Skift Daily Briefing

Thanksgiving travel hits an all-time record, Google pushes deeper into agentic AI trip planning, and Emirates makes a massive splash at the Dubai Airshow. On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down what the holiday surge means for travelers, how Google is inching toward automated booking, and why Emirates’ latest Boeing order and Starlink upgrade signal a new era of long-haul comp...

Apple brings digital passports to U.S. airports, Canadians cool on U.S. travel, and Singapore prepares the world’s first green jet fuel tax. On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy unpacks how Apple’s digital ID rollout signals the next phase of travel tech, why fewer Canadians are crossing the border, and how Singapore’s climate levy could reshape aviation policy worldwide. Articles Refer...

Jet2 makes a bold move on easyJet’s home turf, Webjet expands into multiday tours, and Arlo Hotels may be the next lifestyle brand on the market. On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy covers the latest airline rivalry at Gatwick, a new chapter for Australia’s largest OTA, and why boutique hotel brands are becoming prime acquisition targets. Articles Referenced: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Hilton hits a renewable energy milestone, Saudi Arabia’s AlUla ramps up its billion-dollar tourism push, and Asia’s Klook goes public as the experiences boom accelerates. On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down Hilton’s shift from policy to profit-driven sustainability, Saudi Arabia’s latest bet on private investment, and what Klook’s IPO reveals about the next phase of global...

U.S. travel companies are feeling the sting of fewer international visitors, Airbnb tests a hotel strategy in major cities, and Sonder’s meteoric rise ends in collapse. On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down what’s behind the tourism slowdown, why Airbnb’s next chapter might look more like Expedia, and what Sonder’s downfall means for hospitality’s tech-driven future. Articles...

The FAA cuts air traffic to ease controller strain, Tripadvisor trims its workforce to double down on AI and experiences, and luxury hospitality faces a reckoning with its own overconfidence. On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy covers how the shutdown is grounding more than flights, why Tripadvisor is reinventing itself for the AI era, and what “the illusion of knowledge” really means...

India’s travel industry shows two sides of the same boom, Marriott doubles down on luxury and loyalty ahead of 2026, and American Airlines joins the wave of corporate layoffs reshaping aviation. On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy unpacks what’s driving confidence in India, how Marriott is positioning itself for the next travel cycle, and why airlines are getting leaner — and more prem...

From driverless rides at airports to a surprising debit-card comeback and a major consolidation at Tripadvisor, today’s travel headlines cover innovation, reinvention, and strategy shifts shaping the industry. Sarah Dandashy breaks down Waymo’s growing footprint in mobility, United’s push to reach younger travelers, and Tripadvisor’s move to merge with Viator amid investor pressure. Articles Refer...

Airline CEOs head to the White House as the government shutdown grounds more than just planes, Las Vegas faces an ongoing slump despite big events on the horizon, and the ultra-luxury segment continues rewriting hospitality’s rulebook. On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy unpacks the growing pressure on Washington, the stakes in Sin City, and the world where five-star isn’t enough anymo...

Hotel pricing turns from instinct to algorithm, Kayak blames Google for a $457 million hit, and Navan makes its Wall Street debut. On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy recaps the biggest travel business stories of the week — from AI reshaping hotel revenue strategy to Google’s growing grip on discovery and the next big test for corporate travel tech. Articles Referenced: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Navan...

Air traffic controllers feel the strain as the U.S. government shutdown delays paychecks, JetBlue makes a bold move into first class, and Booking’s CEO isn’t sweating ChatGPT’s travel ambitions. On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy covers the mounting stress in America’s control towers, the premium play shaking up the skies, and why Booking believes AI won’t replace its booking engine a...

From border security to brand strategy, today’s Skift Daily Briefing with Sarah Dandashy covers the shifting face of travel. The U.S. moves to expand facial recognition for nearly all international travelers, a new coalition pushes to fix visa delays and airports before the World Cup, and Marriott reveals what travelers really want in their next stay. Articles Referenced: ⁠U.S. to Expand Facial Re...

Hotels are ditching instinct for data, car rental giants are quietly winning the digital war, and Alaska Airlines faces turbulence after an IT meltdown. On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, our new host, Sarah Dandashy, breaks down the latest shifts in hotel pricing strategy, the surprising power dynamics in online car rentals, and how tech failures are redefining airline reliability. Articles Referen...

