WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY
Franchise owners across the U.S. are getting hit from all sides, and the business model is showing cracks. Here’s what owners told Skift.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has pitched the idea of merging with American Airlines to multiple government officials – including the president – according to a report published late Tuesday.
Booking says it had a data breach impacting reservation details. "We recently noticed suspicious activity affecting a number of reservations, and we immediately took action to contain the issue," it emailed customers.
Read on, below.
Skift Asia Forum Is This Month
Bangkok. April 28-29. The questions defining Asia's travel moment.
Fuel crises. Superapp stalls. Hotels chasing premium travelers. Skift Asia Forum is where the region's growth assumptions get tested by the executives making the actual decisions.
Speakers from Agoda, Hilton, Booking.com, Grab, Trip.com, and more. 80%+ director level or above. Join us.
DON’T MISS THESE STORIES
United Airlines Floated Possible Merger With Rival American: Report
by Meghna Maharishi
A tie-up between United and American would create the largest carrier in the U.S. and have major ramifications for competition in the airline industry.
The Squeeze: Inside the Crisis Crushing America’s Hotel Owners
by Sarah Kopit
The big hotel brands have never been more profitable. The owners — those who actually run the hotels — are getting hit from all sides. The franchise model is showing cracks.
Booking.com Warns Travelers of Reservation Data Breach
by Adriana Lee
Booking.com disclosed a data breach affecting reservation details, but with few specifics, travelers are left to gauge the risks themselves.
Following last year’s sold-out event, the third annual Skift Data + AI Summit returns on June 3 in New York City. Attendees will gain practical insights and forward-looking perspectives to stay competitive in an AI-accelerated marketplace. Find your ticket.
STRIPE + SKIFT
SkiftX spoke with Stripe’s James Lemon and Andrew Beckmann, global and Americas lead for hospitality and travel, respectively. The conversation adds more qualitative context to the data, research, and actionable insights in the report.
SKIFT PODCAST NETWORK
Even with rising fuel prices, global conflict, and economic uncertainty, some travelers aren’t slowing down.
In this clip from Airline Weekly Lounge with Gordon Smith, Jay Shabat, and Meghna Maharishi, the hosts break down how premium travelers are “immune to the headlines” and continue to drive demand.
While costs are rising across the industry, high-spending travelers are helping airlines stay resilient for now.
It raises a bigger question: what happens if that demand finally slows?
MORNING HEADLINES
For $7 a week, Skift gives you something the industry is missing – the full picture. Subscribe today for 25% off.
CHART OF THE DAY
Airlines Sector Stock Index Performance Year-Over-Year: Network carriers had been on track to their best stock performance since the optimism of early 2021, and low-cost-carriers were nearing pre-Covid levels. Then a few people started the Iran war. Numbers are still topping year-over-year comparisons, but they’re still off sharply from where things were headed.
SKIFT TRAVEL 200
How are public travel companies performing around the world? The Skift Travel 200 pulls the data you need to understand global market movements. Paid subscribers get full access here.
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