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
Feb 26, 2026 • 5min
Amadeus Goes Conversational, Layoffs Hit Meetings, Red Sea Scales Luxury
Amadeus acquires SkyLink to accelerate conversational AI booking, corporate layoffs begin tightening approval and ROI scrutiny around meetings, and Saudi’s Red Sea airport pushes for a 50:50 international split while scaling a controlled luxury destination.
On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy unpacks how booking interfaces are shifting from search to dialogue, why meetings now have to prove their revenue value, and how Saudi Arabia is engineering premium tourism growth without overwhelming its brand promise.
This episode is presented by Lodgify!
Articles Referenced:
Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGAmadeus Acquired SkyLink to Infuse Its Products With Conversational AISweeping Corporate Layoffs Start to Make Their Mark on MeetingsSaudi’s Red Sea Airport Aims for 50:50 Split Between Domestic and International Travelers
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/
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Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Feb 25, 2026 • 5min
Spirit’s Reset, Tariff Risk Hits Hotels, Airbnb Expands Again
Spirit Airlines reaches a deal to exit bankruptcy leaner and more premium-focused, hotel owners grapple with shifting U.S. tariff rules that complicate renovation budgets, and Airbnb tests airport pickups as it edges closer to becoming a full-service travel platform.
On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down how Spirit is betting on margin over size, why tariff uncertainty is forcing hotels into “wait and hedge” mode, and how Airbnb’s push into ground transport signals a broader grab for the entire trip.
Articles Referenced:Spirit Airlines Reaches Deal to Emerge From BankruptcyHoteliers Scramble to Price U.S. Tariff RiskAirbnb Is Testing Airport Pickups. Are Flights Next?
Feb 24, 2026 • 5min
Airline Chaos Weekend, Oneworld’s New CEO, U.S. Entry Scrutiny
A turbulent travel weekend brings TSA PreCheck confusion, 7,000+ blizzard cancellations, and flight suspensions to Puerto Vallarta, Oneworld names a new CEO as alliances fight for relevance, and proposed U.S. entry requirements raise fresh concerns for international meetings and business travel.
On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy unpacks how operational volatility is testing traveler trust, why airline alliances must prove their value beyond branding, and how stricter visa data rules could chill inbound demand ahead of major global events.
This episode is presented by Lodgify!
Articles Referenced:
Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IG
TSA PreCheck Remains Operational After DHS Said It Would Suspend Program
Airlines Cancel Over 7,000 Flights as Blizzard Hits Northeast
Airlines Suspend Flights to Puerto Vallarta as Unrest Erupts in Mexico
Oneworld Appoints New CEO as Airline Alliances Fight for Relevance
Proposed U.S. Entry Requirements Could Wreak Havoc on Meetings and Events
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews
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Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social
X: https://twitter.com/skift
Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Feb 20, 2026 • 4min
Booking Defends Independents, Airbnb Tests Loyalty, Air France-KLM Soars
Booking doubles down on independent hotels as AI agents and Airbnb target the same supply, Airbnb begins testing loyalty benefits it calls a potential “massive accelerant,” and Air France-KLM crosses a €2 billion profit milestone on strong premium demand.
On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down how platforms are fighting for control of independent inventory, why Airbnb loyalty could reshape repeat behavior, and how premium cabins continue anchoring airline profitability.
This episode is presented by Lodgify!
Articles Referenced:
Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGBooking CEO Touts Ties With Independent Hotels as Agentic AI and Airbnb Seek GainsAirbnb Tests Loyalty Benefits. Chesky Says Program “Could Be a Massive Accelerant”Air France-KLM Hits €2 Billion Profit Milestone as Premium Anchors Outlook
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social
X: https://twitter.com/skift
Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Feb 19, 2026 • 5min
Airlines Deploy AI, Airbnb Expands Hotels, IHG Rebuilds for Bots
U.S. airlines detail how AI is reshaping daily operations, Airbnb signals hotels are now a core growth strategy, and IHG overhauls its data systems so AI agents can better surface and sell its properties.
On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down how AI is moving from back-end efficiency to customer-facing decisions, why Airbnb is positioning itself as a full-spectrum lodging platform, and how structured, machine-readable hotel content may determine which brands stay visible in an AI-driven search world.
This episode is presented by Lodgify!
