Otto The Agent, an AI-powered travel assistant built by veterans from Expedia, Egencia and Concur, announced its general availability. Designed as an “executive assistant for all business travelers,” according to the announcement, Otto “delivers a concierge-level experience once reserved for top executives to anyone who travels for work.”
After nine months in a closed beta, said the announcement, the platform is now emerging as a proven, tested solution for busy travelers who value time, flexibility and personalization.
Michael Gulmann, CEO and founder of Otto The Agent, said, “Business travelers deserve more than a search box.” Otto, he said, acts like a true executive assistant for travel, anticipating needs and solving problems in real time. When things go wrong, like when an airline grounds its flights, said Gulmann, “Otto steps in like your best executive assistant would, finding new options and keeping you on schedule without the stress.” Gulmann is former senior vice president, consumer product, for Expedia Group.
Unlike generic AI assistants, according to the announcement, Otto can complete full travel transactions directly within the user experience. It does not redirect travelers to other websites or require them to re-enter personal information or payment details.
Otto connects directly to a traveler’s calendar, learns preferences and plans trips proactively, just like a human assistant, according to the announcement. If a traveler needs to be in New York for an 11 a.m. meeting and in Boston for dinner the next day, Otto handles the flights, hotels and loyalty numbers automatically, said the announcement, even adjusting when plans change.
Barney Harford, former CEO of Orbitz Worldwide and former COO of Uber, said he has been using Otto to book all his business travel for several months now. He said, “Otto knows my preferences, and has simplified the shop and book process down to just a couple of minutes.” Harford said the best part was “no more infinite scroll,” adding, “Otto is a glimpse into the future.”
Otto is available for free to individual business travelers as well as small and medium-sized businesses for the next 12 months. Anyone can sign up at OttoTheAgent.com and begin booking their first trip within minutes.
Otto The Agent has a partnership with Direct Travel, a TMC. Christal Bemont, CEO of Direct Travel, said, “Avenir is our next-generation travel platform, and its open design lets us activate new capabilities like Otto instantly, giving our customers access to smarter tools and more automation the moment they emerge.”
Travelers can access Otto through web, app or email interfaces, with deep integrations into Google and Microsoft 365 calendars. The system integrates with Spotnana and Booking.com, combining NDC fares, GDS inventory and direct supplier APIs to deliver the widest choice and flexibility for business travelers, according to the announcement. If travelers need to speak with a human agent, servicing is provided through Direct Travel.
Steve Singh, executive chairman and CEO of Spotnana and executive chairman of Otto The Agent and Direct Travel, said, “Otto takes the concierge-level intelligence and empathy once reserved for the C-suite and deploys it at scale using AI, ensuring every business traveler enjoys a truly seamless, fully supported journey.”
Otto The Agent, according to the announcement, is backed by Madrona Ventures and
travel industry leaders, including former CEOs of Expedia, Orbitz and Concur.
