Flying higher: The AI upgrade simplifying McKinsey travel

September 22, 2025 McKinsey colleagues spend countless hours on the road-and booking those trips has long been a time-consuming part of consulting life. But since March 2025, that process has been getting an AI-powered upgrade with SkyLink, a corporate travel software firm founded by McKinsey alum Atyab Bhatti.

SkyLink integrates directly into chat platforms, enabling travelers to book flights and hotels conversationally in seconds rather than minutes. What used to take ten minutes now takes less than two-and colleagues are noticing the difference. Already, more than 30,000 bookings have been made, with adoption spreading quickly.

"SkyLink represents the future of workplace technology with AI seamlessly woven into the flow of work," says Kateau James, McKinsey's global chief information officer and a partner. "It's not just about faster bookings; it's about creating intuitive experiences that free our colleagues to do their best work."

Summer Jiries, a McKinsey associate, adds, "I've shared SkyLink with so many colleagues. And the moment they try it, they never go back. Each booking saves me about ten minutes, and when you're traveling often, that adds up quickly. More importantly, I can multitask while it works, which keeps me productive."

The result: smoother trips, faster bookings, and meaningful time savings across the firm. In the United States and Canada, 20 percent of all bookings are already made through SkyLink, driving measurable productivity improvements. Building on this momentum, the tool is set to pilot in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

The tech behind the transformation

Having a founder familiar with McKinsey was a major advantage. Atyab's understanding of the firm's landscape helped ensure SkyLink could fit seamlessly into the tech ecosystem. Just as important, SkyLink has worked closely with McKinsey to tailor the tool to colleagues' needs.

"What's really unique about this tool is that we're not just configuring a tool-in-a-box-we're building the box together," said Stefan Bahad, a principal product manager at McKinsey. "We've been shaping the product from the fundamentals: what the user experience should be, how many options to show, which carriers to prioritize, and how to adapt to each market's nuances."

That collaboration extends to support. Instead of requiring colleagues to leave their workflow, SkyLink provides help directly in internal chat programs-meeting users where they already are, rather than sending them to external sites or email threads.

This adaptability is already delivering results. In the United Kingdom, Eurostar train options will appear alongside flights to support McKinsey's sustainability goals. In response to feedback, SkyLink also added a safeguard against fare expirations: the tool now sends a direct message to users before a session times out, giving them the chance to extend it. This feature allows users to multitask without worrying about losing a booking.

SkyLink has been customized to handle bulk bookings-allowing colleagues to schedule recurring trips to the same city in just a few clicks rather than spending precious time booking each journey separately.

Behind the scenes, SkyLink was also put through McKinsey's full infosec and AI governance process to ensure compliance with the firm's security standards. The result is a system that not only simplifies travel booking but also improves compliance and generates measurable cost savings. Companies using SkyLink report double-digit improvements in hotel attachment rates and significant budget reductions per traveler.

For Atyab, these outcomes are the realization of an idea he began shaping nearly a decade ago: he first imagined an AI-powered travel agent during his undergraduate studies in 2016, but the technology wasn't ready yet. His time at McKinsey-particularly on a project evaluating a global travel company's business model-gave him the insights and skills to return to the idea years later.

"Joining McKinsey right after school was transformative," says Atyab. "It sharpened my problem-solving, honed my communication, and instilled an unwavering standard for excellence. Those lessons helped me build SkyLink in a way that really works for organizations like McKinsey."

Tangible results today

Since launch, McKinsey colleagues have been quick to embrace the tool:

• 95 percent who use SkyLink rate the experience as positive
• 85 percent who try it become repeat users
• 85 percent of users book one of the first three options presented

"I rarely book travel for my supported colleagues outside of SkyLink anymore," says Allyssa Black, a McKinsey executive assistant. "It is so easy to type in exactly what parameters I want for flights and hotels and it's quick to respond while still allowing me to multitask! I've trained over 100 people on using SkyLink, and I still keep learning new things. SkyLink can even tell you if a flight has lie-flat seats in business class."

McKinsey's commitment to rewiring with AI goes far beyond travel. Internally, tools like Lilli (for firm knowledge search) and Aurora (for meeting scheduling) are changing the way colleagues work. Externally, we are helping clients harness the transformative potential of AI across industries.

"AI represents the next major shift, comparable to the industrial revolution and advent of the internet. Embracing its transformative power requires curiosity and creativity," says Atyab. "Only a handful of moments arise in your lifetime when a platform shift of this magnitude emerges. Seizing these moments requires the courage to lean in, to believe in yourself, and to shape the outcome rather than simply watching it unfold."