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PODCAST

Skift Daily Travel Briefing

Everything you need to know about the business of travel today. Each episode covers new travel stories from Skift"s editorial team. Listen to the latest developments at hotels, airlines, destinations, online booking sites, and more. Published Tuesday through Friday by 5am ET. For ongoing coverage, please visit Skift.com/news.

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All Episodes

3:46

United and JetBlue, Viator and Airbnb, and IATA and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/30

United Airlines and JetBlue have announced a new domestic partnership called “Blue Sky,” enabling customers to earn and redeem frequent-flyer miles across both carriers and access shared loyalty benefits. Tripadvisor CEO Matt Goldberg suggested that Viator might partner with the relaunched Airbnb Experiences, though the fit with Airbnb’s curated approach is uncertain. Meanwhile, IATA’s Willie Walsh highlighted how airlines are adapting to increasingly restricted global airspace due to geopolitical

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3:44

Chesky's Obama Lessons, Air Traffic Control Dreams...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/29

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky revealed that former President Barack Obama mentored him, encouraging him to reconnect with friends and focus on the deeper purpose of his company during regular calls in 2018. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a massive, long-term overhaul of the nation’s air traffic control system, supported by a proposed $12.5 billion bill that still awaits Senate approval. Meanwhile, Hawaii has introduced a new 0.75% “green fee” on hotel stays and cruise ship cabins to

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3:53

The AI Assistant Race, Southwest's New Promise and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/28

Southwest Airlines has scrapped its signature free-checked-bag perk, instituting $35 and $45 fees for first and second bags, moving toward assigned seating with extra charges, and framing the changes as essential for competitiveness and profit. OpenAI, meanwhile, is forming a hardware company to build AI-native devices that could become travelers’ primary booking assistants, giving the startup a chance to rethink consumer tech from the ground up and challenge incumbents like Apple and Google

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3:31

Aviation Politics, World Cup Visa Backlog and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/23

The U.S. House of Representatives passed President Trump’s tax bill, which includes major aviation funding but faces challenges in the Senate due to cuts to Medicaid and the debt limit. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced efforts to reduce the visa processing backlog using embassy overtime and AI, in preparation for upcoming major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup. Marriott International revealed India as the launch location for its new Series by Marriott brand, highlighting the country’s

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3:36

Google's Smart Glasses, Newark's Flight Cuts and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/22

Google previewed AI smart glasses that translate speech and give live travel guidance, taking on Ray-Ban Meta’s wearable.The FAA is capping Newark Airport at 28 takeoffs and 28 landings per hour after recent disruptions and will boost controller staffing in nearby Philadelphia.Wyndham Rewards now lets members bid loyalty points for concert and sports tickets through its new Experiences platform.Google’s New Smart Glasses. For Travelers: Live Translation, Navigation FAA Limits Capacity Out

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3:29

Google's New AI Mode, Congress’ Favorite Travel...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/21

Google introduced new travel-related AI tools at its developer conference, including smart glasses for real-time translation and navigation, and a more advanced AI Mode for complex search tasks. A Skift analysis revealed that over three dozen U.S. lawmakers and their spouses have actively traded stocks in travel companies such as Booking Holdings, Marriott, and Airbnb, totaling nearly 600 trades since 2021. Additionally, Hotels.com launched a chatbot trip planner with helpful filtering features,

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3:35

Fairmont's New Marketing, Airbnb’s Experience...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/20

Airbnb faces hurdles in reaching its $1 billion experiences business target, as the tours and activities sector grows slowly and customers typically book experiences separately from accommodations. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts launched its first global brand campaign since 2021, emphasizing personalized moments with bookable experiences and a new ad campaign titled “Make Special Happen.” Meanwhile, AirAsia Move plans to drop the “AirAsia” name within two years to establish itself as an independent

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3:24

Airbnb's Experiences Confidence, Amadeus' Acquisition...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/16

Airbnb is relaunching its “Airbnb Originals” experiences, focusing on unique, locally vetted offerings such as cooking classes with Michelin-starred chefs and celebrity hangouts, to differentiate itself in a competitive market. Amadeus has acquired ForwardKeys, a travel analytics firm, to enhance its travel intelligence capabilities, marking its third acquisition in 2024. Archer Aviation announced plans to provide air taxi services during the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, while also preparing

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3:18

Airbnb's Personal Touch, Expedia’s Expansion and UAE...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/15

Expedia Group is expanding its B2B business to include new offerings like flights, rental cars, and travel insurance, aiming to become a comprehensive platform for travel partners. Airbnb is enhancing its app by using user profiles to deliver personalized experiences based on travel preferences and companions, with CEO Brian Chesky envisioning profiles as central to its ecosystem. Meanwhile, optimism surrounds Abu Dhabi’s upcoming Disneyland project, backed by developer Miral, as theme park

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4:00

U.S. Tourism Optimism, Aviation Infrastructure Woes...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/13

In April, travel to the U.S. rebounded with a notable 12% increase in visits from Western Europe, particularly from Germany and the U.K., though the data excludes Canada, where visits have declined. The U.S. air traffic control system is under scrutiny due to outdated technology and staffing shortages, prompting the government to invest billions in modernization, including new towers and increased hiring. Meanwhile, Highgate is expanding its luxury Viceroy brand with new developments like The

