Using AI to help travellers “create the best trip of their lives”
“Future Lanes” is a special WiT Podcast series powered by Meili, a tech company that is rewriting the rules of ancillary distribution. The series, covering six episodes, is all about getting direct – cutting through the noise with unfiltered conversations on what’s shaping the next decade of travel. No fluff – just straight, feisty talk about what it takes to find your future lane in travel.
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The airline industry has long been on a journey toward personalisation, but few have embraced the power of AI and technology as strategically as SAS. Caroline Bergstroem, Head of Ancillary Products, Connectivity, and Retail at SAS, is leading the charge to create a seamless, one-stop-shop experience for passengers.
On this episode of Future Lanes, a special WiT podcast series powered by Meili, Bergstroem shares insights on how AI, data analytics, and self-service are shaping the airline’s future.
The vision: A one-stop-shop for travel
Bergstrom envisions a world where travellers no longer have to juggle multiple platforms to book flights, hotels, car rentals, and experiences. Instead, SAS aims to provide an integrated ecosystem where everything can be arranged in one place.
“What we want to do is create a little bit of a one-stop-shop,” she explained. “It will make it easier for our passengers to find everything they need for their trip – from how to get to the airport, the best parking options, lounge access, and flight bookings, to rental cars, hotels, and destination experiences.”
This holistic approach isn’t just about convenience; it’s about delivering a frictionless customer journey. AI plays a key role in making this vision a reality by predicting what travellers want before they even ask for it.
AI and data: Anticipating traveller needs
Bergstroem is particularly excited about AI’s potential to offer hyper-personalized recommendations. “We probably know exactly what the customer wants for their trip,” she said. “With AI and data, we can predict the type of ancillary products or transfer services they might need and offer them proactively.”
For example, SAS can now analyze booking patterns to suggest personalized ancillaries. If a traveller books an early morning flight, the system might prompt them to pre-order breakfast onboard, saving them time and ensuring a more pleasant experience. Similarly, AI-driven recommendations can help travellers book relevant activities at their destination.
Scrapping legacy tech and building from scratch
The airline industry is often held back by legacy systems that make innovation challenging. Bergstroem acknowledged this but emphasised that SAS is taking proactive steps to overcome these hurdles.
“We realized we couldn’t just keep building layers on an old system. So, we made the tough decision to rebuild our app from scratch,” she explained. “It meant pausing new features for over a year, but now we have one of the best airline apps in the industry, and it’s won multiple awards.”
A similar transformation is underway for the SAS website, where the airline is working to enhance the digital experience by making ancillary products easier to understand and purchase.
Self-service and the future of airline retailing
One of the biggest shifts in airline technology is the move toward self-service. Bergstroem sees this as essential for meeting modern traveller expectations. “Passengers today want to be in control. They want to check in, make changes to their bookings, add ancillaries, and even drop off their bags – without needing to interact with staff,” she said.
This shift is not just about efficiency – it’s about creating a more tailored experience. AI can differentiate between a frequent traveller who wants a quick, streamlined process and a less experienced flyer who may need more guidance. “You have to hold their hand through the online experience,” Bergstroem noted. “AI allows us to do that through pop-ups, messaging, and smart recommendations.”
Direct-to-consumer strategy and loyalty
SAS is also making a significant push toward direct bookings, a move that benefits both the airline and its customers. Today, more than 50% of SAS’s bookings come directly through its channels, a number that has grown since COVID-19.
“To get passengers to book direct, we need the right technology,” Bergstroem said. “It has to be seamless, easy to use, and offer clear advantages.”
One of those advantages is the SAS loyalty program, EuroBonus, which has over eight million members. SAS recently announced free high-speed WiFi for EuroBonus members—a move designed to encourage sign-ups and strengthen brand loyalty. “If you want to connect to the world while flying, you need to be a EuroBonus member, and then it’s free,” she explained.
Beyond flights, SAS is expanding its loyalty ecosystem by allowing passengers to earn points on car rentals, hotels, transfers, and activities. “If you book everything with us, you can accumulate enough points for a free domestic round-trip,” she said. “That’s how we create value for our passengers and encourage direct bookings.”
Gamification and the future of airline upgrades
One of SAS’s most innovative new features is real-time bidding for upgrades. Instead of submitting a blind bid, passengers can now see where their bid ranks in real-time. “It’s like a live auction,” Bergstroem said. “You see if your bid is the strongest, or if you’ve dropped to third place. If you really want to ensure an upgrade, you know exactly what to do.”
This gamified approach has been well received, with some travellers even requesting that SAS extend the bidding process beyond the 24-hour pre-departure window.
The road ahead: Making travel planning effortless
With technology advancing at an ever-faster pace, how does SAS keep up? For Bergstroem , the key is adaptability.
“You have to accept that customer expectations and technology will always evolve,” she said. “We just launched one of the best airline apps, but if we don’t keep improving it, it will be outdated in a few years. That’s why continuous innovation is critical.”
Looking ahead, SAS is exploring AI-driven travel planning, where passengers can simply tell a chatbot what kind of trip they want – “I want a sunny destination, flying direct, for four days, with a hotel in this price range” – and receive personalized recommendations instantly.
“It’s not just about booking flights anymore,” Bergstroem said. “It’s about making travel planning effortless.”
As Bergstroem put it, “At the end of the day, our goal is simple: to help our passengers create the best trip of their lives.”
