Reddit has grown from a niche forum site to a digital powerhouse, nearly doubling its user base from 2022 to 2025. And while netizens have long trusted it for uncompromised answers to highly specific questions, now LLMs do too. Models like ChatGPT and Google Gemini use it to inform their outputs and consumer recommendations, making Reddit conversations increasingly consequential for brands looking for high-value, organic sources of consumer intelligence. 

For the beauty sector in particular, Reddit can’t be ignored. Some of the most popular communities on the platform, known as subreddits, are dedicated to cosmetics, with tens of thousands of strong opinions, preferences, concerns, and praises flooding them each week. Brands don’t have to guess what consumers want, they are making their needs known, unprompted, giving brands valuable insight into how they choose, evaluate, and perceive products. 

To learn more about beauty Reddit and demonstrate how brands can turn unfiltered consumer conversations into action, we used Explore+ to dive into the biggest trends from the past six months, focusing specifically on three cosmetic items: lipstick, blush, and mascara. What emerged were clear snapshots of consumer expectations and frustrations, community building, and golden opportunities for brands ready to listen. With that, here are seven of the biggest trends that defined beauty Reddit in early 2026 and what they mean for brands.

Methodology: This analysis is based on social listening data collected from 18 Reddit beauty communities (including r/MakeupAddiction, r/makeuptips, r/Makeup, r/beauty, and specialist forums such as r/OliveMUA and r/AsianBeauty) over a six-month period from October 2025 to March 2026. A structured Boolean query was used to capture relevant makeup conversations across three categories: lipstick, blush, and mascara. The analysis focuses on monthly volume and engagement trends to identify shifts in demand and conversation depth, using sentiment classification to track changes in consumer perception over time and topic clustering to surface recurring themes, emerging narratives, and brand-specific signals. Click here to learn more about how to get an analysis like this tailored to the needs and goals of your brand. 

The Seven Trends Defining Beauty Reddit Right Now:

r/MakeupAddiction: The Beauty Subreddit to Watch

The APAC Redditors Shaping Global Beauty Conversations

MAC: Dominating Lipstick and Delivering on Shade Inclusivity

Long-Lasting, But Easy to Remove: The Holy Grail for Mascara and Lipstick Users

Drugstore Brands and Low Expectations for Mascaras

Bold Blush: Here to Stay, But Where Do You Put It?

More Blush Anxieties: The Product That Takes Too Long to Use Up

r/MakeupAddiction is known as Reddit’s biggest beauty community and the conversational data proves it — about 43% of all beauty conversation occurred in the popular subreddit. That dominance continued on the product category level, with r/MakeupAddiction driving:

With over a third of product-level beauty conversation occurring in this one subreddit alone, it’s a key one for marketers and analysts interested in keeping tabs on the latest consumer-driven trends.

The Asia-Pacific consumer and brand presence shines through in the beauty community, as shown in the ring chart in the previous section. r/AsianBeauty (3.1% SOV), a subreddit focused on Asian brands, r/beautytalkph (3.2% SOV), catering to Redditors in the Philippines, and r/AustralianMakeup (2.4%), focused on Australia and New Zealand, have conversation volumes that rival popular ones without geographic specification like r/beauty and r/MakeupEducation (2.9% SOV each). 

This chart from the Digital 2026 report shows that, on average, 12.1% of internet users go on Reddit each month, with APAC countries like New Zealand, the Philippines, Australia, and Singapore having much higher usage rates. 

Geographically, this highlights how closely Reddit’s beauty community reflects the platform’s wider user base. Though Reddit usage is commonly thought to be concentrated on North America, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Australia only slightly trail the U.S. and Canada as the platform’s leading markets. According to the Digital 2026: Global Overview Report, about 32% of adult internet users in each country visit the site at least once a month.  

While Reddit still has plenty of room for growth in Asia, especially in Japan, the platform’s influence in the region is growing, even as many marketers let it go unnoticed.  

APAC beauty brands that establish Reddit strategies now have a competitive advantage that will only grow as usage increases and geographically focused subreddits gain members.

Using Mira, Meltwater’s in-platform AI teammate, we identified the four brands leading discussions of lipstick and other lip cosmetics on Reddit: MAC, NYX, Maybelline, and Sephora. Together, they show how both drugstore and mid-range brands are of interest to this specialized community, not just one as shown in other products like mascara. 

<p class="large text-center">MAC generated about 42% of tracked lip product brand mentions.<p>

MAC came out on top by overall mentions, with users actively seeking dupes, archiving formulas, and commiserating over product discontinuations or changes. The brand was also a big name in discussions about color choices, specifically shades suited for consumers with olive and cool undertones. 

This post from r/OliveMUA suggests multiple, purple shades of MAC blushes that maintain their coloring when applied on skin with olive undertones. 

25% of MAC’s mentions related to blush came from r/OliveMUA, a subreddit with 89,000 weekly visitors whose description highlights that “Olive undertones are often misunderstood and underrepresented in the beauty industry.”

MAC’s dominance in the lipstick corner of beauty Reddit is an example of how a brand’s relevance can flourish when its products meet nuanced, underserved needs. The demand for inclusive shades isn’t going anywhere; only brands that show up with solutions that work can win over these large segments of frustrated consumers.

Tip: Shorten your time to insights with the help of Mira, Meltwater’s in-platform AI assistant.

