Skift Daily Briefing

Marriott’s gross fees jump 14% to $1.52 billion just as hotel owners push for a bigger share of loyalty income, Ryanair’s CEO warns of pay freezes and says a pilot strike next spring might actually save him money, and a Skift investigation looks inside the unraveling of the 104-year-old Tollman family travel dynasty.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift’s Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why Marriott’s strong quarter gives it leverage in talks with owners, why Ryanair’s thin 2027 fuel hedge means higher fares and a harder winter for rivals, and what the sale of The Travel Corporation to Apollo reveals about how the Tollman family business really came apart.

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Articles Referenced:
Connect with Bailey Schulz
Marriott’s Fees Jump 14% as Hotel Owners Seek a Bigger Cut
Ryanair Warns of Pay Freezes and Labor Unrest as Fuel Costs Surge
Inside the Unraveling of the Tollman Family Travel Dynasty

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MGM Resorts ends merger talks with Barry Diller’s People Inc. and limits his stake with a new voting pact, Marriott quietly cuts corporate jobs days before earnings, and nearly half a million travelers in Asia Pacific are paying Accor for the privilege of loyalty.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift’s Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why MGM now has to fix a sliding Las Vegas business on its own, what Marriott’s back-office cuts signal about cost discipline heading into Monday’s earnings, and why paid hotel loyalty works where subscriptions are already second nature.

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Articles Referenced:
Connect with Tasmin Lockwood
We’re Done: MGM Resorts Ends Merger Talks With Barry Diller’s People Inc.
Marriott Confirms Corporate Job Cuts
Would You Pay for Hotel Loyalty? 485,000 Accor Members in Asia Pacific Already Do

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Hilton Wants to Be Valued Like a Tech Company

Hilton hires an Uber engineering leader, moves to the Nasdaq, and pitches itself as a tech company plugged directly into AI agents, Agoda becomes bookable through Meta’s Muse in Singapore and Japan while nobody says who pays, and Waymo picks Ramp for its first business travel expense integration.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift’s Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why hotel owners will judge Hilton’s tech pitch by whether lower distribution costs show up on their bills, why the fight over who pays for AI agent bookings is just getting started, and why corporate travel adoption of robotaxis follows the back office.

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Articles Referenced:
Connect with Tasmin Lockwood
A New CTO, a Nasdaq Move, and AI Agents: Hilton Makes Its Tech Pitch
Agoda Plugs Into Meta’s Muse in Singapore and Japan
Waymo Picks Ramp for Its First Business Travel Expense Integration — Exclusive

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JetBlue’s CEO pushes back on bankruptcy chatter as shares jump 21%, the Philippines moves to scrap a 50-year-old travel tax with no replacement for the tourism infrastructure funding it supports, and Radisson opens its first net zero hotel in Africa where the hard part isn’t the building, it’s the power.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift’s Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why JetBlue now has to turn fare hikes and cost cuts into a repaired balance sheet before the bond market loses patience, why cutting a popular tax gets much harder once airports and roads lose their funding, and why net zero is shifting from Radisson’s balance sheet to the owner’s.

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Articles Referenced:
Connect with Tasmin Lockwood
JetBlue CEO Reaffirms Profit Targets, Says Distressed Bonds Reflect a “Significant Disconnect”
Philippine Travel Tax Repeal Risks Tourism Funding Gap
Radisson’s First Net Zero Hotel in Africa Signals Shift From Leased to Managed Properties

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India’s two biggest airline groups agree to a phased move to Mumbai’s new airport after a standoff over slots, U.S. airlines are betting fast Wi-Fi will steal customers from rivals even though the evidence is mostly anecdotal, and travel’s venture capital and private equity funding falls for a second straight quarter.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift’s Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why moving India’s home carriers to Navi Mumbai was the easy part compared to foreign airlines with connecting traffic, why Starlink is a differentiator for maybe two years before it becomes table stakes, and why the likeliest exit for travel AI startups right now is getting acquired.

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Articles Referenced:
Connect with Tasmin Lockwood
IndiGo, Air India Group Agree to Phased Move of International Flights to Navi Mumbai Through 2027
Airlines Are Counting on a Starlink Tailwind
Travel VC Funding Fell for the Second Straight Quarter, Rounds for AI Companies Cut in Half

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American Airlines braces for a 2026 loss as fuel costs balloon by about $7 billion, Meta says travel is a top use case for its Muse AI agent and Zuckerberg wants a cut of every trip, and after more than 165 years New York City votes to phase out its iconic horse-drawn carriages.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift’s Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why American is betting on premium and slower growth to return to profitability in 2027, how Meta could carry travel inspiration straight to checkout and take a percentage along the way, and what the end of the carriage era means for one of New York’s most classic tourist experiences.

