United Is Restricting AI Agents From Booking Flights

United Airlines will restrict AI agents from booking flights across its website, third-party travel agencies and flight aggregators, citing security and privacy risks and potential conflicts with Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration rules—such as the requirement that a human confirm at check-in that a bag contains no explosives. The carrier joins JPMorgan Chase and Amazon in blocking agents, warning that handing over payment details or login credentials can cause unintended purchases, account changes or misuse of MileagePlus miles. United CEO Scott Kirby said at an event Tuesday that he doesn't want "another middleman" inserted between the airline and its customers. The move matters because agentic commerce is spreading quickly, and United is among the first major airlines to draw a line, while Southwest has taken a more open stance. Watch whether other carriers follow United's lead and how booking agents adapt to the restrictions.