The trade-off consumers face between product longevity and easy removal was a common theme across our mascara and lipstick analyses, with Maybelline products emerging as the lightning rods in each.

Maybelline’s Super Stay lipstick collection was one that users continuously discussed by name and praised for its affordability and availability. However, its category-leading longevity divides consumers. 

This post about removing Maybelline Super Stay generated thousands of upvotes (i.e. Reddit likes) and more than 500 comments in six months within the r/MakeupEducation subreddit. 

While some posts highlight Super Stay’s endurance through daily activities, others, like the one shown above, spark discussion around effective removal. The top comment recommending wiping it away with oil was upvoted over 700 times, showing just how common an issue this is among Super Stay users, along with a seemingly effective, user-generated hack. 

Super Stay is an understatement.  — Reddit user

Similarly, Maybelline’s Sky High mascara emerged as a popular, love-it-or-hate-it product. It helped Maybelline achieve the highest SOV among the mascara brands we analyzed at 36.3%, as well as the highest engagement rate at 30.3%. However, safe, effective removal was again a much-discussed pain point.

As the fervor around both products show, Redditors are still on the hunt for lipstick and mascara that can strike the right balance between longevity and easy removal. 

Brands that nail that seemingly contradictory capability, as well as the messaging around it, have the chance to lead the next wave of performance-focused, health-minded beauty.

This post asking for mascara recommendations specifically calls out drugstore brands.

Redditors discuss mascara less than blush or lip products. A makeup staple, it appears frequently alongside other brands in posts about routines, but rarely as the focal point. And when consumers do focus on mascaras, drugstore brands take center stage. That may be because users are consistently on the hunt for mascaras that don’t clump up, smudge, or flake, with no standout options at any price tier. 

Unlike with lip and blush products, where premium prices suggest better performance, consumers don’t want to splurge on a product they aren’t confident can meet their basic needs. As a result, Maybelline, L'Oréal, e.l.f., and NYX are highly visible while premium options are largely absent. 

<p class="large text-center">Maybelline had the highest SOV of tracked mascara brand mentions at 36.3%.<p>

Overall, consumers have clear needs but don’t expect much from their mascaras. More so than with lipstick and blush, there is ample room for a high-performance product or alternative to shake up the category and take consumers by surprise.

Tip: Get insights like these tailored to your brand with queries targeting relevant communities and topics. Schedule a demo to see how it works in real time. 

February was a quiet month for discussions around lipsticks, blushes, and mascaras. All three saw a post-holiday season hush before rising again in March. There was, however, one exception: Blush engagement increased by 11% in February 2026 despite declining mentions, driven in part by users posting their bold, blush-heavy looks. 

One of the most popular posts proclaiming “Bring back colourful full beats 2026” and featuring Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush and Buttermelt Pressed Powder Blush blushes won more than 1500 upvotes. 

<p class="large text-center">28% of blush discussion happened in r/makeuptips.<p>

However, that increased blush usage calls attention to the persistent questions of how to apply it and exactly where to put it on the face, a challenge that is largely nonexistent for mascaras and most lip products. That may be why r/makeuptips, a subreddit dedicated to trading product education and advice, made up more than a quarter of all blush mentions, the highest SOV of the product categories we analyzed. 

As bold, expressive looks take the place of the minimalist “clean girl” trend, brands that can demystify placement with tutorials, formats, applicators, and more, have ample opportunity to win over legions of makeup newbies.

Learn how global brands like Shiseido use Meltwater to evaluate customer perceptions and marketing impact worldwide.

Even with bold blush taking over, the trend is still not enough to solve consumers’ persistent complaint that using up a single unit of blush takes way too long. As a result, investing in blush can feel wasteful and expensive. This is especially a factor when it comes to liquid and cream blushes, which expire much sooner than powder ones. 

This post discussing which makeup products have the highest cost per use generated high engagement, with nearly 9,000 upvotes and over 2,000 comments.

In fact, the problem has its own dedicated subreddit. In r/ProjectPan, 39,000 weekly visitors post 1,500 times weekly about their efforts to use cosmetics all the way through, also known as “panning”, with blushes being a frequent topic. 

Does this call for smaller unit sizes? More education around proper storage? Something else? Whatever the solution, brands that can combat common anxieties about wasting blush (as well as the money spent on them) have a receptive audience among cost-conscious consumers.

The above is just a sampling of the many insights we uncovered about where beauty Reddit stands and where it is headed. Click here to get a closer look at what our Explore+ analysis revealed. 

Our analysis of beauty Reddit revealed just how high cosmetics consumers’ expectations are for the products they spend their money on. Aspirational brand names aren’t enough. Instead, performance is king with wide open opportunities for brands to lead the way in filling persistent gaps like shade inclusivity and education around product usage. Redditors are being loud and clear about what they want from brands, but how many marketers, researchers, and product developers are really listening?

Take this analysis as a starting point, and gain a real competitive edge by going deeper. With Meltwater Explore+, brands can move beyond surface-level data to uncover tailored insights that drive smarter product development and more effective marketing strategies. Learn how — request a demo of Meltwater Explore+ to see how you can uncover the Reddit insights that matter most to your brand.   

Why is Reddit important for beauty brands in 2026?

Reddit provides unfiltered, high-intent consumer feedback at scale, and as Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis shows, these conversations directly reflect how consumers evaluate products across performance, shade range, and usability.

