

Skift Daily 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. Presented by Lodgify.
For ongoing coverage, please visit Skift.com/news.
Published Tuesday through Friday by 5am ET. Presented by Lodgify.
For ongoing coverage, please visit Skift.com/news.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 5, 2025 • 3min
20 Risk-Taking Travel Leaders, Marriott's Split Performance and Hyatt's All-Inclusive Boom
Skift’s Generation Next series highlights 20 women transforming the travel industry, including leaders like Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson and Shaika Nasser Al Nowais, who will become the first Emirati and first woman to lead UN Tourism. Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano pointed to a “bifurcation of the consumer,” with luxury travel booming while mid-tier hotels face pressure from economic headwinds. Meanwhile, Hyatt reported strong holiday demand for its all-inclusive resorts, particularly in the Americas, and is weighing a potential sale of a stake in its ALG Vacations arm despite its central role in filling those properties.
Generation Next: The Risk Takers
Hyatt Sees All-Inclusives Surge, May Sell a Stake in ALG Vacations
Marriott CEO Flags Wealth Divide, Government Travel Drop, More Tech Spending
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Sep 4, 2025 • 4min
Vrbo’s Crackdown, Accor’s Subscription Push and Europe’s AI Lag
Vrbo will begin enforcing 100% penalties on U.S. hosts starting October 1 if guests are denied access to booked homes, with fines equal to the reservation amount and potential suspensions, as part of broader crackdowns by Vrbo and Airbnb on poor host service. Accor is consolidating its regional subscription cards under the global All Accor+ brand, extending discounts and perks across more than 4,000 properties in 100 countries (e.g., Asia Pacific cardholders now get 15% off worldwide). Meanwhile, although 93% of European tourism boards have experimented with AI, most lack formal strategies or expertise, with interest strongest in translation and other content tasks.
Vrbo Cracks Down on Bad Hosts: 100% Penalty for Stranding Guests
Europe’s Tourism Agencies Report High AI Interest But Low Use: Exclusive
Accor Goes Global With Subscription Cards to Boost Hotel Loyalty
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Sep 3, 2025 • 4min
Leasing the Skies, Redefining Luxury and Expanding Across Borders
A group led by Sumitomo Corp and SMBC Aviation Capital will acquire aircraft lessor Air Lease for $7.4 billion, marking a major shift in an industry where leased planes now make up more than half of the global fleet. Relais & Châteaux is carefully modernizing while expanding into markets like India, China, and Southeast Asia, balancing digital adoption with its commitment to small, family-run hotels that embody authenticity and luxury. Meanwhile, India’s TBO Tek is acquiring U.S. luxury wholesaler Classic Vacations for up to $125 million to strengthen its foothold in the U.S. market and expand its global presence.
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Sep 2, 2025 • 3min
France Targets High-Spenders, Sweden Faces Heat and India-China Reconnect
France is pivoting its tourism strategy to court higher-spending long-haul visitors from Asia, the Gulf, and North America, aiming to boost international tourism revenue by 41% by 2030 with a focus on longer, higher-quality stays. Despite record Northern European heat this summer, Visit Sweden says tourism impacts have been minimal so far, though climate projections warn the Nordics will warm faster than the global average. India and China agreed to restart direct flights after a five-year pause, signaling tentative thawing of ties, though no timeline has been announced.
France Is the Most-Visited Country But Spending Trails Rivals
Can Sweden Remain a Summer Refuge as Extreme Heatwaves Spread North?
India and China to Restart Direct Flights After 5-Year Freeze
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Aug 29, 2025 • 4min
Airbnb’s Fee Shake-Up, Perks for Slow Travel and the Supersonic Race
Airbnb will introduce a single-fee payment system in October, shifting service charges from guests to property managers, who will now pay 14–16% per booking, though the company says overall costs remain unchanged. Meanwhile, employers such as Positive Planet and Climate Perks are offering extra vacation days to staff who opt for lower-carbon travel methods like trains over flights, part of a growing “slow travel” movement. Finally, Boom Supersonic plans to launch three-hour New York–London flights by 2029 with its Overture aircraft, aiming for business-class travelers with $3,500 round-trip fares and new engine technology to replace the Concorde’s outdated design.
