Mastercard and Trip.com are teaming up to demonstrate how artificial intelligence agents could change the way travelers search, book and pay for travel services.

The companies, working with payments provider Network International, are showcasing an AI-powered booking experience that allows Trip.com’s TripGenie agent to help consumers discover travel options, make selections and complete purchases using Mastercard’s Agent Suite for Merchants.

The initiative marks a shift from AI being used primarily for travel search and recommendations toward so-called agentic commerce, where AI systems can take authorized actions on behalf of consumers.

Mastercard’s Agent Suite for Merchants is designed to allow businesses to integrate AI-powered shopping experiences into existing e-commerce environments. The platform supports functions including product discovery, research and consumer-authorized purchases, while giving merchants control over their brand and customer experience.

For Trip.com, the technology is being applied to travel, combining its booking platform with Network International’s acquiring capabilities and Mastercard’s payments network, gateway infrastructure and agentic-commerce technologies.

“As agentic AI drives a fundamental shift in how consumers shop, Mastercard is committed to providing merchants with a way to build, connect and scale AI-powered shopping experiences – that differentiate for their customers while ensuring they remain in control of their brand and customer engagements,” said Mete Güney, executive vice president, Market Development, EEMEA, Mastercard.

Trip.com CEO Schubert Lou said AI is moving travel beyond traditional search toward more personalized journeys that can connect discovery, planning, booking and payment.

The collaboration is initially focused on selected travel services, including attractions and ancillary offerings. TripGenie is being showcased exclusively at the Arabian Travel Market as what the companies describe as a global first, with a phased rollout and commercial launch expected in early 2027.

Network International said its payments infrastructure will provide the underlying capabilities needed to support agentic transactions across the Middle East and Africa.

The partnership also provides a potential model for merchants, payment providers and financial institutions looking to adopt agent-driven commerce, as AI agents increasingly become an interface between consumers and businesses.

Mastercard’s Agent Suite for Merchants is available through Mastercard Merchant Cloud, an open acceptance framework that brings together payment capabilities including fraud protection, authentication, tokenization, data and partner services.