Ansett Travel relaunches as AI platform with member discounts
Ansett Travel has launched as an artificial intelligence-powered travel platform aiming to offer Australians more affordable and accessible holiday options.
Ansett Travel takes its name from a historic Australian airline and introduces an online travel service centred around AI, with the objective to move beyond traditional booking models by personalising the travel planning process for its users.
The business is spearheaded by Constantine Frantzeskos, whose background includes digital innovation and tourism strategy, with experience at companies such as Emirates, Saudi Tourism and Dubai Tourism. Frantzeskos also holds roles as a founding director and former board member at LaunchVic as well as a former board member of Swinburne University's Innovation Precinct.
Frantzeskos said the choice to revive the Ansett brand was intentional in order to draw on national trust while designing a service suited for today's technology-driven customer needs. He explained:
"The idea was to bring back something Australians trusted, but to rebuild it in a way that reflects how we want to travel today, fast, intuitive and tailored to our lives. We're not just adding AI to an old model. We started from zero and built everything around what AI can do when it's placed at the core."
According to the company, Ansett Travel is ultimately working towards a model where predictive AI acts as a personal travel concierge. This vision anticipates the system will eventually understand and respond to user preferences, budgets and even individual calendar events, in order to suggest and arrange travel itineraries automatically.
Frantzeskos outlined this direction for the business:
"Eventually, we believe people won't have to search or plan holidays at all. Your travel concierge will know when the kids are on school holidays or when you need a break, and quietly offer the perfect trip. It's not about replacing people, it's about anticipating and tailoring times when we want to have fun or disconnect."
Key features already available to Ansett Travel members include booking flights and accommodation at near-wholesale prices, which the company says could be as much as 25% below major travel platforms. These rates are accessible through an annual membership subscription model.
While development of the complete AI-powered personalisation features is still ongoing, subscribers currently benefit from reduced trip costs and can expect further enhancements as more predictive functionalities are integrated over time. The company positions itself as an adaptable, learning platform that will continue to refine travel recommendations and processes in line with changing user behaviour and preferences.
As the relaunch of the Ansett brand, the platform aims to both appeal to Australians with memories of the former airline as well as target a younger demographic seeking convenience and savings through modern technology. Ansett Travel's decision to operate without physical agencies aligns with its AI-first, digital-only business model, which enables the company to focus on automation, personalisation and online customer experience.
By introducing private member-only pricing and leveraging artificial intelligence to support rapid booking and tailored suggestions, Ansett Travel describes its service as one that will move the market from reactive booking to predictive, data-driven travel management. The ambition is to provide a continuous digital travel concierge that anticipates and meets travellers' needs proactively using their personal data and schedules.
Frantzeskos and the Ansett Travel team are continuing work on refining the AI system and adding new features, with a focus on keeping operations digital and subscription-based while looking to expand the platform's capabilities over time.