Southwest Airlines expects up to $1 billion in new earnings when it launches extra legroom seats next January, marking a major shift from its signature open seating model, and is also exploring airport lounges by 2026. Activist investor Starboard Value is urging Tripadvisor to sell TheFork, improve Viator’s performance, and boost profitability, even hinting the company could be an attractive acqui...

Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta predicts a new growth phase for the U.S. hotel sector, citing easing inflation, stable tax policy, and upcoming events like the World Cup, though corporate travel remains below pre-pandemic levels. Navan, a corporate travel and expense company, counts major AI firms OpenAI, Perplexity, and Anthropic among its clients as it prepares for a $960 million IPO and a $6.45 billi...

Wyndham rolled out a $95/year Wyndham Rewards Insider subscription for U.S. customers, offering at least 10% off rates at 8,000+ properties (excluding Echo Suites), automatic Gold status, and flight discounts up to 15% international and 5% domestic to keep the brand relevant between stays. Major hotel chains head into a tough earnings season after two straight quarters of RevPAR declines through S...

Alphabet’s Waymo has launched Waymo for Business, a corporate travel program that helps companies manage mobility programs and budgets through a centralized portal, competing with Uber for Business and Lyft Business. Meanwhile, Brand USA unveiled its new “America the Beautiful” campaign aimed at reviving inbound tourism after funding cuts and a decline in international visitors. Finally, an Amazon...

The 2026 World Cup could deliver record hotel occupancy and big economic gains across host cities, but several (Toronto, Vancouver, and Kansas City, KS) are raising visitor taxes to help cover staging costs. Southwest is moving cautiously on AI—prioritizing safety, compliance, and reliability—yet sees promise in conversational tools that deliver “just-in-time” information and more intuitive servic...

Kayak launched AI Mode, a ChatGPT-powered trip planner that taps Kayak’s data to return contextual results across hundreds of providers—arriving just as holiday flight searches rise 10%. Global tourism demand is diverging, with Spain booming and U.S. inbound softening, yet both are leaning into live tourism for 2026: Brand USA is promoting ahead of the FIFA World Cup, while Spain touts draws like...

Skift CEO Rafat Ali argues OTAs face a “permission to remain relevant” test as travel shifts into its third transformation—from search-and-book to AI agents that can bypass intermediaries entirely. The U.S. passport has fallen to 12th on the Henley Passport Index, with visa-free access to 180 destinations and recent reciprocity moves (like Brazil ending visa-free entry) contributing to the slide,...

An analyst argues Booking.com and other OTAs are well-equipped to withstand AI challengers like ChatGPT and Gemini thanks to deep behavioral data and robust payments networks, even as Booking acknowledges real disruption risks. Delta posted record Q3 revenue powered by its loyalty engine and a 12% YoY jump in American Express proceeds—$2B in the quarter and $7.4B year-to-date—with leadership leani...

Delta posted record Q3 revenue on strong premium demand and loyalty growth, with profit up 11% and American Express co-brand proceeds up 12%, a sharp turnaround after tariff uncertainty earlier in the year led it to pull 2025 guidance. Hotels.com launched “Save Your Way,” letting Expedia Group OneKey members take instant discounts or bank rewards for later across Hotels.com, Expedia, or Vrbo—a sim...

Disney is raising select ticket prices—e.g., Disneyland’s top one-day tier to $224 and Disney World’s peak one-day to $209 for Nov–Dec 2026—while simultaneously rolling out discounts like a new three-day park hopper deal for California residents. Meliá Hotels International will manage Lionel Messi’s MiM Hotels from November 1, aligning with its “vacation axis” growth strategy and echoing its athle...

Airbnb’s latest job postings—spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa—show an aggressive push into hotels, with roles focused on supply acquisition and senior market management in cities like Berlin, Barcelona, and Sydney. Testing Apple’s AirPods Live Translation on real-world tours and events revealed natural, eye-contact-friendly conversations but also delays and occasional gl...

OpenAI is turning ChatGPT into an app platform, with travel brands like Expedia and Booking.com embedding apps directly into chat so users can start trip planning in natural language and receive bookable options without extra downloads. Hilton unveiled its 25th brand, the Outset Collection, aimed at upscale independent hotels, with more than 60 owner conversations underway and the first property s...