GMH Hotels: Is $7 Billion in Hotel Points a Problem?
Good Morning Hospitality
04/08/26
•31m
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On this week’s Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk break down the growing loyalty balance at Marriott Hotels and Hilton, and what nearly $7 billion in outstanding points really means for the industry. Is it a liability or one of the most powerful tools in hospitality?
They also cover the race to expand midscale brands, Delta Air Lines raising bag fees as costs rise, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts passing 100 hotels in Mexico as growth shifts toward value-driven markets.
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Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Previous Episode
On Monday’s Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, and Jamie Lane break down Airbnb’s next big move and what it means for control of the traveler journey.
With Airbnb exploring how flights could fit into its expansion strategy, the conversation centers on whether the company can truly evolve into a full end-to-end travel platform and what that would mean for OTAs and distribution.
They also dig into how Amazon’s Alexa Plus is pushing further into travel planning and booking, raising new questions for short-term rental operators around guest privacy, in-stay marketing, and who owns the guest relationship inside the home.
The team touches on new U.S. travel restrictions that could add friction to international demand, as the episode zooms out on how platform ambition, AI interfaces, and government policy are all reshaping who ultimately owns the traveler.
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Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Next Episode
$250M STR Deal Signals a Shift in Travel Profits
April 13
•34m
On Monday’s Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, and Jamie Lane break down a $250 million deal as TowneBank sells its vacation rental management business, signaling continued investor appetite for scaled STR operations even as the market evolves.
The team also unpacks mixed demand signals, from softer-than-expected travel spending despite rising tax refunds to growing friction around international travel to the U.S., while also exploring why OTAs still struggle to gain meaningful traction in experiences. The episode ties it all together with a look at where value is actually shifting across travel today.
This episode is brought to you by Vrbo! Learn how you can earn OneKeyCash today.
Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
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