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Articles Referenced:
Connect with Bailey Schulz
American Expects to Lose Money in 2026 Due to High Fuel Costs
Meta Calls Travel a Top Use Case for Muse, and Zuck Wants a Cut
New York City Horse-Drawn Carriage Tourism Ending

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The Riyadh airport closure freezes Saudi corporate travel and pushes a flagship investment conference to 2027, United cuts its profit outlook as fuel costs eat into booming demand, and Airbnb tells hosts to stop handing guests a checkout chore list.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift’s Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why the longer Riyadh stays cut off, the harder it gets to sell Saudi Arabia as a reliable business events host, why United’s strong revenue still isn’t enough to offset a fuel bill up 62%, and what Airbnb’s first-ever cleanup rules mean for hosts who say “we are not hotels.”

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Articles Referenced:
Connect with Bailey Schulz
Corporate Travel to Saudi Arabia Freezes as Riyadh Airport Stays Restricted
United Airlines Forecasts Weaker Profits on High Fuel Costs
Airbnb’s New Policy for Hosts: Don’t Ask Guests to Wash Dishes or Strip Beds

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Vrbo quietly exempts some listings from losing their legacy subscription plans while most hosts move to a 12% commission, Agoda makes its luxury pitch after doubling its premium hotel supply, and Europe’s push to spread tourists beyond its big cities runs into chatbots that keep recommending the obvious.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift’s Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why Vrbo’s unexplained grandfathering criteria are raising questions among hosts, what Agoda’s Capella deal does and doesn’t reveal about OTA economics for luxury hotels, and why AI search could undercut the efforts of destinations trying to spread visitors beyond the usual hotspots.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Bailey Schulz
Vrbo Exempts Some Properties From Losing Subscription Plans — Scoop
Agoda Doubles Premium Hotel Supply as Five-Star Search Rises
Europe Wants Tourists Beyond Big Cities. AI Search Stands in the Way.

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France’s cost-of-living protests shut down the Louvre and disrupt Paris travel, Kempinski loses its CEO and most of its senior leadership in a sudden c-suite exodus, and Airbnb launches a rain guarantee that pays you automatically...no claim required.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift’s Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down what France’s protests mean for travelers heading to Paris during Europe’s slow season, what’s behind Kempinski’s sweeping leadership shakeup and what it signals for the brand, and why weather guarantees are becoming a real conversion tool for travel companies.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Bailey Schulz
France Protests Impact Travel Industry and Tourism
Kempinski Faces Leadership Upheaval as CEO and Senior Executives Resign — Scoop
Airbnb Joins Vrbo and Marriott in Paying Guests When It Rains Too Much

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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 franchisor, if hosts will let it.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift’s Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down what “some further flexibility” actually means for travelers still waiting hours at European borders, why American’s new network chief could signal a long-overdue pivot toward international, and why Airbnb’s franchisor ambitions depend on earning trust it doesn’t have yet.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Tasmin Lockwood
Easing EU Border Friction: ‘There Will Be Flexibility,’ Official Says
American Airlines Network Chief Exits
Is Airbnb’s Dynamic Pricing Launch a Step Toward Becoming a Hotel-Like Franchisor?

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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 town after a week.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift’s Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why Lufthansa’s TAP win accelerates European airline consolidation and what Brazil has to do with it, why Vayo’s whole-trip AI management model is the next front in travel’s AI race, and whether Phu Quoc’s hotel boom can outlast the APEC moment that triggered it.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Tasmin Lockwood
Portugal Picks Lufthansa Over Air France-KLM for TAP Stake
Booking Holdings’ Second AI Startup Vayo Launches in Private Beta
Phu Quoc Is Building Many More Hotel Rooms for a Regional Summit. Some Could Struggle Afterwards.

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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 while real front desks field the calls.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift’s Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why the Spirit data sale could set the rules for what bankrupt travel companies can sell to AI, why Whitbread’s activist problem gets worse with every missed property sale, and why hotels are absorbing the cost of a scam the platforms haven’t figured out how to stop.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Tasmin Lockwood
Fighting Spirit’s Data Sale to Google: Court Filings Show the List Getting Longer
Premier Inn Owner Fights Activist Bid as Rising Costs Squeeze Profit
Fake Hotel Challenge Videos: TikTok, Instagram

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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 trips but fewer extras.

