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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. Presented by Sierra. For ongoing coverage, please visit Skift.com/news.

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All Episodes

3:33

Marriott’s Exec Changes, Amex Cuts Travel Packages...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/07/17

Marriott CFO Leeny Oberg will retire in March 2026, with Jen Mason set to succeed her as the company prepares for a leadership transition. American Express Travel will discontinue its flight and hotel packages by the end of July as part of a website overhaul and shift in customer benefits. Meanwhile, United Airlines has lowered its 2025 profit forecast but noted rising demand and a more stable global outlook.United Lowers Profit Forecast Despite Less Economic and Geopolitical Uncertainty

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3:37

AI’s Impact on Travel Jobs, NYC’s Transit Mess and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/07/16

Skift reports that agentic and generative AI are set to reshape employment in the travel industry, with travel agencies increasing their tech workforce significantly since 2003, though core providers like airlines and hotels still rely heavily on manual labor. Analyst Robin Gilbert-Jones notes that while digitalization has grown, the sector still lacks sufficient tech talent, potentially forcing traditional travel suppliers to ramp up hiring in tech and engineering. In other news, NYC mayoral

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3:37

Travel Spending Pullback, Delta's Premium Plan and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/07/15

Consumer travel spending is decreasing, particularly among lower-income households, as more money is redirected to essential expenses like rent and utilities, according to Bank of America data. Delta Air Lines is exploring tiered business class options in response to growing demand and rising revenues from premium travelers. Meanwhile, Hyatt is expanding its luxury hotel footprint in the Asia-Pacific region, with plans to open nearly 90 new properties and double its presence in India within five

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3:59

Airbnb Gets Flexible, Delta Revises Forecast,...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/07/11

Airbnb is introducing more guest-friendly cancellation policies starting October 1, replacing its Strict policy with a more flexible Firm policy that allows full refunds up to 30 days before check-in, along with a new 24-hour grace period for short stays. Delta Air Lines issued a revised 2025 outlook that's lower than earlier projections but better than anticipated, highlighting strong premium demand despite economic uncertainty and soft main cabin sales. Marriott has begun construction on its first

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3:27

U.S. Tourism Drops, Marriott Eyes Outdoors and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/07/10

Inbound tourism to the U.S. continued to decline in June, with international visits dropping 3.4% year-over-year and total arrivals reaching just 80% of 2019 levels, excluding Canada and Mexico. Marriott is preparing to enter the outdoor recreation market with a new brand, “Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy,” filing multiple trademarks in countries known for outdoor tourism and hinting at services like weddings and adventure tours. Meanwhile, airlines are expected to post modest second-quarter

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3:47

Hilton Expands With LivSmart, Virgin Atlantic Adds...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/07/09

Hilton has opened the first property from its new extended-stay hotel brand, LivSmart Studios, targeting long-term guests like relocating families and workers. Virgin Atlantic is partnering with Elon Musk’s Starlink to offer free high-speed Wi-Fi and other digital amenities onboard, starting installations in 2026. Meanwhile, the TSA will no longer require most passengers to remove shoes at security checkpoints due to improved screening technology, although exceptions and benefits for PreCheck

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4:06

Hyatt's All-Inclusive Bet, TSA’s Shoes-On Test and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/07/08

Hyatt is expanding its all-inclusive resort business globally, targeting regions like Europe, North Africa, and Asia, while maintaining an “asset-light” strategy to reduce capital demands. Meanwhile, the TSA is trialing a policy at select U.S. airports that allows travelers to keep their shoes on, as part of broader efforts to streamline security screening with new technologies. Activist investor Starboard Value has acquired a 9% stake in Tripadvisor and may pressure the company to sell off brands

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3:47

Airbnb’s Pay-Later Bet, Airline Cyberattacks and a...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/07/03

Airbnb is piloting a “Reserve Now, Pay Later” feature in the U.S. and Canada to help guests book stays without upfront payments, aiming to boost affordability while keeping hosts protected under existing cancellation policies. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate has advanced a budget bill allocating $12.5 billion to modernize air traffic control infrastructure, including consolidating radar and traffic control facilities, as part of broader reform efforts. Finally, Hawaiian Airlines, WestJet, and Qantas have

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3:41

Too-Hot Eiffel Tower, Brand USA Budget Anxieties and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/07/02

A scorching heatwave has forced the Eiffel Tower to temporarily close its summit and led other European landmarks, like Brussels’ Atomium, to reduce hours, while several countries have issued heat-related travel advisories. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate narrowly passed a bill slashing Brand USA’s funding from $100 million to $20 million, putting the tourism organization at risk of downsizing amid an ongoing budget crisis. Lastly, Sweden has abolished its air travel tax, drawing praise from airlines

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3:55

Hyatt’s $2B Flip, Six Senses Shake-Up and Europe’s...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/07/01

Hyatt announced it will sell the real estate portfolio of Playa Hotels & Resorts for $2 billion just weeks after acquiring it, aligning with its asset-light strategy while retaining management of the resorts for a net cost of $555 million. Neil Jacobs is stepping down as CEO of Six Senses after 13 years, during which he grew the brand globally and oversaw its acquisition by IHG. Meanwhile, European authorities have issued heat-related travel warnings amid a Mediterranean heat wave, with temperatures

