Sabre Launches AI-Powered Airline Retailing Solution to Boost Ancillary Revenue

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With ancillaries increasingly contributing to the bottom line of today’s airlines, Sabre recently announced the creation of Sabre Upgrade IQ, a new AI-powered retailing solution that is PSS agnostic, meaning it can work alongside an airline’s existing passenger service system.

The new product leverages advanced AI/ML technology through Sabre Travel AI to give travelers the opportunity to bid for an upgrade to a higher cabin class — at any pre-travel stage of the journey.

Why It Matters

• Many full-service carriers now generate more revenue from ancillaries and mileage programs than from ticket sales.
• As airlines look to diversify revenue streams, there’s an increasing need to leverage AI/ML to generate smarter ancillary revenue opportunities and deliver more tailored customer experiences.
• Upgrade IQ enables airlines to better manage seat upgrades and generate incremental revenue by filling unsold seats in premium cabins.
• By delivering the right upgrade offer to the right customer, airlines can drive a significant uplift in incremental revenue.

How It Works

• The Upgrade IQ product, which is part of Sabre’s Retail Intelligence suite, utilizes Sabre Travel AI technology developed as a result of the company’s strategic partnership with Google.
• The platform collects contextual airline data and applies Sabre’s AI/ML models to generate extensive real-time analytics — generating optimal upgrade prices at the starting, minimum, and maximum proposed bid values.
• This results in personalized upgrade offers across multiple touchpoints — whether in-app, on the website, via email, or at check-in.
• In addition, Sabre partnered with HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions) to incorporate its best-in-class bidding platform and reduce friction in the customer experience.

What Sabre Is Saying

• “Sabre’s latest AI solution is a testament to the power of strategic partnerships in driving innovation and speed-to-market. By collaborating with Google and HTS on some of the core technical capabilities, we have delivered a modern retailing solution to help airlines better manage seat upgrades and create differentiated customer experiences. We are thrilled with the positive response from airline customers.” — Garry Wiseman, chief product and technology officer, Sabre

Learn more about Sabre Upgrade IQ.

This content was created collaboratively by Sabre and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.