What are some of the biggest beauty topics and trends according to Reddit?

According to Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis, key trends include demand for shade inclusivity, frustration with long-lasting products that are hard to remove, rising interest in bold blush looks, and low expectations for mascara performance, among others.

Which beauty brands are most talked about on Reddit?

Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis found that MAC leads lipstick discussions with 43.3% of mentions, while Maybelline dominates mascara conversations, particularly with its Sky High products.

What do Reddit users want from lipstick products?

According to Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis, users prioritize longevity and affordability but are frustrated by difficult removal, creating demand for products that balance durability with ease of use.

Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis found that blush engagement increased in February 2026, even when mentions declined. This growth was driven by experimentation with bold makeup looks, alongside ongoing confusion about application techniques.

What challenges do consumers face with blush products?

Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis of Reddit conversations from October 2025 to March 2026, consumers struggle with both application (where and how to apply) and product waste, as blush is perceived to take too long to use up.

Why are drugstore mascaras more popular than premium ones?

Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis of Reddit conversations from October 2025 to March 2026 highlights that consumers have low expectations for mascara performance and prefer affordable options, as no brand has clearly solved issues like clumping, smudging, and flaking.

What role do niche subreddits play in beauty trends?

Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis highlights how niche communities like r/OliveMUA surface underserved needs—such as undertone-specific shades—which are key opportunities for brands to differentiate.

How can brands use Reddit insights effectively?

Brands need deep, tailored Reddit analysis—using tools like Meltwater Explore+—to uncover insights specific to their products, markets, and audiences.

Platform Deep Dive: 7 Trends Defining Beauty Reddit Right Now

Discussions of AI in luxury advertising increased 26% quarter-over-quarter at the beginning of the year, begging the question, do luxury consumers want AI in their advertising? Consumer attitudes toward the technology have been increasingly consequential to the luxury fashion sector as it has become ubiquitous and increasingly thorny. In that time, some of the world’s biggest luxury brands have experimented with using AI-generated imagery, but audience reception has often been less than glowing.

As many commentators have pointed out, AI-generated creative bumps up against luxury’s core pillars of artistry and exclusivity. It’s no surprise that audiences that value handcrafted goods might be less receptive to AI imagery than more tech-centered ones. 

And yet, as creatives continue to push the limits of what can be created with the technology, luxury brands seeking to distinguish themselves are along for the ride. 2026 may very well be the biggest year yet for AI in luxury advertising, so we used Explore+ to get to the bottom of how consumers at large really feel about it. Here’s what marketers need to know about the digital conversation, along with data-driven guidelines for campaigns. 

Methodology: Our Explore+ analysis examines English-language conversations about AI usage and luxury brands in the US and Canada from February 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, across major social platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, X, and Reddit, as well as blogs, forums, and online comments.

Consumer Scrutiny of AI in Luxury Marketing Is Growing

In February 2025 and again in January 2026, the conversation around AI in luxury marketing surged online, resulting in a 52% increase of engagement across that time span. However, along the way negative sentiment rose also significantly, marking a dramatic shift in audience perception. Here’s how it went down:

First, the inspiration phase: Independent creator content, not those of major brands, drove the February 2025 engagement spike. Creative director Sybille De Saint Louvent’s AI-generated campaign concepts, including those for Loro Piana, Loewe, and Prada, made waves on Instagram and TikTok in early 2025, particularly after being promoted by culture and fashion outlet CultedXO. At the time, positive sentiment praising the visuals and concepts modestly outweighed critiques of AI usage. Emphasis on the creative expertise and human taste behind the images was central. 

Next, the turning point: An AI-generated “Imaginary Hermès Ad” by creator @lucamakesstuff drove nearly half of November 2025 engagement. However, by that point negative and positive sentiment were nearly even, with the former rising and the latter falling. Around this time, some poorly-received, AI-generated holiday campaigns and increased political attention to public concerns about the long-term effects of data centers helped drive negative negative sentiment.

Now, the scrutiny phase: The January 2026 spike in engagement coincided with the releases of AI-generated ad campaigns from multiple luxury brands. By then, following the rise of AI slop over most of 2025, the tide had fully, officially turned, with the volume of negative mentions more than doubling positive ones. 

So while 2025 began with optimism about AI in luxury, this year the debate is centered on ethics, authenticity, and copyright concerns. Interestingly, much of the overall conversation (62% of mentions) as well as the critique (about 30% negative sentiment) is concentrated on Reddit, home to growing, highly engaged communities of luxury fashion and beauty enthusiasts. 

Across sources, recurring themes in negative mentions included the dilution of exclusivity, replacement of labor, and a general devaluation of human creativity, mastery, and taste. Themes within the much smaller positive conversation focused on AI’s potential to expand and reimagine artistry for a technologically evolving future. Together, these topics highlight what luxury brands should embrace and avoid as they plan for the next wave of the AI era. 

The Dos and Don’ts of AI in Luxury Marketing 

Do: Celebrate and highlight human creativity.

Aside from its timing, CultedXO’s viral post about Louvent’s AI-generated campaign concepts tapped into luxury audiences’ appreciation for human creativity. It’s the same appeal to personal connection and identification that has fueled the rise of creative directors as brand ambassadors, and even the advent of celebrities as creative directors. 

