Travel

Skift Take Speaking to Skift, easyJet CEO Johan Lundgren confirmed that the West London hub is on the low-cost carrier’s radar. Gordon Smith Could easyJet add one of the world’s most expensive airports to its route map?  Speaking to Skift, easyJet CEO Johan Lundgren said the budget airline would consider Heathrow, subject to certain criteria being met. 

Skift Take Airbnb is mandated to collect and remit and tourist taxes in most countries. Srividya Kalyanaraman The three U.S. states that generated the most in tourism taxes in 2023 were: Florida at $387 million, California at $212 million, and Tennessee at $135 million. In 2023, Airbnb hosts in the U.S. contributed $2.2 billion in

Skift Take In a sitdown interview with Skift, Michael O’Leary reveals some of the secrets to Ryanair’s viral success, and tells us the two subjects that are absolutely off-limits. Gordon Smith Michael O’Leary doesn’t understand TikTok. He isn’t on X, and you definitely won’t find him sharing his vacation snaps on Instagram. Yet the Ryanair

Skift Take The U.S. better get the visa wait time issue and others resolved before the 2026 FIFA World Cup – a massive tourism event. Dawit Habtemariam Millions of FIFA World Cup fans won’t be able to attend the tournament in the U.S. if they can’t get a visitor visa. That was one issue raised

Skift Take The FAA will be reviewing United’s work processes, manuals and procedures after a string of safety incidents the carrier experienced in March. Meghna Maharishi The Federal Aviation Administration is increasing its oversight of United Airlines following a string of safety incidents.  Sasha Johnson, United’s vice president of corporate safety, wrote in an internal

Skift Take A luxury experience could cost thousands of dollars, but the guest can still walk away feeling like they received value – or at least their definition of value. Colin Nagy Passalaqua in Lake Como is worth whatever owner Valentina De Santis decides to charge. There, I said it.  It is one of those

Skift Take Robin Hayes raked in some of his highest compensation during his 8-year tenure as JetBlue CEO while the carrier struggled to reach profitability in 2023. Meghna Maharishi Former JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes made around $10.8 million in total compensation in 2023, his highest take home pay in the past two years, according to

Mobility is the theme for this week’s travel startup funding roundup. The top two biggest fundraises were for rideshare startups, one focused on African countries and one that’s been rapidly expanding worldwide. The third-largest raise was for an electric boat that flies above the water. In total, four travel startups announced fundraises of over $280 million

Skift Take Today’s podcast looks at Hilton’s latest investment insights, United’s new pooling loyalty program, and the unstoppable power of Chinese travelers. Rashaad Jorden Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, March 22. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today. Listen Now 🎧 Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Google Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts Episode Notes Hilton

Skift Take United is one of the biggest U.S. airlines to allow friends and family to combine miles — at no extra fee — to redeem award tickets. Meghna Maharishi United Airlines announced Thursday it will allow friends and family to create joint accounts to pool frequent flier miles through its loyalty program.  The move

Skift Take Today’s podcast looks at Ennismore’s take on lifestyle hospitality in India, U.S. hopes for India travel demand, and LaLiT Suri’s relationship with India’s LGBTQ+ community. Skift Listen Now 🎧 Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Google Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts Episode Notes Ennismore co-CEO and founder Sharan Pasricha believes India is a sleeping giant in the lifestyle hotel sector,

Skift Take Michael O’Leary’s public condemnation of Boeing’s corporate culture and recent changes to its 737 Max program will likely heap further pressure on the planemaker. Gordon Smith The chief executive of Ryanair has slammed Boeing’s approach to the 737 Max crisis. Speaking exclusively to Skift on Wednesday, Michael O’Leary called out what he described

Skift Take Oberoi Group’s CEO wants to introduce more luxurious, boutique-style hotels in India, and he disclosed the company is working on a new ultra-luxury brand with a “nature” theme. Josh Corder Oberoi Group — known for its luxury hotel brands Oberoi and Trident — is quietly developing an ultra-luxury hotel brand, the company’s top

Skift Take JetBlue is cutting more routes as part of the carrier’s strategy to restore its profitability following the loss of the Spirit merger and Pratt & Whitney engine issues. Meghna Maharishi JetBlue told crewmembers on Tuesday that it is cutting a slate of routes as part of its strategy to restore profitability following the

Skift Take Sales of niche walking tours and cooking classes are up a whopping 71% year-over-year on GetYourGuide. Sean O’Neill GetYourGuide launched a suite of tools for tour and activity operators on Tuesday. The company, which has raised roughly $1 billion in funding, aims to make it easier for solo and mom-and-pop entrepreneurs to sell

Skift Take Egypt won’t see a full recovery in American tourism until the Israel-Hamas war comes to an end. Dawit Habtemariam American tourism to Egypt has been slow to recover since the war between Israel and Hamas started in October. That’s what Egypt Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa told Skift this month at

Skift Take Frontline Performance Group understands that to achieve its ambitious goals, it will need a market as vast as India. Peden Doma Bhutia Frontline Performance Group, a firm specializing in hospitality workforce solutions, announced its entry into the Indian market last month. Paul McLoughlin, president of Frontline Performance Group, highlighted India’s burgeoning domestic travel

Skift Take Hyatt has 40% of its hotel pipeline in China despite trouble in the country’s property market. The hotel giant is betting that government support for the country’s developers will help get new projects off the ground. Sean O’Neill Hyatt has bet big on developing hotels in China despite recent turmoil in the commercial