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4:10

One Clever Hotel Ad, A Resort Brand’s Climate Warning...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/06/27

The Ritz-Carlton’s “Late Checkout” campaign, featuring Josh Hutcherson, won a Gold Lion at Cannes for its creative approach to luxury advertising, outperforming 181 other brands. Meanwhile, Iberostar warned that climate change is the greatest threat to its beachfront properties and called for increased investment in sustainable tourism efforts. At the Skift Data+AI Summit, travel investors emphasized the importance of solving real problems over AI hype and noted that future winners may emerge by

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3:36

Italy's Overtourism Campaign, Trump’s Student Visa...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/06/26

Italy has launched the “99% of Italy” campaign to encourage tourists to explore lesser-known regions, addressing the issue of overtourism that sees 70% of international visitors concentrated in just 1% of the country. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department now requires student visa applicants to make their social media accounts public for screening as part of renewed interview procedures. Lastly, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is expanding its luxury cruise offerings with the debut of a new

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3:44

Spirit's JetBlue Complaint, Carnival's Splashy...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/06/25

Spirit Airlines is urging U.S. regulators to block JetBlue and United’s proposed “Blue Sky” partnership, citing serious antitrust concerns similar to JetBlue’s past alliance with American Airlines. Carnival’s heavy marketing investments and private island offerings are driving strong booking growth and enabling premium pricing, according to its CEO. Meanwhile, social media–fueled tourism to Antarctica is booming, but scientists warn it’s contributing significantly to carbon emissions and

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3:51

Gulf Airport Routing Challenges, Over-Heated Tourism...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/06/24

Airlines in the Gulf are under pressure as rising Middle East tensions force flight rerouting, disrupting the efficiency of major hubs like Dubai and causing delays and missed connections. Despite 2024 being the hottest year on record, most U.S. travelers are not significantly changing their travel plans due to climate-related risks, according to a Skift Research survey. Skift CEO Rafat Ali has also introduced the Skift AI Travel Tracker, a new series exploring future travel industry roles shaped by

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3:52

Boeing’s Political Cash, Bhutan's Crypto Tourism and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/06/20

Boeing has intensified its political influence efforts, distributing nearly $1 million through its PAC in early 2025 and maintaining a robust lobbying presence amid renewed scrutiny over its safety practices. Meanwhile, Bhutan has become the first country to roll out a nationwide cryptocurrency-based tourism payment system, allowing visitors to use over 100 cryptocurrencies for nearly all purchases via Binance Pay, with DK Bank converting funds to local currency. In the U.S., flight sales through

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3:53

Brand USA's Challenges, Hotel Immigration Crackdown...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/06/19

Brand USA is facing a potential 80% federal funding cut amid a fragile international travel recovery, though CEO Fred Dixon remains cautiously optimistic and has launched a new campaign, “America the Beautiful,” to promote U.S. tourism. Meanwhile, U.S. hotels are bracing for stricter immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which is worsening labor shortages, especially for resort properties dependent on seasonal immigrant workers. Finally, Air India is reducing international widebody

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4:10

A Google Hotels Threat, JetBlue Cost Cutting and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/06/18

Google Hotels is facing increasing pressure from competitors like Expedia, Tripadvisor, and Trivago, partly due to changes from the EU's Digital Markets Act and the rise of Google's AI Overviews impacting search visibility. Hotel developers are embracing dual-brand properties to cut costs and boost profitability by sharing infrastructure and appealing to broader market segments, with major chains like Marriott and Hilton leading the trend. Meanwhile, JetBlue is cutting costs amid soft travel demand,

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3:41

U.S. Travel Slump, Accor Taps Mbappé and Airbus' Orders

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/06/17

Global travel grew slightly in April, but a 5% drop in North American activity—driven by weaker U.S. consumer sentiment—dampened overall progress. Despite the stronger euro, five million Americans are still expected to travel to Europe this summer. Meanwhile, Accor launched a direct-booking campaign with soccer star Kylian Mbappé to compete with online travel agencies, and Airbus outshone Boeing at the Paris Air Show with 132 orders, including a major deal with Riyadh Air.Global Travel Grows,

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3:42

After the Air India Crash

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/06/13

Air India Flight AI171 tragically crashed shortly after takeoff, marking the first-ever crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and presenting a critical challenge for the Tata Group's ongoing transformation of Air India. The crash undermines recent optimism in India's aviation sector and threatens to derail the Vihaan.AI project, Air India's five-year overhaul plan aimed at restoring trust and enhancing its global image. Additionally, this incident adds to Boeing’s mounting safety concerns, with the 787

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4:39

Hotels Vs. Airbnb Experiences, Wyndham's New Ads and...

Skift Daily Travel Briefing ·

2025/06/12

An Air India Boeing 787-8 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad to London, leading to suspended airport operations and an ongoing investigation with no confirmed casualties yet. Meanwhile, hotel leaders downplayed threats from Airbnb's expansion into experiences, though experts argue hotels are underestimating the appeal of personalized, seamless offerings. Finally, Wyndham launched its first comprehensive ad campaign to promote its loyalty program and all 25 brands under the unified message

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1,070 results

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