PODCAST · news
Skift Daily Briefing
by 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
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Airbnb Wants to Be Your Business Partner. Hosts Aren’t So Sure.
Europe hints at flexibility on its brutal border lines but makes clear the queues aren’t going anywhere, American Airlines swaps out its network chief with a shift toward international likely on the way, and Airbnb’s dynamic pricing launch looks like the first step toward becoming a hotel-style...
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Lufthansa Just Bought a Gateway to South America
Lufthansa wins the fight for TAP Air Portugal and its prized access to 14 Brazilian cities, Booking Holdings launches a second AI startup called Vayo that manages your whole trip before you even ask, and a Vietnamese island is racing to build 12,000 more hotel rooms for a summit that will leave...
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Fake Hotel Contests Are Going Viral and Real Hotels Are Paying for It
Spirit Airlines’ data sale to Google faces a growing list of challengers as lawmakers and unions raise alarms about AI privacy, Premier Inn’s owner fights off an activist investor while rising UK costs hammer its profit, and AI-generated fake hotel contest videos are spreading on social media…
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Saudi Arabia’s Aviation Ambitions Just Got Grounded
A week of Houthi strikes on Saudi airports suspends flights, kills confidence, and threatens the kingdom’s broader aviation ambitions, Delta delays its landmark Riyadh launch as its entire Gulf strategy goes on hold, and India emerges as Skyscanner’s biggest market with travelers who want more...
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Jet Fuel Just Hit an All-Time High and Airlines Are Bleeding
Jet fuel hits a record high as airline earnings season kicks off with record revenue that fuel costs are eating alive, Houthi missile strikes knock out more than a quarter of Saudi Arabia's flights with little warning for travelers, and deadly Himalayan disasters are forcing tour operators to...
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Vrbo More Than Doubled Some Hosts' Commissions and They're Not Happy
Alaska Airlines shifts its growth strategy away from a capacity-constrained Seattle toward Portland and San Diego, Vrbo faces host backlash after more than doubling commissions with just a month's notice, and Disney's latest price hikes leave base tickets alone and go straight for the extras. On...
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British Airways Is Ripping Out 52 Seats to Make Room for Premium
Airbnb quietly rebuilds its luxury homes program with in-person inspections and a tight bar, British Airways removes 52 seats from its biggest plane to turn nearly half of it into premium cabins, and a look inside Mews' $2.5 billion valuation reveals fast growth and a break-even target that keeps...
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Delta Is Building a Media Network and Your Flight Data Is the Product
Brand USA welcomes back a familiar face as it fights for congressional reauthorization, a vacation rental roll-up flips the private equity script by letting founders keep control, and Delta is building a media network powered by what it already knows about every passenger who logs into Wi-Fi. On...
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Choice Hotels Just Bought an RV Club and Now Has to Prove It Matters
Choice Hotels Just Bought an RV Club and Now Has to Prove It Matters Choice Hotels acquires Harvest Hosts for $130 million in its first move outside of hotels, Airbnb launches a wave of AI features while playing catch-up to rivals who got there first, and Radisson proves that a hotel from 1973…
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Kayak's Founders Are Back and They Want to Reinvent the OTA
Booking Holdings launches Lola, an AI travel assistant from Kayak's founders that bets memberships can replace commissions, Alaska Airlines doubles down on premium cabins and a flagship lounge despite fuel costs wiping out its first-half profit, and Europe's new anti-greenwashing law just made...
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Bangkok's Floods Hit Airports Right as Golden Week Begins
Bangkok floods snarl airports and threaten to redirect Golden Week travelers just as Chinese arrivals were tracking 78% ahead of last year, Expedia's latest layoffs zero in on data science as its efficiency push hits the org chart, and Carnival politely opts out of the premium arms race by…
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Airbnb's CEO Just Put a Date on His AI Agent
Brian Chesky commits to launching Airbnb's AI travel agent in 2027 and bets the chat interface is the wrong format for travel, Barry Diller walks away from an $18 billion MGM deal but leaves the door open, and two of travel's biggest investors reveal they're putting their money into things AI…
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Airbnb and Vrbo Are Betting Big on Sponsored Listings. AI Agents Don't Care.
