Podcast
Skift Daily Briefing
Hosted by Skift · EN
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.
80episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Best World Cup Marketing Cost Nothing and British Airways Started It
6d ago00:03:51Tap to summarizeTwo 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 Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down how Norwegian Air and British Airways generated massive World Cup buzz with nothing but a well-timed Instagram bet, what Delta's new Basic Business fare means for travelers trying to decide how much business class they actually need, and why incentive management fees are the number every hotel analyst will be watching this earnings season. Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGHey @British_Airways — Norwegian Air Shows How to Get Free World Cup BuzzDelta Launches Stripped-Down Business Class FaresThis Obscure Marriott Fee Will Be a Key Signal of Profit Strength 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.
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EasyJet Is Being Sold and Every Independent European Airline Is Watching
1w ago00:04:36Tap to summarizeEasyJet'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 Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down which European airlines are most likely to be next in the consolidation wave EasyJet just triggered, why Air Canada's CEO succession story is really a cautionary tale about language and leadership in Canada, and why Google and Uber keep moving into each other's territory without either one closing the loop. Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGWho's Next After EasyJet? We Size Up 10 Possible Takeover TargetsAir Canada Names SAS Chief Anko Van der Werff as New CEOThe West Got Two Half-Apps Instead of a Super App: Google Maps vs. Uber 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.
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AI Chatbots Are Skipping Travel Apps Even When They're Connected
1w ago00:04:59Tap to summarizeThe 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, Sarah Dandashy breaks down why the World Cup's ripple effect is reaching markets 60+ miles from any stadium, why being available inside an AI chatbot is not the same as being chosen by one, and how Hilton's direct Navan connection signals that the fight to cut out distribution middlemen is coming for corporate travel next. Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGWorld Cup Ripple Effect: Non-Host MarketsChatGPT Apps, Claude Connectors, Travel: A Hands-On TestHilton Opens Direct Line to Navan, Cutting Out Corporate Travel Middlemen 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.
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Airbnb Beat Marriott at the World Cup and Spent Less Doing It
1w ago00:04:55Tap to summarizeAirbnb 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 Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down why Airbnb's focused World Cup bet is a masterclass in what targeted spending can do against a much bigger budget, how British Airways and Delta are turning theaters and concert halls into year-round loyalty platforms, and why extended-stay hotels may be the least glamorous but most attractive investment opportunity in hospitality heading into 2027. Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGMarriott Outspends Rivals on TV but Airbnb Owns the World CupAirlines Are Turning Live Entertainment Into a Loyalty StrategyExtended Stay Demand Hits a Four-Year High as Supply Pipeline Thins 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.
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The Government Wants Airlines to Hide Fees Again
2w ago00:03:47Tap to summarizeThe 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 Dandashy breaks down why rolling back airfare transparency rules is part of a broader pattern of shrinking consumer protections, how the real AI distribution war is no longer about convincing travelers but convincing the agents booking on their behalf, and why American's new Tokyo route is a statement of intent in its battle with United at O'Hare. Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGTrump Administration Moves to Repeal Obama's Airfare Transparency RuleOTAs Are Betting on Traveler Trust but the Scramble Is On to Win the Trust of AI AgentsAmerican Launches Flights to Tokyo From Chicago O'Hare as It Looks to Rebuild Hub 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.
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Supersonic Flight Over the U.S. Is Back on the Table
2w ago00:05:06Tap to summarizeThe 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 what the FAA's proposed rule change actually means for the future of supersonic travel and how soon it could happen, why Visa's new travel platform creates a quiet but significant conflict with its own card-issuing partners, and what the long-tenured airline CEO phenomenon reveals about the ownership structures that make them possible. Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGU.S. Paves Way for Supersonic Flight Over LandVisa Steps Into Travel and Into Competition With Its Own Card IssuersThe Airline CEOs Who Don't Leave 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.
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Hotel Owners Are Ditching Big Brands and Going Independent
2w ago00:05:11Tap to summarizeA 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 stop shrinking. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down why hotel owners are increasingly deciding the brand premium isn't worth it anymore, how Accor and H World are betting on customer access over building more hotels to crack China and Europe, and why BWH Hotels thinks its cooperative model is the right pitch at exactly the right moment. Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGGoing It Alone: Why Hotel Owners Are Dropping the Big BrandsAccor and H World Link Loyalty Programs to Swap Chinese and European TravelersBest Western Has Been Shrinking. BWH Hotels' Fix Is to Shift Upscale and Overseas. 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.
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Apple Wallet Wants to Run Your Entire Trip Now
2w ago00:04:58Tap to summarizeU.S. hotel demand is having one of its strongest stretches in years and the growth is finally spreading beyond luxury, airlines are cutting seats ahead of July 4 while fares stay high, and Apple just turned its Wallet into a full trip companion with Disney leading the way. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down why the broadening of hotel demand beyond luxury is the most encouraging data point the industry has seen all year, what fewer seats and higher fares mean for your July 4 travel plans, and why Apple's Wallet expansion is forcing travel brands to decide how much of the guest experience they're willing to hand over to Apple. Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGU.S. Hotel Demand Is Rebounding and It's No Longer Just a Luxury StoryAirlines Are Trimming Capacity Ahead of July 4Apple Wallet Key: Disney Hotel Resorts and Parks 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.
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Europe Is Melting and Airlines Want to Ban Something They Say They Don't Do
3w ago00:04:07Tap to summarizeA deadly heat wave is shutting down Europe's most iconic attractions just as summer travel peaks, the airline industry backs a ban on surveillance pricing while insisting no one actually does it, and experience specialists are leaving the big OTAs in the dust after 30 years of promises. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down why this summer's European heat wave is a preview of a new travel planning reality, why the airline industry's stance on surveillance pricing raises more questions than it answers, and why the companies actually winning the experiences market are the ones that built their whole business around it. Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGEurope Heat Wave Disrupts Tourism and TravelAirline Lobby Backs Ban on Surveillance PricingExperience Pure-Plays Are Winning. OTAs Are Still Catching Up. 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.
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Marriott Is Getting Into Apartment Rentals and Airlines Are Invisible to AI
3w ago00:05:16Tap to summarizeAmadeus thinks it has a fix for the AI search problem quietly breaking airline economics, Marriott makes its first move into branded apartment rentals, and U.S. News just ranked America's best meeting cities and somehow put Miami dead last. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down why airlines risk losing the distribution battle all over again if they don't solve their AI visibility problem fast, what Marriott's W Apartments play signals about where branded hospitality is heading next, and why the meetings industry isn't buying Miami's last-place finish. Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGAmadeus Has an Answer for AI's Infinite Search ProblemMarriott to Brand Apartment Rentals — W Hotels to Add Branded Rental Units in 2027U.S. News & World Report's Inaugural Meeting Destination Rankings: Here's How Cities Stacked Up 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.
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