Itinerary builder | Fast day-by-day city plans | Yes |
| Layla | AI trip planner | Plans with bookable hotels | Yes |
| Mindtrip | Visual travel assistant | Visual maps of your ideas | Yes |
| Stippl | Collaborative trip planner | Planning with friends | Yes |
| Tripadvisor | Reviews and trip builder | Plans backed by traveller reviews | Yes |
| Wanderlog | Itinerary and map app | Road trips with routes | Yes |
| Wonderplan | AI itinerary generator | Interest-based itineraries | Yes |
Nine AI tools for planning trips
ChatGPT
Best for: Travellers who like to talk through a plan, refine it with follow-up questions and paste in their own constraints.
Google Gemini
Best for: Android and Gmail users who want trip ideas that tie into Google Maps, Flights and their inbox.
iPlan.ai
Best for: City breakers who want a day-by-day plan in under a minute that they can then reorder.
Layla
Best for: Holidaymakers who want a plan with hotels and experiences ready to book in the same place.
Mindtrip
Best for: Visual planners who want ideas pinned on a map with photos and reviews as they chat.
Stippl
Best for: Groups planning together who want a shared timeline, map and travel tracker for a trip.
Tripadvisor
Best for: Travellers who trust reviews and want suggested plans built around highly rated places and things to do.
Wanderlog
Best for: Road trippers who want every stop on a map with drive times and a shared itinerary.
Wonderplan
Best for: Curious explorers who want an itinerary shaped around their interests and pace in a few clicks.
The document check an AI planner won't do
Here's the gap in every AI itinerary. GOV.UK says France follows Schengen area rules, so a British passport must have a date of issue less than 10 years before you arrive and an expiry date at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
What that means for you: an AI planner will happily build a perfect week in Paris without asking about your passport. Look up the official entry rules for every country on your route, for your nationality, before you book anything.
General assistants, travel planners and booking apps
General AI assistants are flexible: you can describe odd constraints, such as a wheelchair user, a toddler's nap or a vegan partner, and refine the plan in conversation. Dedicated travel planners put the itinerary on a map with times and distances, and they're easier to share with the people you're travelling with. Booking-led planners link hotels and activities to the plan, which is handy if you want to book in the same place.
Many travellers use an assistant to brainstorm and a planner app to organise the final version. If you're visiting somewhere for the first time, ask the assistant to explain how the neighbourhoods differ, then choose where to stay before you plan the days; it saves a lot of crossing town.
Turning an AI itinerary into a trip that works
- Give the planner dates, pace, interests and anything you want to avoid.
- Ask for a day-by-day plan with travel times between stops.
- Check opening days and hours on each venue's own site.
- Look up entry rules and passport validity on official sites.
- Move the plan into an app you can use offline on the trip.
- Leave one free half-day for rest or rain.
Trips that need extra planning
- Ski trips. My guide to planning a first ski holiday covers lessons, kit and resorts.
- Multi-country routes. Check entry rules for each border, not just the first.
- Travelling with children. Plan shorter days and more breaks than the AI suggests.
- Festivals and holidays. Look up local holidays, when many places close.
Do you make an AI trip planning tool? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on using a free AI trip planner
Use AI for the first draft and the boring bits: route order, travel times and a shortlist of places. Then check everything that could ruin the trip yourself, from opening hours to passport rules, on official sites. It takes twenty minutes and it's the difference between a good plan and a good holiday.
If you're travelling with others, move the final plan into a shared planner app so everyone sees the same thing. And don't pack every hour; the best travel moments are rarely on the itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
Can AI plan a trip for free?
Yes. Several tools here build itineraries for free, sometimes with limits or booking links.
Are AI travel itineraries accurate?
They're a good draft, but opening times, closures and travel times can be wrong, so check them.
Will an AI planner check my passport and visa?
No. GOV.UK publishes entry rules for each country, such as passport validity for the Schengen area; check them yourself.
Can I share an AI itinerary with friends?
Many travel planner apps let you share a plan or invite people to edit it.
Do AI trip planners work offline?
Some apps let you save the plan offline. Download it before you travel.
Can AI book hotels for me?
Some planners link to hotels and activities, but you usually confirm and pay on the booking site.