Vrbo and Airbnb go all in on paid placement just as AI booking agents signal they won't factor it in, IHG and Hyatt hand creators the keys and learn to let go of control, and the travel industry grapples with how to measure whether creator content actually drives bookings. On today's Skift Daily...
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Airbnb's Next Big Business Might Be Hotels
Airbnb's Next Big Business Might Be Hotels Airbnb makes a serious push into hotels with 3,900 properties live and CEO Brian Chesky calling it a potential ten-times opportunity, a former Remington CEO raises $7.5 million to build an AI-native hotel management company that isn't shy about cutting...
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Your Credit Card Knows Your Travel Habits. Banks Are Betting on It Differently.
Banks are splitting into two camps on travel — those who want to own your trip and those who use travel perks to own your financial life, Turo announces car delivery straight to your hotel as everyone races to own more of the trip, and Banyan Group makes a big move into African safari lodges at...
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Trip.com Just Took a $770 Million Hit and It's Changing the Rules for Hotels
China's antitrust crackdown costs Trip.com $770 million and forces a full overhaul of how hotels compete on its platform, American Airlines puts the industry on notice that high fuel prices mean fewer flights, and Sam's Club makes a move into cruises targeting one of travel's last offline…
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Dubai Hoteliers Just Wrote Off the Rest of 2026
Gulf hoteliers at Arabian Travel Market align on a 2027 recovery timeline as pricing stays stuck despite rebounding occupancy, Lindblad makes its biggest acquisition yet with a $67 million bet on Antarctic luxury that has nothing to do with ships, and GetYourGuide recruits creators to solve tour...
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AirBaltic Just Filed for Bankruptcy and Passengers Won't Even Notice
Latvia's AirBaltic files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as fuel costs and a failed IPO take their toll, Starlink is becoming a must-have for airlines but somebody is going to have to pay for it, and Etihad's biggest problem right now is that it doesn't have enough planes to meet demand. On...
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Gulf Tourism Is Having a Lost Year
The Iran war has quietly devastated Gulf tourism with Dubai hotel rates down 50% and recovery not expected before late 2027, Meta launches an AI agent called Muse that can actually book travel, and Marriott's CEO says AI's biggest impact on hotels won't be chatbots — it'll be distribution. On...
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The EU Just Gave Cities a Roadmap to Crack Down on Airbnb
The EU Just Gave Cities a Roadmap to Crack Down on Airbnb The EU hands cities a legal framework to justify short-term rental restrictions, Navan buys AI-powered events platform BoomPop to push deeper into corporate meetings, and Klook turns travel creators into full-on storefronts with one link…
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Google Is Stripping Travel Search in Europe to Avoid More Fines
Google Is Stripping Travel Search in Europe to Avoid More Fines Google scales back hotel, flight, and restaurant search features across Europe to dodge further EU fines, the bloc's border safety valve expires just as airlines warn of more delays, and hurricane season is putting a real dollar…
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The Southwest You Grew Up With Is Gone
Southwest announces airport lounges and keeps reinventing itself into something almost unrecognizable, Uber cuts 3,300 jobs and pulls focus back to its core as travel ambitions take a back seat, and Emirates unveils a premium economy seat that signals where the real airline revenue war is being...
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Travel's Biggest Names Just Walked Into the White House
Travel industry executives meet with President Trump to push for more inbound tourists, Uber cuts 3,300 jobs while doubling down on robotaxis and quietly sidelining its travel ambitions, and Southwest opens airport lounges , but it's really a credit card strategy wearing an airport badge. On...
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Airbnb Just Poached Booking.com's Hotel Boss
Airbnb names a former Booking.com hotel chief as its new chief business officer as its hotel push accelerates, AirDNA launches a dynamic pricing tool aimed at the 85% of short-term rental hosts still leaving money on the table, and JetBlue bets its comeback on a new domestic first class with...