Luxury brands will always have an edge in highlighting the creative minds behind their offerings, but that goes double for campaigns that incorporate generative AI. The technology used by an artist for expression will always have a warmer public reception than a brand conspicuously using it for cost savings.

If you think audiences can’t tell the difference between artistic and low-effort uses of AI, think again. Generative AI is no longer a shiny, new novelty. Instead, consumers are much more knowledgeable about the technology and discerning about its outputs than they were even a year ago. Campaigns and initiatives that assume otherwise are likely to fail in the face of increased public cynicism. 

This Reddit post sparked lively discussion among fashion photography enthusiasts about the usage of AI in luxury brand marketing.

For evidence, look no further than the backlash to AI marketing at this year’s Super Bowl. On the flipside, brands that stay in step with audiences and take their AI concerns seriously will be best positioned to find genuinely innovative, purposeful ways to deploy the technology. This is particularly true for luxury brands, whose audiences value artistry and attention to detail in their brand experiences. 

Announcing the use of AI-generated creative after backlash or, worse, concealing it entirely is a wrecking ball to brand trust. Even when it isn’t required by law, brands should always be open and transparent about when and how they use generative AI in marketing and advertising. Those that don’t risk huge negative business impacts and becoming the industry’s next cautionary tale.

As the commentary and debate around AI in luxury continues to roar, avoid reactivity or desperate attempts to catch up to already peaking trends. Instead, let cold, hard consumer intelligence data and your authentic brand identity guide your journey through this evolving, technological landscape.

Audiences are already growing tired of AI-generated sameness that implies we’ve reached the end of creative possibility. The expectation of homogeneity has only created more opportunity for luxury brands to surprise consumers, in a good way. AI-powered solutions like Explore+ allow you to understand audiences at scale so you identify where your competitors are crowding and where your brand can blaze its own innovative trail.

As luxury brands develop their guidelines and strategies around generative AI in marketing, customer voices and values must be central. Success won’t be determined by whether or not a brand uses AI-generated content, but rather how they engage with their audiences. Consumer desire for authenticity and originality is foundational, no matter where technology takes us next. The brands that use AI to more deeply understand and engage with their audiences are the ones that will come out on top. Those that use it without intention, creativity, or some sense of taste, on the other hand, will get left behind. 

Do luxury consumers want AI in advertising?

Luxury consumers are not universally opposed to AI in advertising, but Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis of luxury brand marketing shows growing skepticism. While early conversations in 2025 were more optimistic, recent data highlights a clear shift toward concerns about authenticity, ethics, and creative value. Consumers are more accepting of AI when it enhances human artistry rather than replaces it.

How do consumers feel about AI-generated luxury campaigns?

According to Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis of luxury brand marketing and AI, consumer sentiment has become increasingly negative over time, with negative mentions significantly outpacing positive ones in 2026. Audiences frequently critique AI-generated campaigns for lacking originality, diluting exclusivity, and undermining craftsmanship, core pillars of luxury branding.

What are the biggest concerns about AI in luxury marketing?

Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis reveals that the top concerns include loss of authenticity, replacement of creative labor, copyright and ethical issues, and the perception of “AI sameness.” These concerns are especially prominent on Reddit, where luxury consumers actively scrutinize brand decisions.

What are best practices for using AI in luxury marketing?

Based on Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis of consumer conversations, best practices include being transparent about AI usage, centering human creativity, aligning with brand identity, and using data-driven insights to guide execution. Brands that treat AI as a creative tool rather than a cost-saving shortcut are more likely to resonate with luxury audiences.

How should luxury brands approach AI in 2026?

In 2026, Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis suggests that luxury brands should continue experimentation with a focus on intentional, strategic use of AI. Success will depend on balancing innovation with authenticity, leveraging AI to enhance storytelling and audience understanding without compromising the craftsmanship and exclusivity that define luxury.

The Dos and Don’ts of AI and Luxury Marketing

BTS is officially back, but according to the data, hype surrounding the massive K-pop group never really left. Though the group went on hiatus in 2022 so that its seven members — Jung Kook, V, Jimin, RM, Suga, Jin, and j-hope — could complete mandatory service in the South Korean military, BTS fan enthusiasm remained strong. 

Our social listening analysis found that since March 2025, the group and its members have generated about 25 million mentions across traditional, digital, and social media channels. About two-thirds of those mentions occurred before January, several weeks ahead of their highly anticipated comeback.

Marked by their new album Arirang, a Netflix-streamed concert in Seoul, and many high-profile media appearances, BTS’s return boosted an already ongoing, global, fan-driven digital phenomenon. Here’s what the numbers reveal about the impact of BTS’s return to the world stage. 

#BTSArmy Drives the Band’s Sustained Visibility

Chatter from BTS fan communities on social media eclipses the band’s media coverage. Over the past year, social and community platforms accounted for over 90% of all BTS mentions, while traditional media contributed only a marginal share. Meanwhile, the group’s fan base, known as the BTS Army or Army for short, achieved about 4.6% SOV in the overall swirl of discussion.

Though BTS was technically on pause for most of the past year, fans still had plenty to discuss and bond over online. First, the June 2025 announcement that the band would reunite drove about a 73% spike in mentions compared to the previous month. Buzz also grew that October, as each of BTS’s members continued their solo music careers and starred in high-profile ad campaigns. 

Jung Kook’s October 2025 Calvin Klein campaign amplified BTS’s visibility ahead of their comeback. This one TikTok from the campaign generated about 6.3 million likes.

