The Skift Travel Podcast

Travel’s New Access Divide

Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko reflect on 25 years since 9/11 and how the attacks reshaped modern travel, from TSA and airport security to PreCheck, Clear, and the airport ga

Fake AI Hotel Videos Are Coming for Travel

Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down two travel distribution stories that are really about trust. First, Skift found AI-generated TikTok Go videos promoting a Sedona lu

United’s New Routes Reveal Travel’s Next Bet

United is adding 10 new international routes, from Ibiza and Slovenia to Okinawa and Sardinia. Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko discuss what the expansion says about premium l

Travel’s AI Reckoning Has Arrived

Google paid $10 million for Spirit Airlines’ data. Airbnb is showing real AI-driven savings. Booking says AI still accounts for less than 1% of room nights. Sarah Kopit

The State of Travel Is Getting Harder to Control

Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko unpack two forces reshaping travel: the creator economy’s impact on hotel brands and Skift Research’s State of Travel 2026 report. They discus

Why Every Major Hotel Brand Is Giving Money Back to Owners

Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt are all offering new relief to hotel owners. Climate is creating new operational challenges for hotels around the world. And Japan has transfo

What Earnings Season Reveals About Travel Right Now

Fora became travel's newest unicorn, Amazon is pushing deeper into AI travel booking, and earnings season is revealing where the industry is gaining momentum. Sarah Kopi

We Graded Our Biggest 2026 Travel Megatrends

The U.S. passport is no longer among the world's most powerful. Skift revisits its biggest travel megatrends of 2026, and The Odyssey is already driving tourism in Norway

The New Economics of Travel: Fewer Tourists, More Money

The World Cup didn't deliver the inbound tourism boost many expected. Delta still posted strong earnings despite soaring fuel costs. And new Skift Research points to Lati

AI, Visa, and the New Battle for Travel Customers

Visa is becoming a travel company. Mews is restructuring around AI. And Gen Z is already reshaping business travel. Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko explore how new competitor

Are Hotel Brands Worth It Anymore?

More than 1,200 hotel franchise agreements are set to expire by 2030, and some owners are deciding it's time to leave the big brands behind. Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko e

The World Cup's Most Unexpected Winner: America

The World Cup brought international visitors to America, expecting one thing and finding something completely different. Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko discuss the Knicks' c

$3.4 Billion Is Pouring Into Travel Startups. Here's Why.

Travel startups raised $3.4 billion last year, but AI may be reshaping where the next generation of travel companies emerges. Seth Borko and venture capitalist Gilad Ber

Hotels Tried to Cut Out Expedia. Here's What Happened.

Seth Borko and Sean O'Neill discuss the biggest lessons from Skift's Data + AI Summit and revisit a decade of hotel direct-booking strategy. They examine why hotels impr

Travel’s AI Problem Is Bigger Than Most Companies Realize

Sarah Kopit and Adriana Lee break down why the travel industry may not actually be ready for AI despite the rush to adopt it. They explore fragmented hotel data systems,

Airbnb Is Becoming a Real OTA

Sarah Kopit reports live from Airbnb’s Summer Release event in San Francisco as Brian Chesky unveils Airbnb’s expansion into hotels, car rentals, services, and experience

America’s Travel Problem Is Getting Worse

International travel to the U.S. fell another 14% as America’s tourism challenges continue ahead of the World Cup.Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down the growing percep

Trump's Tourism Envoy: Inside Nick Adams' Plan to Sell America

America has never had the equivalent of a tourism minister — until now. In March, President Trump created the role of Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, E

Spirit Airlines Collapsed. What Happens to Budget Travel Now?

Spirit Airlines is shutting down after years of financial struggles, failed merger attempts, and rising costs.Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down what killed Spirit, wh

The Fight for Control of Online Travel Has Started

OTAs still dominate travel booking, but pressure is building from AI, banks, and global disruption.Seth Borko and Dennis Schaal break down Booking’s earnings, the Capital