IHG used its earnings call to bet on content infrastructure — restructuring hotel data so AI models can find its properties, while Marriott and Hilton lean on scale. Airbnb's Chesky called co-mingled search results "pre-AI" and pitched deep personalization instead. Expedia touted B2B as the pipe into other companies' apps. Tripadvisor is exploring data licensing deals with LLMs.
Meanwhile, the bets keep coming: Booking Holdings is incubating a stealth AI startup called Lola, led by Kayak's co-founders. And Sabre, which had its best quarter in years, went live with in-chat flight booking on Mindtrip — while accusing Amadeus of blocking the airline tech competition it needs for its AI play to work.
This June, join us at Skift Data + AI Summit along with leaders from Sierra, Booking.com, Marriott, Amadeus, Mews, Curacity and other top executives who are pioneering the use of artificial intelligence in travel.
AMADEUS + SKIFT
Artificial intelligence in travel is moving beyond experimentation. Now, the real challenge is scaling it across the industry’s complex systems. The companies that integrate inspiration, booking, and service successfully will define the next phase of competition.
EDITOR’S PICKS
Brian Chesky Says Airbnb Won’t Mix Homes and Hotels — That’s ‘Pre-AI’ Design
May 7, 2026
Airbnb's Chesky is nothing if not ambitious. Given that people's preferences can change at any moment, the ability to serve customers with only a hotel or home, depending what they need in that instant, seems a long way off, even with agentic AI.
From Booking to Boarding: How Capital One Is Redefining the Modern Travel Journey [SPONSORED]
May 8, 2026
As travelers prioritize seamless, end-to-end journeys, Capital One is moving beyond booking to build a fully integrated travel ecosystem, reshaping how brands reach and engage customers along the way.
SKIFT PODCAST NETWORK
Travel planning is becoming less about destinations and more about preferences.
In this clip from Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Steve Turk and guest host Katie Cline discuss how AI tools could completely change the way travelers discover trips.
Instead of comparing dozens of tabs reviews and websites families may soon be able to describe exactly what they want and let AI narrow down the options instantly.
SKIFT RESEARCH
How are public travel tech companies performing around the world? The Skift Travel 200 pulls the data you need to know to understand the market. Paid subscribers get full access here.