In January, the announcement of the 2026 BTS world tour also boosted buzz to 2.38 million mentions that month, or about 9.5% of total conversation over the past year. Finally, the band’s March comeback album, single, and Netflix concert drove about a 15% surge in discussion, driving conversation to levels more than 4.5x higher than March 2025.

Overall, BTS’s comeback generated about 3.59 million mentions, about 14% of the total conversation surrounding them over the past year. So while the group’s return is big news, it is merely raising a massive, ongoing wave of conversation rather than spiking it. 

BTS is known as one of the first K-pop groups to achieve crossover success around the world. Thirteen years after their debut, that widespread success still stands. Japan, China, and the US all had higher volumes of BTS mentions than South Korea over the past year. 

The geographic distribution of BTS conversation speaks to the group’s ability to maintain loyal fan communities outside of in-person shows and appearances. For example, the group’s world tour is not stopping in Mainland China, which, nevertheless, still generated the second-highest volume of BTS mentions. Meanwhile, though the group’s recent Seoul concert reportedly had disappointing attendance figures, South Korea still generated the fourth-highest volume of BTS mentions over the past year. 

For brands and marketers, BTS’s global footprint drives home just how much modern-day audience connection thrives on digital community and activation much more than physical presence. At least for megastars.

Netflix’s social content promoting its BTS comeback concert went viral. The above post generated over 6.2 million likes in less than a week.

Though fans are the driving force behind BTS’s global visibility, brand and platform partnerships helped amplify their comeback. For example, the group partnered with Spotify to promote Arirang with in-app and live experiences. As a result, mentions of the music platform comprised 4.5% of the total BTS conversation over the past year. 

Meanwhile, Netflix exclusively streamed the group’s Seoul comeback concert, drawing 18.4 million viewers. That partnership helped the platform capture about 1.1% of BTS mentions. 

BTS’s comeback speaks to the importance and power of digital fan communities, particularly in the world of entertainment. The group undoubtedly returned to the world stage with a splash, but that success was thanks to its global Army that provided a digital audience, even when IRL ones didn’t materialize.

For marketers, the lesson is clear: lasting impact comes from investing in communities and creating digital moments that audiences can feel part of. Not every brand can achieve BTS-level global domination, but they can cultivate community in big and small ways that make their biggest fans feel seen. 

FAQ: BTS Comeback & Social Listening Insights

What does social listening reveal about BTS’s 2026 comeback?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback shows that the group generated approximately 25 million mentions over the past year, with the majority occurring before their official return. This indicates that fan-driven conversation sustained global interest even during their hiatus.

How much of the conversation around BTS is driven by fans?

According to Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback, over 90% of all mentions came from social and community platforms, highlighting the BTS Army’s critical role in driving ongoing visibility and engagement.

Which moments drove the biggest spikes in BTS conversation?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback found that key moments—such as the June 2025 reunion announcement, solo member campaigns, the 2026 world tour announcement, and the March comeback events—triggered significant surges in mentions, including a sharp increase leading up to and immediately following their return.

How global is BTS’s online conversation?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback shows that conversation is truly global, with countries like Japan, China, and the United States generating more mentions than South Korea, demonstrating the group’s widespread international fan base.

What role did brand partnerships play in amplifying BTS’s comeback?

Based on Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback, partnerships with platforms like Spotify and Netflix contributed to increased visibility by integrating BTS into fan experiences, with each platform capturing a measurable share of total conversation.

What can marketers learn from BTS’s comeback?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback underscores that sustained engagement comes from active, digitally connected communities. Brands can learn that building long-term audience relationships and enabling participation is more impactful than relying solely on major campaign moments.

BTS Comeback 2026: Insights on Global Fan Power

With AI quickly becoming the first stop for trip planning, LLM recommendations are driving which brands travelers choose for their vacation plans. In our previous analysis, we saw how prompts about hotel deals surface a handful of globally recognized online booking websites. For this investigation, we turned our attention from hotels to airlines to see which brands achieved the highest visibility in answers to the prompt: What are the best airline deals to travel around Europe in spring 2026?

Using GenAI Lens, we analyzed responses across eight leading LLMs  — ChatGPT, Claude, DeepSeek, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, Grok, Llama, and Perplexity — from February 24 to March 17, 2026. The results revealed how low-cost carriers dominate AI-driven discovery, while legacy airlines fall behind in reaching high-intent, budget-conscious consumers. 

AI Models Prioritize Low-Cost Airlines in Spring Break Flight Deal Searches

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        <th style="padding:12px;">Visibility Ranking</th>
        <th style="padding:12px;">Airlines</th>
        <th style="padding:12px;">Visibility Score</th>
        <th style="padding:12px;background:#eef3f7;">Total Mentions</th>
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        <td>1</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Ryanair</td>
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          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="88 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">88%</text>
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        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">283 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="78 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">78%</text>
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        <td>2</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">easyJet</td>
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          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="87 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">87%</text>
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        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">237 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="77 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">77%</text>
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      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>3</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Wizz Air</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="81 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">81%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">198 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="72 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">72%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>4</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Vueling</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="48 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">48%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">96 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="49 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">49%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>5</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">British Airways</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="31 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">31%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">54 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="30 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">30%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>6</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Lufthansa</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="26 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">26%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">44 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="27 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">27%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>7</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Eurowings</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="25 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">25%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">42 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="23 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">23%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>8</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">KLM Royal Dutch Airlines</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="16 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">16%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">24 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="13 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">13%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>9</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Air France</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="16 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">16%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">22 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="14 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">14%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>10</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Transavia</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="16 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">16%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">19 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="13 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">13%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

    </table>
  </div>
</div>

Ryanair and easyJet dominated in LLM visibility through a combination of frequent, prominent mentions and high prevalence across responses. Ryanair led with 88% visibility, closely followed by easyJet at 87% thanks to frequent, prominent mentions, often in the beginnings of AI-generated answers. 

