

Skift Daily Travel Briefing
Skift
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 3, 2025 • 4min
Hilton’s Luxury Push, Travel CEOs’ Pay, and Hotels’ Growth Projections
Hilton is expanding its luxury portfolio to attract affluent travelers and strengthen its loyalty program, having recently opened its 1,000th luxury property with plans to add 150 more this year. Meanwhile, Skift analyzed 2024 CEO compensation for travel companies in the S&P 500, finding Booking’s Glenn Fogel, Disney’s Robert Iger, and Uber’s Dara Khosrowshahi among the top 25 highest-paid CEOs. Lastly, CoStar Group has downgraded its 2025 U.S. hotel industry growth forecast to 1% due to spring underperformance and economic uncertainty, though luxury hotels continue to outperform mid-tier and budget segments.
Hilton Pushes Deeper Into Luxury Market in Loyalty Play
Travel's Best Paid CEOs: Where They Rank
U.S. Hotel Growth Takes a Hit – But Shows Signs of Steadying
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May 30, 2025 • 4min
United and JetBlue, Viator and Airbnb, and IATA and Big Airline Fears
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 tensions like those between India and Pakistan and the ongoing closure of Russian airspace.
United and JetBlue Launch Partnership: 'Blue Sky' to Link Loyalty Programs
Viator Partnership With Airbnb Experiences? Tripadvisor CEO Talks Up the Idea
'The Worst It’s Ever Been': IATA Chief Warns of Global Airspace Challenges – Exclusive
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May 29, 2025 • 4min
Chesky's Obama Lessons, Air Traffic Control Dreams and Hawaii's Green Tax
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 fund climate change mitigation and environmental protection efforts.
Brian Chesky Talks 'Night School' and Leadership Lessons with President Obama
'Most Critical Infrastructure Project': DOT Chief Urges Air Traffic Overhaul
Hawaii Adds 'Green Fee' to Hotel Stays to Combat Climate Change
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May 28, 2025 • 4min
The AI Assistant Race, Southwest's New Promise and Booking.com Revelations
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. Finally, the 2021 investigative book The Machine chronicles Booking.com’s tumultuous rise, revealing cultural rifts, leadership shake-ups, and a long-standing resistance to sharing data and resources with other Booking Holdings brands.
Inside Booking.com: Ousted CEOs, Power Struggles and Local Backlash
Southwest’s Overhaul: New Bag Fees, Seating Changes – What's at Stake
OpenAI’s New Device Company and the Race for the Ultimate Travel Assistant
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May 23, 2025 • 4min
Aviation Politics, World Cup Visa Backlog and Marriott’s New Brand
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 rising significance in its global strategy.
House Passes Trump’s 'Big, Beautiful Bill': Here’s How It Impacts Aviation
Rubio Explores 'Double Shifts' and AI to Clear World Cup Visa Backlog
Marriott’s New Brand Is Called Series by Marriott, and It’s Coming to India First
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May 22, 2025 • 4min
Google's Smart Glasses, Newark's Flight Cuts and Wyndham's Live Tourism Perks
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 of Newark, Airlines Endorse Restrictions
Wyndham Expands Loyalty Program With 'Live Tourism' and Experiences
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May 21, 2025 • 3min
Google's New AI Mode, Congress’ Favorite Travel Stocks and Hotels.com's AI Planner
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, though it has limitations and some technical issues.
Google’s New 'AI Mode' for Search: The Impact on Trip Planning
The Travel Stocks Congress Loves to Trade
Hotels.com Has a New Chatbot Trip Planner. Here's How it Works
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May 20, 2025 • 4min
Fairmont's New Marketing, Airbnb’s Experience Challenge and AirAsia Move’s Rebrand
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 travel platform for Southeast Asia.
5 Challenges for Airbnb Experiences
Fairmont Launches First Brand Campaign in 4 Years
AirAsia Move to Fully Rebrand as 'Move' Within 2 Years: CEO Nadia Omer
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May 16, 2025 • 3min
Airbnb's Experiences Confidence, Amadeus' Acquisition and Archer's Air Taxi Deal
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 to operate flying taxis in Abu Dhabi and New York through partnerships and expected FAA certification.
Can Airbnb Experiences Stand Out? It’s Betting on Quality
Archer Aviation to Provide Air Taxi Service for 2028 LA Olympics
Amadeus Acquires ForwardKeys to Expand Travel Data Analytics: SCOOP
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May 15, 2025 • 3min
Airbnb's Personal Touch, Expedia’s Expansion and UAE Theme Park Struggles
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 attendance on Yas Island rose by 20% in 2024 despite past failures in the UAE’s theme park sector.
User Profiles Power Airbnb’s Push Into Experiences and Services
Expedia’s B2B Push Grows: Adds Flights, Rental Cars, Travel Insurance
UAE Theme Parks Often Fail. Can Disneyland Abu Dhabi Succeed?
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