Articles Referenced:
Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGHere’s How U.S. Airlines Say They’re Using AIAirbnb’s Hotel Strategy Is Now Much BiggerIHG Overhauls Its Hotel Data for AI Agents
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social
X: https://twitter.com/skift
Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Feb 18, 2026 • 5min
IHG Expands Again, Travel Monetizes Anxiety, AI Threatens Metasearch
IHG launches its 21st brand, Noted Collection, Skift argues the industry’s most profitable product is traveler anxiety, and new reporting asks whether AI agents could upend traditional travel metasearch.
On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down why hotel soft brands keep multiplying, how flexibility add-ons have become a core revenue stream, and whether AI will turn price comparison from a website into an invisible layer inside your travel assistant.
This episode is presented by Lodgify!
Articles Referenced:
Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IG
IHG Launches 21st Brand: Noted Collection
The Travel Industry’s Most Profitable Product Is Your Anxiety
Will AI Kill Travel Metasearch?
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social
X: https://twitter.com/skift
Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Feb 17, 2026 • 5min
Immigration Crackdown Hits Hotels, São Paulo’s Luxury Terminal, Travel Health Shifts East
A major U.S. hotel union says immigration enforcement is costing hospitality jobs, São Paulo’s Terminal BTG Pactual redefines premium airport travel with a standalone private terminal model, and the latest Skift Travel Health Index shows global travel stabilizing while growth shifts east and toward experience-led demand.
On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy unpacks how immigration policy is rippling through hotel staffing and perception, why premium airport experiences are becoming unbundled from airlines, and what steady-but-shifting global travel growth means for where the industry heads next.
This episode is presented by Lodgify!
Articles Referenced:
Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IG
Largest U.S. Hotel Union Says Trump Actions Are Costing Jobs
How São Paulo’s Terminal BTG Pactual Is Rewriting the LATAM Airport Playbook
Growth Moves East, Live Tourism, Luxury: What Drove the Skift Travel Health Index
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social
X: https://twitter.com/skift
Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Feb 13, 2026 • 4min
Hotels Flag AI Booking Risks, Sabre Builds Agentic Chat, Tripadvisor Traffic Slips
Hilton and Marriott warn that AI platforms could disrupt direct bookings, Sabre partners with PayPal and Mindtrip to enable fully conversational “agentic” trip booking, and Tripadvisor reports continued traffic declines as AI search overviews reshape discovery.
On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down how hotels are bracing for chatbot-driven distribution, why conversational planning is moving toward real transactions, and what shrinking search traffic means for travel brands built on the old funnel.
This episode is presented by Lodgify!
Articles Referenced:
Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IG
New Marriott and Hilton Filings Reveal Risks From AI Platforms to Direct Bookings
Tripadvisor Sees Traffic Decline from AI Overviews, Considers “Strategic Alternatives” (Again)
Sabre, PayPal, and Mindtrip Partner on Agentic AI Travel Booking
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social
X: https://twitter.com/skift
Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Feb 12, 2026 • 5min
Marriott Bets on Live Tourism, Klook Courts Creators, Dubai Breaks Records
Marriott leans into “live tourism” as a steady growth engine around the Olympics and World Cup, Klook launches a creator-driven spring role to convert cherry blossom buzz into bookings, and Dubai International Airport posts its busiest year ever while scaling for even bigger capacity.
On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy unpacks how major events are becoming predictable revenue lanes, why creator-led travel planning is evolving into a direct booking funnel, and how Dubai is engineering airport infrastructure as a competitive advantage.
Articles Referenced:Marriott Expects Olympics and World Cup Lift — Live Tourism as the New NormKlook’s Chief Spring Officer Role Signals a Deeper Bet on Creator-Led Travel BookingDubai Airport Records Busiest Year Ever
Feb 11, 2026 • 6min
ChatGPT Ads Arrive, Bad Bunny Boosts Puerto Rico, MGM Goes Solar
OpenAI begins testing ads inside ChatGPT, Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl moment puts Puerto Rico in the global spotlight, and MGM powers its Las Vegas Strip properties with solar to lock in long-term energy costs.
On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down how conversational AI is becoming a new travel marketing channel, whether cultural buzz can convert into destination bookings, and why MGM’s renewable energy move is as much about financial control as sustainability.
This episode is presented by Lodgify!
Articles Referenced:
Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IG
OpenAI Tests ChatGPT Ad Pilot — Travel Brands Are Watching
Bad Bunny Brought Buzz. Can Discover Puerto Rico Turn It Into Bookings?
MGM Now Powers All Its Las Vegas Strip Properties With Solar — Here’s How
Connect with Skift
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social
X: https://twitter.com/skift
Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