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That Stunning Hotel You Found on TikTok Might Not Be Real
A bombshell estimate flips the script on who actually leads in B2B hotel bookings, Marriott presses its sales teams to close a $1.55 billion gap in group bookings for 2027, and AI-generated hotel videos on TikTok are misleading travelers about properties they can actually book. On today's Skift...
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Google Just Made Hotel Booking Part of the Chat
Google Just Made Hotel Booking Part of the Chat Google launches hotel booking inside its AI chat with major chains and OTAs on board, passport renewals are about to get dramatically easier for millions of Americans, and Dollywood opened its doors the day after Dolly Parton passed and the story of...
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Dolly Parton Left Behind a Legacy That Draws 2 Million Visitors a Year
Dollywood bucks the theme park industry's closure wave as operators honor Dolly Parton's legacy with a $500 million expansion, Harry Styles' Madison Square Garden residency is giving NYC hotels and short-term rentals a meaningful boost, and there's a reason boutique hotel founders almost always…
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Wall Street Is Finally Buying Into Airbnb's Growth Story
A familiar face may be headed back to lead NYC Tourism, Wall Street is warming up to Airbnb's growth story after five straight quarters of double-digit gains, and three South Korean budget airlines are merging into one low-cost giant. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global...
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Black Tomato Just Did the Opposite of Every Other Travel Company
F1 confirms its Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is on despite war jitters, luxury tour operator Black Tomato sells 75% of itself to its own staff instead of private equity, and Thailand tries once again to collect a tourist fee it's been attempting since 2020. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz,...
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Google Just Bought Spirit's Data for $10 Million and Got a Steal
Google scoops up Spirit Airlines' pricing and booking data in bankruptcy for a fraction of its value, the UK launches a crackdown on hidden travel fees with fines up to 10% of global revenue, and Delta's pilot scheduling talks break down with the busy fall travel season right around the corner.…
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If the World Cup Couldn't Fix U.S. Tourism, What Will?
Overseas visits to the U.S. fall for the fourth straight month despite the World Cup, travel creators are pivoting hard to shorter and cheaper trips because that's what their audiences can actually afford, and a big question worth asking about AI travel tools: who are they really working for? On...
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Europe Is on Fire and Summer Travel Is at Risk Again
Wildfires are forcing tourist evacuations across France and Spain with officials warning the risk is spreading, Norwegian Cruise Line's CEO admits the company's problems are mostly self-inflicted, and Lufthansa and Air France-KLM are competing for Portugal's national airline with two very…
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China's Travelers Want to Go Abroad. There Aren't Enough Flights.
Hilton makes a rare move by cutting fees for its hotel owners as the market cycle finally turns, JetBlue posted a $247 million loss and its stock jumped 13% anyway, and Chinese outbound travel demand is surging with nowhere near enough flights to meet it. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah...
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Amazon Just Entered the Travel Booking Business
Amazon brings travel booking inside Alexa with Priceline as an early partner, American Express buys Europe's biggest restaurant reservation platform and the real reason is fascinating, and IHG becomes the third major hotel chain to launch AI search. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy...
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The World Cup Tourism Boom Was a Myth
The 2026 World Cup's promised tourism windfall didn't materialize as international visitors stayed home, United tried to merge with both Delta and American and got turned down by both, and Europe fined Google for something the entire travel industry does to its own suppliers every day. On today's...
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Southwest Reinvented Itself and Just Had a Record Quarter
Southwest posts record revenue after overhauling its entire business model, American Airlines hits record revenue too but keeps cutting its profit forecast, and the timeshare industry is consolidating for a reason most travelers would never guess. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy...
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Loyalty Programs Are Now How Travel Companies Find New Customers
Travel's biggest companies are trading loyalty members directly with each other as Google's dominance over customer acquisition breaks down, three hotel giants launched debit cards in the UK and only the UK, and a legendary Tokyo hotel just reopened after a 19-month renovation. On today's Skift...
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The UAE Passport Just Lapped the U.S.
The U.S. passport stalls at 10th while the UAE jumps to second in the global rankings, Emirates president Tim Clark says retirement can wait, and Expedia opens a Silicon Valley office to find the engineers who are exponentially more productive with AI. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah...
