News

For today’s pod, we look at Airbnb‘s updated experiences, Southwest new deal with Priceline, and Choice Hotels’ growth options.

Once a rising star in global travel, Abu Dhabi has now moved to become the center of gravity for the industry. Its vision, capital deployment, and pace of change are transforming it into a hub where aviation, hospitality, and culture converge.

As Indians lean into micro-travel for long weekends, they are no longer limiting themselves to staycations, but are exploring emerging trends ranging from cruise tourism to biking expeditions.

Airbnb's Brian Chesky is close to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, but that doesn't mean that Airbnb will necessarily distribute its inventory through Altman's ChatGPT.

International expansion is gaining ground at Choice, with full control in Canada and rising overseas openings. Plus more hotel deals and development news.

Many travel companies have tried to market experiences to both locals and travelers and failed to do so. If Airbnb can really tap into local demand in a substantial way it would be breaking new ground.

Priceline is the second online travel agency to partner with Southwest as the carrier looks to widen its distribution channels amid major shifts in its business model.

Trivago is making AI search and booking improvements that could stick — if larger factors such as the ChatGPTs and Geminis, and other Google travel products don't get in the way.

OYO said they have recorded a 20% year-over-year rise in summer bookings in India, driven by family travel, religious tourism, and strong demand during long weekends. 

International expansion is gaining ground at Choice, with full control in Canada and rising overseas openings. But its fortunes still depend heavily on the U.S.

The U.K. opened an investigation into the transatlantic deal in 2018 due to concerns that the agreement could harm competition on routes from London to several U.S. cities.

We are excited to announce the inaugural Transatlantic Summit on October 15, 2025, in New York City—an exclusive, application-only event in partnership with the European Travel Commission and hosted by Mastercard, bringing together 100 senior travel leaders to explore the evolving dynamics of Europe-North America travel.