By contrast, LLMs mentioned legacy carriers like British Airways (31% visibility), Lufthansa (26%), KLM (16%), and Air France (16%) much less consistently, frequently, and prominently. 

These rankings bode well for budget airlines, confirming their high visibility to cost-conscious customers, but less so for legacy airlines, which LLMs framed as secondary options during the critical discovery stage. 

<div style="max-width:1100px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;background:#ffffff;border-radius:12px;box-shadow:0 4px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);border:1px solid #eaeaea;overflow:hidden;">

  
  <div style="height:6px;background:linear-gradient(90deg,#28bbbb,#b627a1);"></div>

  
  <div style="padding:16px 20px 8px 20px;">
    <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:600;color:#000;">Brands performance by model</div>
  </div>

  
  <div style="padding:8px 16px 8px 16px;">
    <table style="width:100%;table-layout:fixed;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:6px;font-size:10px;color:#4c4d4f;text-align:center;">

      
      <tr>
        <th style="text-align:left;"> </th>
        <th>Gemini</th>
        <th>Grok</th>
        <th>Perplexity</th>
        <th>Llama</th>
        <th>DeepSeek</th>
        <th>ChatGPT</th>
        <th>Claude</th>
        <th>Google AI Overview</th>
      </tr>

      

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Ryanair</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">63</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">99</td>
        <td style="background:#2f6fbf;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">86</td>
        <td style="background:#2f6fbf;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">83</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">98</td>
        <td style="background:#3f78c2;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">78</td>
        <td style="background:#2a5fb5;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">93</td>
        <td style="background:#7f9fc9;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">42</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">easyJet</td>
        <td style="background:#6f95c5;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">52</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">99</td>
        <td style="background:#3f78c2;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">81</td>
        <td style="background:#2f6fbf;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">83</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">98</td>
        <td style="background:#3f78c2;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">78</td>
        <td style="background:#2a5fb5;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">92</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">39</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Wizz Air</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">61</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">98</td>
        <td style="background:#7f9fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">53</td>
        <td style="background:#2f6fbf;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">83</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">98</td>
        <td style="background:#4a82c6;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">67</td>
        <td style="background:#3f78c2;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">83</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">39</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Vueling</td>
        <td style="background:#9fb4cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">35</td>
        <td style="background:#2f6fbf;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">85</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">51</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#4a82c6;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">73</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">56</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">58</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">28</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">British Airways</td>
        <td style="background:#b7c5d6;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">21</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">33</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">60</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">30</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#c7d2de;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">17</td>
        <td style="background:#b7c5d6;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">22</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">60</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Lufthansa</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">12</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">41</td>
        <td style="background:#9fb4cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">38</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">42</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">23</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">26</td>
        <td style="background:#b7c5d6;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">22</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">11</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Eurowings</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">40</td>
        <td style="background:#7f9fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">47</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">18</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#9fb4cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">38</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">30</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">14</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">12</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">KLM Royal Dutch Airlines</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">7</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">15</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">48</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">18</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">19</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">15</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Transavia</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">19</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">15</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">12</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">12</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">33</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">11</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">15</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Air France</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">7</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">8</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">31</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">42</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">6</td>
        <td style="background:#b7c5d6;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">21</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
      </tr>

    </table>
  </div>

  
  <div style="padding:12px 20px 16px 20px;">
    <div style="height:10px;border-radius:6px;background:linear-gradient(90deg,#eaeaea,#9fb4cc,#5f8fc9,#2f6fbf,#1e4fa0);margin-bottom:6px;"></div>
    <div style="display:flex;justify-content:space-between;font-size:11px;color:#4c4d4f;">
      <span>0–11</span>
      <span>11–19</span>
      <span>19–33</span>
      <span>33–51</span>
      <span>51–81</span>
      <span>81–99</span>
    </div>
  </div>

</div>

As always though, LLM recommendations were far from uniform. With visibility varying significantly across models, consumers’ exposure to airlines appears to be highly dependent on which models they use. For example, while Ryanair was highly visible on Grok (99%), DeepSeek (98%), and Claude (93%), it was much less so on Google’s Gemini (63%) and AI Overviews (42%). Instead, on AI Overviews, arguably one of the more prominent platforms for the everyday consumer, British Airways scored highest with 60% visibility.

Overall, Grok, DeepSeek, and Claude recommended low-cost airlines more aggressively for the best flight deals, while Perplexity and Google AI Overviews mentioned a slightly wider range of brands. 

Strategic Takeaway: For legacy and hybrid carriers targeting cost-conscious travelers, and indeed for brands targeting consumers in any industry, optimizing for the LLMs they use most is key to staying competitive. 