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Airbnb Added Car Rentals and Now Looks a Lot Like Expedia
JetBlue picks up Spirit's coveted LaGuardia slots for $58.5 million, Airbnb adds car rentals and keeps inching toward becoming a one-stop travel shop, and hotel brands are quietly moving into student housing with a four-revenue-stream business model. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah…
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United's CEO Says Cheap Flights Are Gone Forever
United's Scott Kirby makes it official — the era of dirt-cheap airfares is over, a travel agency startup just hit a billion-dollar valuation by betting human taste beats AI, and JetBlue launches buy-now-pay-later flights with a catch worth reading closely. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah...
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AI Is Not Going to Fix Travel's Labor Problem
AI Is Not Going to Fix Travel's Labor Problem A sharp reality check reveals AI is being deployed in exactly the wrong places to address travel's labor crisis, hotel guest satisfaction just hit a new high with improvements across every segment, and the events job market has a clear message for...
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Even Frontier Is Going Premium Now
The World Cup failed to deliver the U.S. tourism bump everyone was counting on, Skift lays out a compelling theory for why Airbnb's best hotel move might be Ennismore's upcoming IPO, and Frontier Airlines announces Starlink — the last major holdout finally goes premium. On today's Skift Daily...
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Canada Is Still Not Coming Back to the U.S.
Canadian travel to the U.S. ticks up in June but underlying data shows a market that still hasn't decided to return, lifestyle hotel brands are moving into all-inclusive and Ennismore thinks the stigma is finally gone, and a provocative take on why sometimes when hospitality fails the problem is...
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The Best World Cup Marketing Cost Nothing and British Airways Started It
Two airlines created the World Cup's best marketing moment without paying FIFA a cent, Delta launches a stripped-down business class fare that turns premium travel into a spectrum, and there's one obscure hotel metric about to tell us whether the industry's recovery is built to last. On today's...
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EasyJet Is Being Sold and Every Independent European Airline Is Watching
EasyJet's potential $7 billion takeover is putting Europe's remaining independent airlines on notice, Air Canada names a new multilingual CEO after a very public language controversy, and a sharp look at why the West ended up with two half-apps instead of one super app. On today's Skift Daily...
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AI Chatbots Are Skipping Travel Apps Even When They're Connected
The World Cup's tourism boost is spreading far beyond host cities into markets nobody expected, AI chatbots are bypassing travel brand apps even when fully integrated, and Hilton opens a direct line to corporate travel platform Navan to cut out the middlemen. On today's Skift Daily Briefing…
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Airbnb Beat Marriott at the World Cup and Spent Less Doing It
Airbnb nearly doubled Marriott's World Cup marketing reach at a fraction of the cost, airlines are buying concert venue naming rights and turning them into loyalty real estate, and extended-stay hotels are having their best demand run in four years with supply thinning fast. On today's Skift…
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The Government Wants Airlines to Hide Fees Again
The Trump administration moves to repeal Obama-era airfare transparency rules, OTAs shift their focus from winning traveler trust to winning the trust of AI agents, and American Airlines takes a direct swing at United in Chicago with a new Tokyo route. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah...
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Supersonic Flight Over the U.S. Is Back on the Table
The U.S. proposes lifting a 53-year ban on supersonic flight over land, Visa launches a consumer travel platform that puts it in direct competition with the banks that pay it, and a look at the rare airline CEOs who simply never leave. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down...
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Hotel Owners Are Ditching Big Brands and Going Independent
A wave of hotel owners are walking away from major brand flags as expiring franchise agreements expose just how little they were getting for the price, Accor and H World link loyalty programs to open up 430 million members to each other, and Best Western's parent company has a plan to finally…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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.
HOSTED BY
Skift
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Skift Daily Briefing have?
Skift Daily Briefing currently has 1000 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Skift Daily Briefing about?
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,...
How often does Skift Daily Briefing release new episodes?
Skift Daily Briefing releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 1000 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Skift Daily Briefing?
You can listen to Skift Daily Briefing on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Skift Daily Briefing?
Skift Daily Briefing is created and hosted by Skift.
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