On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift’s Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why rebuilding traveler confidence in Saudi aviation is a much harder problem than repairing terminals, what Delta’s Riyadh delay means for its Middle East strategy, and what India’s fast-shifting travel habits reveal about where the next wave of global tourism growth is coming from.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Tasmin Lockwood
Saudi Arabia’s Aviation Ambitions Meet a Week of Terror
Delta Air Lines Delays Riyadh Service to March 2027
India Is Now Skyscanner’s Biggest Market and Nearly Half Its Searches Go Abroad

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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 rethink routes in real time.

On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why record airline revenue isn't translating into record profits this earnings season, how quickly Gulf aviation can unravel when conflict escalates, and why climate risk has become a daily operational variable for Himalayan tour operators.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Bailey Schulz
Higher Airfares Are Here to Stay but Don't Expect Airline Profits to Increase
Houthi Strikes Disrupt a Quarter of Saudi Flights
Tour Operators Adapt to Climate Risk After Fatal Himalayan Disasters

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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 today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why Alaska's hub diversification strategy is both a growth play and a fuel-cost survival move, why professional hosts feel more betrayed by Vrbo than they did by Airbnb's commission hike, and what Disney's targeted price increases reveal about where the company thinks the real spending headroom is.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Bailey Schulz
Alaska Airlines' Plan to Grow Beyond Its West Coast Roots
Vrbo Faces Blowback on Rising Commissions, Plans to Ease Rate Parity Rule
Disney October Ticket Price Increase

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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 moving.

On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down what Airbnb's revived luxury program signals about where the platform is heading for high-end hosts, why British Airways is betting that fewer seats at Heathrow is actually the smarter play, and whether Mews' economics can catch up to its ambitions.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Bailey Schulz
Airbnb Is Rebuilding Its Luxe Program for High-End Homes — Scoop
Why British Airways Can Afford to Lose 52 Seats on Its Biggest Plane
Inside Mews' $2.5 Billion Valuation: Can the Economics Catch Up?

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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 today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why Caroline Beteta's return to Brand USA centers on one urgent mission, how Pavilion's founder-majority ownership model is a pointed contrast to the typical PE roll-up, and why Delta's media network ambitions could follow United's Kinnective playbook straight to hundreds of millions in new revenue.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Bailey Schulz
Caroline Beteta Named Brand USA Interim CEO
How Pavilion Rolled Up 20 Vacation Rental Property Managers in a Business Model Twist — Exclusive
Delta Air Lines Is Building Out Its Own Media Network

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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 can achieve net zero operations — with a catch.

On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift's Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why Choice's RV acquisition needs to show real loyalty crossover to justify the price, why being late to AI search isn't Airbnb's problem but being merely equal would be, and why Radisson's net zero achievement in the Nordics is the easy part of a much harder global test.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Tasmin Lockwood
Choice Hotels Buys RV Club Harvest Hosts for $130 Million
Airbnb Launches AI Tools, Catching Up to OTA Rivals
Radisson Adds Older Hotels and Meeting Spaces to Net Zero Program

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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 vague eco-labels a legal liability.

On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift's Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why Lola's subscription model could rewrite the economics of online travel if it works, why Alaska's premium bet is gutsy given that part of the plan rides on an uncertified plane, and what the EU's EmpCo law means for every travel brand still leaning on vague green claims.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Tasmin Lockwood
Kayak Co-Founders Launch Lola, Booking Holdings' New AI Assistant — Exclusive
Alaska Airlines Adds Premium Economy and More Business Class. Can It Catch Up to the Big 3?
EU Anti-Greenwashing Rules Take Effect and Some Eco-Labels May Not Survive

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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 doubling down on what actually works for its brand.

On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift's Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why Bangkok may keep Golden Week spending but lose its share of it, what Expedia's latest round of cuts signals about where the company is heading, and why Carnival's bet on affordable done well is a strategy worth taking seriously.

This episode is brought to you by ZS

Articles Referenced:
Connect with Tasmin Lockwood
Bangkok Floods Disrupt Airports, Spare the Hotels — for Now
Expedia Cuts 58 Roles in Latest Layoff Round
Carnival Cruise Adjusts to New Passenger Habits

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