<div style="max-width:1000px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;background-color:#ffffff;border-radius:12px;box-shadow:0 4px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);overflow:hidden;border:1px solid #eaeaea;">
  
  
  <div style="height:6px;background:linear-gradient(90deg,#28bbbb,#b627a1);"></div>
  
  
  <div style="padding:16px 20px 8px 20px;">
    <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:600;color:#000000;margin-bottom:4px;">
      Airline Brand Sentiment Overview
    </div>
    <div style="font-size:13px;color:#4c4d4f;">
      Visibility, sentiment drivers, and strategic implications across major European airlines
    </div>
  </div>
  
  
  <div style="padding:8px 16px 16px 16px;">
    <table cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;font-size:14px;color:#4c4d4f;">
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Brand</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Visibility</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Positive Sentiment Drivers</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Negative Sentiment Drivers</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">What It Means</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Ryanair</td>
          <td>88%</td>
          <td>Very strong on price and network coverage</td>
          <td>Highest negatives (17) driven by fees, baggage, and add-ons</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">High visibility amplifies trade-offs</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">easyJet</td>
          <td>87%</td>
          <td>Price + convenience (main airports, flexibility, usability)</td>
          <td>Fee-related concerns (13) but less severe</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Best balance of value + experience</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Wizz Air</td>
          <td>81%</td>
          <td>Low fares and strong Eastern Europe coverage</td>
          <td>Fees, baggage costs, and add-ons (13)</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Strong value but trust gap</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Vueling</td>
          <td>48%</td>
          <td>Competitive pricing and strong regional routes</td>
          <td>Fees and ancillary costs (lower volume)</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Good perception but low scale</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">British Airways</td>
          <td>31%</td>
          <td>More stable experience, fewer complaints</td>
          <td>Limited negatives but weak link to “deals”</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Not seen as value</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Lufthansa</td>
          <td>26%</td>
          <td>Reliability and full-service quality</td>
          <td>Minimal negatives but low relevance to deals</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Strong equity but low inclusion</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Air France / KLM</td>
          <td>~16%</td>
          <td>Balanced, fewer negatives</td>
          <td>Very low negatives but also low presence</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Missing from “deals” conversation</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </div>

</div>

Being recommendations, LLMs inherently had more praise than critique for the airlines they mentioned. However, responses were not 100% positive, nor did they highlight the same qualities across airlines.

LLMs positively mentioned Ryanair’s and easyJet’s prices, route availability, and flight frequency. Plus, easyJet enjoyed additional praise for its airport access, ease of use, and flexibility. Wizz Air stood out for its strong Eastern/Central Europe coverage, and Vueling for its strength in Southern Europe. Overall, outside of just low fares, AI prioritized broad and convenient networks in its recommendations to European spring breakers on a budget.

On the flip side, lack of transparency was a recurring theme in less than favorable brand mentions. LLMs frequently warned consumers to “watch for extra fees” or “check baggage policies”, driving home the narrative low prices come with caveats.

For low-cost carriers, negative sentiment drivers highlight opportunities to build trust through price transparency and simplicity. For legacy airlines, the challenge comes in demonstrating total cost efficiency. 
Strategic Takeaway: Winning the AI-driven discovery game for cost-conscious consumers may depend on ensuring that “deals” are not just seen as cheap, but as genuinely valuable.

Brand Websites Had Limited Influence on LLMs

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  <div style="padding:16px 20px 8px 20px;">
    <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:600;color:#000000;margin-bottom:4px;">
      Top Sources
    </div>
    <div style="font-size:13px;color:#4c4d4f;">
     
    </div>
  </div>
  
  
  <div style="padding:8px 16px 16px 16px;">
    <table cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;font-size:14px;color:#4c4d4f;">
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Website</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Mentions</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Source Type</th>
        
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Kayak.com</td>
         
          <td>63</td>
           <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Momondo.com</td>
          <td>56</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Virginatlantic.com</td>
          <td>55</td>
          <td>Airline</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Thriftytraveler.com</td>
          <td>43</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Resource and News Website</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Expedia.com</td>
          <td>40</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Travelocity.com</td>
          <td>39</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>

        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Skyscanner.com</td>
          <td>37</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Easyjet.com</td>
          <td>32</td>
          <td>Airline</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Britishairways.com</td>
          <td>27</td>
          <td>Airline</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Going.com</td>
          <td>27</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </div>

</div>

For brands across industries, reshaping LLM narratives begins with developing strategies for the sources that influence them most. In the case of spring break airline deals, travel deal platforms were more influential than brand websites in informing AI-generated responses. They accounted for six of the ten leading sources, led by Kayak with 63 mentions and Momondo with 56 mentions. 

Three brand websites ranked among the top ten sources, including Virgin Atlantic which did not achieve a top visibility score. A lone earned media source, Thrifty Traveler, also made the list, highlighting just how influential niche websites with consistent, expert-informed content can be. 

Collectively, however, LLMs relied far more on aggregator content than on brand-owned messaging when constructing recommendations, likely perceiving them as more objective and useful.  

Strategic Takeaway: First, for airlines, winning in AI requires strong presence in aggregator ecosystems and trusted, niche websites, not just owned channels. Second, brands regardless of industry must ensure that third-party sources accurately reflect their value proposition so that the LLMs that reference them do as well.