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Aug 28, 2025 • 4min
Moneyball for Hotels, Penn Station's Overhaul and Huge Labor Day Air Travel
HotelAVE has grown into a $12 billion hotel asset management firm by using data to uncover profit gaps at properties, often challenging industry norms on operations and pricing strategies. The company has also built proprietary software to integrate data from multiple management systems, streamlining analysis and decision-making. Meanwhile, the Trump administration announced a multi-billion-dollar renovation of New York’s Penn Station to begin by 2027, Amtrak debuted its new high-speed Acela trains, and U.S. airlines are preparing for their busiest Labor Day weekend in 15 years, with TSA expecting to screen more than 17 million passengers.
Moneyball for Hotels: How a $12 Billion Asset Management Firm Finds Value
Trump Administration Plans Penn Station Overhaul in NYC, Amtrak Debuts High-Speed Acelas
Labor Day to Cap Busiest Summer for U.S. Airlines in 15 Years
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Aug 27, 2025 • 4min
Frontier Vs. Spirit, Ryanair Plus Booking and Flight Attendants Vs. Bad Deals
Frontier Airlines is adding 20 new routes targeting some of Spirit Airlines’ most popular leisure destinations as Spirit faces financial uncertainty and warns it may not survive without additional funding. Ryanair has struck a deal with Booking Holdings to list its fares on Booking.com, Kayak, and Priceline, part of a broader effort to partner with online travel agencies it once criticized. Meanwhile, boarding pay has become a major issue in North American flight attendant contract talks, with unions gaining leverage amid staffing shortages and record airline profits.
Why Boarding Pay Is the New Battleground for Flight Attendants
Frontier Airlines Comes for Spirit With Latest New Routes
Ryanair to Put Its Fares on Booking.com, Priceline and Kayak
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Aug 26, 2025 • 4min
Hyatt’s New Perks, TikTok’s Hotel Play and Spirit’s Struggles
Hyatt now allows World of Hyatt members to earn and redeem points on non-room experiences through its new “Find Experiences” program, part of a broader industry effort to boost ancillary revenue. TikTok has partnered with Booking.com in the U.S., enabling users to book hotels directly via TikTok’s app by clicking on location pins in videos or search results. Meanwhile, Spirit Airlines issued a “going concern” warning, saying it may not survive the next year without additional funding after posting significant losses and emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year.
Hyatt Expands Loyalty Program to Cover Experiences: Exclusive
TikTok Users Can Now Book Hotels via Booking.com
Spirit Airlines Was Once One of the Most Profitable Carriers. Now, Its Future Is in Doubt
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Aug 22, 2025 • 4min
Google's New AI Tool, U.S. Visa Scrutiny and UK Rail Fare Hikes
Google’s new Pixel 10 feature, Magic Cue, uses AI to scan apps, emails, and screenshots to quickly surface airline and hotel details, making it easier to manage bookings or share travel information. The U.S. State Department confirmed all 55 million valid visa holders are under continuous vetting, monitoring records and social media as part of the Trump administration’s stricter border policies and potential new visa fees. Meanwhile, British officials see rail travel as key to cutting aviation emissions, but rising train fares risk undermining its cost advantage over flying and discouraging lower-emission travel.
All U.S. Visa Holders Subject to ‘Continuous Vetting’
Google’s Magic Cue Uses AI to Quickly Surface Travel Info
Planes vs. Trains: UK Rail Fare Hikes Could Derail Climate Goals
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Aug 21, 2025 • 4min
Tripadvisor Under Pressure, Trump's D.C. Hotels and Trump and Alaska's Loyalty Play
Tripadvisor faces fresh activist pressure as investor Palliser urges the company to prioritize or sell its fast-growing Viator unit, which it values higher than Tripadvisor’s entire market cap. Washington, D.C., hotels saw occupancy dip to 64% after a federal takeover of local police, though the decline mirrors broader national softening in demand. Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines launched a joint loyalty program, Atmos Rewards, and Alaska struck a deal to equip its fleet with Starlink Wi-Fi.
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