OpenAI's Travel Play

What are OpenAI’s intentions in acquiring Francis Davidson’s AI startup, Odessia? Will ChatGPT use the Sonder co-founder’s startup as a springboard to go beyond the confines of AI agents from Expedia and Booking.com to handle its own bookings?

Or was the deal — the terms of which were not disclosed — merely an acqui-hire?

Skift Aviation Forum

Jet fuel doubled this year, and the carriers that widen the gap in 2027 are making the call on who absorbs it right now.

One room, one track, November 12 at the TWA Hotel at JFK: airline commercial chiefs, the manufacturers building their next fleets, and the people financing both, including John Ackerman, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports, on the infrastructure limit every growth plan eventually hits.

The Link Between In-Flight Wi-Fi & Revenue

Headlines

OpenAI Acquires Odessia, the AI Travel Agent From Sonder’s Co-Founder

November 10, 2026

OpenAI didn't acquire Odessia for its revenue. It bought a team that built a working AI travel agent in months, plus a founder who ran a lodging company, which included hotels and short-term rentals, for a decade. It's a sign ChatGPT wants to do more in travel than send users to Booking.com and Expedia.

Expedia’s $676 Million in Acquisitions Points to More B2B Buying

November 9, 2026

Expedia’s 2026 deals are a fraction of the nearly $6 billion it spent in 2015. But three acquisitions in nine months, plus CEO Ariane Gorin’s pledge to keep investing, signal that Expedia is a buyer again. And B2B is where the money is going.

Expedia Goes Live on Muse, but Its AI Wins Are Inside Its Own Apps

November 9, 2026

Expedia's Muse connection is live: CEO Ariane Gorin noted it may even have happened during the OTA's earnings call this week. So Skift took it for a spin to see what it can and cannot do.

Airbnb Sells IP to AI Lab Owned by Its CEO and CTO

November 7, 2026

Airbnb’s CEO and CTO both own part of the lab buying its IP, but the filing gives shareholders little detail on what changed hands.

MakeMyTrip Buys Into Daily Commutes With Quick Ride Stake

November 6, 2026

As its air business softens, MakeMyTrip is pushing harder into everything else. Quick Ride gives it a product people use on a random Thursday, not just before a holiday. The test is whether those commuters become MakeMyTrip travelers.

Airbnb CEO: Our Specialized AI Agents Will Handle ‘Every Vertical in Travel’

November 5, 2026

There's been speculation for years about whether Airbnb would launch flights. Such small-minded speculation: Airbnb intends to use specialized AI agents to do every travel vertical. Airbnb Cruise, anyone?

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Watch or Listen

Could the U.S. midterm election results change how international travelers view America?

Previous Skift Research found that 74% of surveyed travelers who had reconsidered visiting the United States said they would consider returning after Donald Trump leaves office.

Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko discuss whether the midterm results could begin shifting international perceptions of the U.S., even if many of the policies affecting tourism remain unchanged.

From Canadian travelers to the broader inbound tourism market, could political sentiment influence the next phase of U.S. travel demand?

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Skift Travel 200

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.

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