How our AI planner works — and what it can't do
We want you to get the most out of the trip planner while understanding exactly what it is — and isn't. This page explains how the AI works, its known limitations, and what you should always verify before booking.
Last reviewed: August 2026
What the AI planner does
The Family Travel Toolkit trip planner uses GPT-4o-mini (OpenAI) to generate a personalised day-by-day itinerary based on your destination, travel dates, family size, children's ages, trip style, budget, and interests.
It is designed to give you a useful starting framework — a structured plan you can adapt, not a finished booking confirmation. Think of it as a well-travelled friend who knows the destination and can sketch out a sensible itinerary for your family.
The planner also suggests overnight stop locations, packing considerations, and contextual booking links to help you take the next step.
Known limitations
No live data
The AI has a knowledge cut-off and does not have access to live flight prices, hotel availability, current exchange rates, or real-time travel advisories. All prices and availability mentioned are illustrative.
May hallucinate
AI models can confidently state things that are incorrect — including attraction names, opening times, transport routes, and costs. Always verify specific facts before acting on them.
No visa or entry advice
The planner does not provide visa, entry requirement, or travel advisory information. Check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice and the destination country's official sources before travelling.
No medical advice
The planner does not provide health, vaccination, or medical advice. Consult your GP or a travel health clinic for destination-specific health guidance.
Itineraries are suggestions
The generated itinerary is a starting point. It does not account for your family's specific pace, mobility needs, or preferences beyond what you enter in the planner.
Booking links are not endorsements
The booking links in the planner results are affiliate links to third-party providers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of third-party pricing, availability, or terms.
Privacy and your planner data
When you use the trip planner, your inputs (destination, dates, family details, interests) are sent to OpenAI's API to generate your itinerary. OpenAI processes this data in accordance with their API data usage policy — API inputs are not used to train OpenAI models by default.
We do not store your planner inputs unless you choose to save your trip (which requires creating an account). Saved trips are stored in our database and associated with your account. You can delete saved trips at any time from your account.
See our Privacy Policy for full details of how we handle your data.
Before you book: verification checklist
Use this checklist to verify the key details in your AI-generated itinerary before making any bookings.
- 1Check official government travel advice (gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) for your destination
- 2Verify visa and entry requirements directly with the destination country's embassy or official government site
- 3Confirm attraction opening times and prices on the venue's own website before visiting
- 4Check current flight and accommodation prices — AI suggestions are illustrative, not live quotes
- 5Verify health and vaccination advice with your GP or a travel health clinic
- 6Review your travel insurance policy covers the activities and destinations in your itinerary
- 7Check car hire requirements (age, licence type, credit card) directly with the provider
Reporting inaccuracies
If the planner generates information that is clearly wrong — incorrect attraction names, outdated transport information, or factually inaccurate content — please let us know. We use these reports to improve our prompts and guidance.
Ready to start planning?
Now you know what the planner can and can't do, use it as the powerful starting point it is.
Start the trip planner