'ChatGPT handled my travel plans - one AI mistake meant I missed my flight'

A couple almost missed their dreamy vacation to Puerto Rico after relying on ChatGPT for the latest travel information. Well, it seems that even ChatGPT can make mistakes and cost us a holiday worth thousands of pounds.

That's what happened to Spanish influencer Mery Caldass and her partner, who were making their way to Puerto Rico but got stopped at the check-in desk for missing travel documentation.

Mery and her boyfriend were heading to the Piña Colada island to attend one of Bad Bunny’s exclusive residence shows in his home country before heading to Europe and Asia. The singer is performing a total of 30 shows for his “No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí” residency, which runs from July 11 to August 24, 2025.

However, tears of excitement quickly turned into a moment of desperation. Mery's story comes as British passport holders were urged to do one important thing before October 12.

In the now-viral TikTok video, which has over 16k views, Mery is bawling her eyes out and walking around the airport, while her boyfriend tries to console her.

Mery explained that she had asked if the couple needed a visa to travel to Puerto Rico, and ChatGPT said they didn't. Speaking in Spanish, she said: “Look, I always do a lot of research, but I asked ChatGPT and they said no.”

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Although Spanish passport holders don’t require a visa to travel to Puerto Rico, they do need an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA). However, the couple relied on the artificial intelligence’s words without triple-checking it.

To add some comedy into a moment of frustration, Mery accused ChatGPT of holding a grudge against her. “I don’t trust that one anymore, because sometimes I insult him. I call him a b*****d, you’re useless, but inform me well… That’s his revenge,” she laughed whilst explaining in between tears.

In the end, Mery and her boyfriend were able to buy another flight to Puerto Rico and enjoy Bad Bunny's concert. Although it was a scare, it served as a lesson to the couple: don't let ChatGPT be in charge of your travel plans.

An ESTA is a mandatory electronic authorisation for citizens of certain countries travelling to the United States. This allows visitors to enter the country for tourism or business purposes for up to 90 days without needed an actual visa.

Since Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, those from Visa Waiter Program (VWP) countries wishing to visit the country will need an approved ESTA to enter. You can apply for it on the official U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website here. And before you ask, yes, British passport holders do need one.

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