Now that Google owns ITA, Amadeus fills a need for Kayak, Hipmunk and Expedia, but we're skeptical that the quality of Amadeus Meta Pricer is up to the task.
The whole world -- the travel tech world, that is -- is watching as Kayak takes its shot on the first day of going public. The market will have its say and make its ultimate verdict over the long term.
You'd think Kayak might take a more conservative approach on pricing after the Facebook swoon, but a cork-popping $1 billion valuation maybe within Kayak's grasp and it has waited so long for this day.
TripAdvisor's path to global growth is a much easier one than Kayak's and it is not hard to envision heightened competition or even a merger of the two over time.
A dream deferred no longer -- maybe. Kayak can almost taste the public markets now, but as its IPO roadshow kicks into gear, this is not yet a done deal.
Expect Kayak to increase its leave of absence from the classic metasearch approach and to expand into new travel verticals with its Kayak booking path. Others, including Room 77, already are following Kayak's lead.
Start your engines. Kayak is beginning its road show in a bid to raise more than $100 million in an IPO. The company will face tough questions about Google's acquisition of ITA Software and whether it can paint a big enough growth story to satisfy would-be investors.