As AI increasingly shapes how travelers discover and evaluate options, visibility in LLM responses grows more closely tied to consumer demand. For airlines and travel brands, gaining an edge lies in understanding where, how, and how often you appear compared to competitors. It also requires aligning messaging across the third-party sources LLMs rely on most.

Across industries, the AI era is challenging marketers to pinpoint exactly how these platforms characterize and perpetuate information to a wide range of high-intent buyers. GenAI Lens makes that research feasible at scale, finally giving brands the chance to take control of their AI narrative. 

FAQ: Airline Deals, AI Recommendations, and LLM Visibility

Which airlines have the best deals for Europe travel in spring 2026?

According to Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis of flight deals for spring break, low-cost carriers like Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air are most frequently recommended by AI models. These airlines dominate visibility due to their strong association with affordability, route availability, and frequent service across Europe.

How do AI tools decide which airlines to recommend for cheap flights?

Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis shows that LLMs prioritize airlines based on factors like price competitiveness, network coverage, and how often they appear in trusted third-party sources like aggregators and travel deal sites. This means brands with strong presence on platforms like Kayak or Momondo are more likely to be recommended.

Do different AI models recommend different airlines?

Yes. Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis of LLM recommendations for spring break airline deals in Europe reveals significant variation across models. For example, Ryanair has near-total visibility on Grok and DeepSeek but is much less prominent on Google AI Overviews, where British Airways performs better. This highlights how airline discovery depends heavily on the AI platform used.

What factors influence airline rankings in AI-generated answers?

According to Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis of LLM recommendations for spring break airline deals, key factors include visibility (how often a brand appears), prevalence (how consistently it’s included), frequency (total mentions), and prominence (placement within responses). Airlines that perform well across all four metrics are more likely to dominate recommendations.

What are the pros and cons of low-cost airlines according to AI?

Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis of LLM recommendations for spring break airline deals shows that AI consistently praised low-cost airlines for price and route coverage, but also flagged drawbacks like extra fees, baggage costs, and pricing complexity. This creates a “cheap but with trade-offs” narrative in AI-generated answers.

Why don’t airline websites influence AI recommendations for flight deals very much?

Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis found that AI models rely heavily on third-party sources like aggregators (e.g., Kayak, Momondo). They potentially perceive these websites as more objective and useful than brand websites.

How can airlines improve their visibility in AI search results for flight deals?

Based on Meltwater’s GenAI Lens insights, airlines can improve visibility by strengthening their presence and consistent value messaging on aggregator platforms.

Why does AI visibility matter for airlines and travel brands?

As highlighted in Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis, AI recommendations have the potential to shape early-stage travel decisions. Airlines that are consistently visible in LLM recommendations have greater exposure to high-intent travelers, likely giving them a competitive advantage in bookings and brand preference.

The European Airlines Dominating LLMs

As the 2026 spring break season approached in the Northern Hemisphere, new waves of consumers used LLMs to make their travel plans. There are dozens of mainstream online travel agencies (OTAs) and accommodation aggregators to choose from. 

However, LLMs recommended just a small handful in response to prompts about finding the best hotel deals.

Booking.com led with 55% visibility, closely followed by Expedia at 54% visibility, according to our GenAI analysis.

Both popular aggregator sites achieved high visibility across target prompts, though important nuances emerged between consumer asks focused on luxury, solo travel, and safety. Overall, our exploration revealed how consumers experience AI-driven travel discovery — including how LLM platforms elevate certain brands, shape perceived value, and reinforce narratives about credibility within the European hospitality market.

Methodology: The findings below refer to GenAI Lens data evaluating responses from eight LLMs — ChatGPT, Claude, Deepseek, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, Grok, Llama, and Perplexity — over the three-week period from February 18 to March 11, 2026. 
Our analysis centered on four structured prompts reflecting common travel-planning scenarios in relation to spring 2026 trips in Europe:

What are the best hotel deals in Europe in spring 2026?

What are the best hotel deals for luxury hotels in Europe in spring 2026?

I’m planning a solo trip to Europe in spring 2026. What are the best-value hotel deals right now, ideally in well-located, mid-range or boutique hotels?

I’m a woman traveling solo in Europe in spring 2026. What are the best hotel deals in safe, well-located areas with good reviews?

LLMs Recommended Booking.com and Expedia Most Across Travel Prompts and Models

Both Booking.com (55% visibility) and Expedia (54% visibility) dominated AI-generated OTA recommendations for Europe in spring 2026. Together, they appear in nearly half of all AI responses, consistently achieving high prominence placement across analyzed prompts and models. Tripadvisor came in third place, though at a significant distance from the first two with 32% visibility.  

However, as we’re seeing consistently in these analyses, AI visibility varies widely across models:

Meta’s Llama most frequently recommended Booking.com.

xAI’s Grok tied Booking.com and Expedia for top visibility.

Perplexity, by contrast, surfaced Tripadvisor most often.

Booking.com is the first aggregator website mentioned in this prompt response from Meta Llama analyzed within GenAI Lens. 

Overall, Booking.com slightly outperformed Expedia in LLM visibility thanks to its prevalence across our prompts exploring varying travel scenarios. Models like Google AI Overviews highlighted early booking discounts (15%+), Genius loyalty benefits, and flexible cancellation policies tied to premium properties. For other OTAs and aggregators, emphasizing loyalty building features like these could aid in boosting LLM visibility.

Tripadvisor Gained LLM Visibility in Prompts About Luxury Hotels and Women’s Solo Trips

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