Steve Hafner’s 22-Year Run at Kayak: Skift Timeline
Kayak's Steve Hafner has seen everything in online travel, from the founding of airline-owned Orbitz to the AI era.
Dennis Schaal is Skift’s Founding Editor and Executive Editor. Dennis has been a reporter focusing on online travel and short-term rentals for more than two decades at Skift, Tnooz, USA Today, and Travel Weekly. He is well-known for tough one-on-one interviews on stage at Skift events, including with the CEOs and top execs of Expedia, Uber, Booking Holdings, Priceline, Kayak, Hopper, and more.
Here’s What Travel Companies Are Doing for Super Bowl Ads
Super Bowl ads cost more than $8 million for a 30-second spot, and it appears some travel brands are taking a pass this year.
Kayak CEO Steve Hafner Exits Post After 22 Years
Don't expect Hafner to stick around for an extended period in the new executive chair role.
Online Travel Agency Kiwi Lays Off 250 Staff in Latest Round of Cuts
Kiwi has been struggling for the past couple of years — this is its second round of layoffs since 2024.
Capital One Travel Adds Discover Cardholders in Push to Rival Chase and Amex
Capital One Travel isn't seen as a luxury player like Amex and Chase, but adding Discover's cardholders significantly boosts its competitive position.
Ryanair CEO Fears AI Platforms Could Start Laying On Distribution Fees
There's always a "pirate" in the wings when it comes to travel distribution.
From No Fees to AI Agents: Ex-CEO Brett Keller’s 26 Years at Priceline
Brett Keller has seen it all at Priceline, including the disruption that takes place when there are platform shifts. He thinks the AI revolution will be true to form.
From Vibe Coding to Exclusive LLM Deals: AI Takeaways From Agoda’s CEO
Travel industry employees, whether they work for Agoda or somewhere else, need to adapt to AI workflows. If they don't they'll be obsolete and looking for new jobs.
Capital One Gets Deeper Into Business Travel With $5 Billion Brex Acquisition
Capital One is ambitiously building out its travel business and tech stack. It also recently acquired Discover, which will add to the mix.
Airbnb Services Is Offering ‘Ready to Heat’ Meals From Celebrity Chefs
Consider Airbnb's partnership with CookUnity an experiment to see if there is a market for such services.