GMH Special: Kayak Almost Went Private and No One Was Supposed to Know
Good Morning Hospitality
01/13/26
•17m
About
Comments
Featured In
In this GMH Special, Wil Slickers sits down with Skift Founding Editor Dennis Schaal to unpack one of the most surprising travel tech stories of the year: Kayak’s CEO quietly attempted to take the company private. They walk through what actually happened, why the move was explored, and what it reveals about the pressure facing travel platforms in a world being reshaped by AI, Google, and shifting distribution economics.
The conversation explores how Kayak fits inside Booking Holdings, what a privatization attempt says about metasearch’s future, and why some of the biggest names in travel tech are questioning whether public markets still make sense. For hotels, OTAs, and anyone watching how trips are discovered and booked, this episode breaks down what this story really signals about where power and profit are moving in travel. Read the full article here: https://skift.com/2026/01/09/kayak-ceo-tried-to-take-the-company-private-scoop/
Connect with Skift:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/
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 this episode of Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, and Jamie Lane dig into three stories shaping travel and lodging as 2026 gets underway.
They start with how credit card rewards are now rivaling traditional airline and hotel loyalty programs, reshaping how travelers earn, redeem, and choose where to stay.
The team discusses a major development in travel tech following reports that KAYAK’s CEO attempted to take the company private. Wil is going to host a short GMH special with Dennis Schaal to dive deeper into that story for anyone who wants the full backstory.
They close with a look at former President Trump’s proposal to ban large investors from buying homes and what that could mean for housing supply, short-term rentals, and the broader hospitality market.
Connect with Skift:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/
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
On today’s GMH Hotels, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk cover the latest shifts shaping travel and hospitality in early 2026.
They break down continued weakness in overseas travel to the U.S., the Sun Country Airlines–Allegiant airline merger, Google’s move toward agentic AI checkout, and Marriott International’s expanding loyalty strategy tied to global cricket events.
The episode wraps with this week’s Unhinged Headline! A bizarre story involving a fake flight attendant on a Batik Air flight that proves travel is never boring.
Connect with Skift:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/
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.
If you like this episode you’ll love
Promoted