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3:33

Expedia's Trump Slump, Choice's Budget Boost and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/09

Expedia Group is experiencing weaker travel demand to the U.S., reporting a 7% decline in inbound travel and lowering its full-year growth expectations due to softening bookings and revenue. Choice Hotels also cut its revenue outlook, though it saw a 7% rise in revenue per available room from its budget brands, benefiting from factors like strong employment and low gas prices. Meanwhile, Sphere Entertainment plans to expand by developing smaller, more cost-effective versions of its large-scale

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3:33

Google's AI Travel Ads, Abu Dhabi's Disneyland and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/08

Google is now allowing ads from travel companies to appear in generative AI search results, with startups like iAsk showing sponsored links from brands such as Tripadvisor and American Airlines. Meanwhile, Disney announced plans to build its first Middle Eastern theme park in Abu Dhabi on Yas Island, with the project being designed and financed in collaboration with government-backed developer Miral. Lastly, the Trump campaign spent over $4.76 million on lodging during the 2024 election, favoring

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3:25

Marriott’s Trimmed Forecast, Asia's New Travel...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/07

Marriott has lowered its full-year forecast due to weakening demand in the U.S., despite strong international performance and double-digit revenue growth in India and Japan. In a separate development, Skift highlights ten influential women in the Asia-Pacific travel industry ahead of its upcoming Asia Forum, spotlighting leaders from Hilton, Klook, and Indonesia’s aviation sector. Meanwhile, Hilton is planning a major expansion in India, aiming to grow its hotel count tenfold over the next decade

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2:55

JetBlue’s VC Sale, Airbnb’s Cleaning Fees and Social...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/06

JetBlue has sold its venture capital arm, JetBlue Ventures, to Sky Leasing in a move to return to profitability following setbacks including the collapse of partnerships with American Airlines and Spirit Airlines. Airbnb's global rollout of upfront pricing now includes cleaning fees, which vary significantly by region, with North America and the Caribbean showing the highest incidence. Meanwhile, Skift Research reports that social commerce is transforming travel, as platforms like TikTok and

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3:53

Airbnb’s Growth Plan, Wyndham’s New Forecast and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/02

Airbnb is working to regain double-digit growth in nights booked by expanding internationally, especially in Italy, Germany, and Japan, and by adding more high-quality hotels to its platform, including incentives through HotelTonight. Wyndham has revised its revenue outlook downward due to softer March demand but remains optimistic about long-term gains from infrastructure spending, having opened a record number of new rooms in Q1. Hyatt also lowered its forecast citing macroeconomic uncertainty,

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2:47

Trivago's Surge, H World's Ambitions and Wizz's...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/05/01

Trivago reported a strong first quarter with $141 million in revenue—a 22% year-over-year increase—driven by global and local ad campaigns, with expectations of continued growth. China’s H World Group now leads globally in hotel count and loyalty membership, aiming to double its presence by expanding budget and upscale hotels in China and internationally. Meanwhile, Wizz Air urged faster climate action in aviation, advocating for the end of fossil fuel subsidies in favor of sustainable jet fuel

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3:58

Trump’s First 100 Days, Hilton's Optimism and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/04/30

Skift reports that a survey of travel industry leaders shows widespread concern over the Trump administration’s early impact, with “uncertainty” being the dominant theme and many seeing potential opportunities for non-U.S. markets. Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta remains optimistic about the economy and travel demand despite acknowledging short-term concerns and trimming Hilton’s annual revenue outlook. Meanwhile, Verbo has agreed to revise or pull ads featuring Nick Saban after a ruling that the

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3:30

Marriott's New Acquisition, Expedia's Cuts and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/04/29

Marriott International plans to acquire CitizenM to expand its select-service and lifestyle hotel portfolio, expecting the deal to boost its 2025 net room growth and generate $30 million in annual fees. Expedia Group is laying off about 3% of its workforce, mainly in the product, technology, and finance teams, as part of a broader restructuring effort that began with its marketing team in March. Meanwhile, a rare atmospheric event triggered a major power outage across Spain and Portugal, severely

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3:34

Online Travel CEO Pay, Trump Tourism Decline and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/04/25

Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel topped online travel executive compensation in 2024 with a $126.4 million pay package, while Expedia CEO Ariane Gorin received $37.3 million, boosted by Expedia’s stock surge. Former President Donald Trump addressed the U.S. tourism decline, attributing it partly to nationalism abroad and suggesting a weaker dollar might reverse the trend, though Skift Research found political climate to be the top deterrent for travelers. Despite global economic concerns, Accor

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3:38

Expedia's Loyalty Changes, Adventure Travelers’ U.S....

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/04/24

Expedia Group is making it harder for entry-level One Key loyalty members to earn rewards on Vrbo bookings, a change aimed at reducing costs for the company. Meanwhile, international adventure travelers are increasingly avoiding the U.S. due to perceptions of unwelcoming entry policies and lingering concerns about tariffs. Lastly, although Booking Holdings reported a drop in greenhouse gas emissions for 2024, it is abandoning a key sustainability goal.Expedia Makes It Harder for One Key Members to

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1,104 results

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