7 of the Most Interesting Travel Tech Startups Raising Capital in 2022

25.08.2023 - 14:36 / skift.com / Justin Dawes

Skift kept an eye through much of 2022 on which travel tech startups raised money, documented in this weekly startup funding roundup. 

Anything related to short-term rentals got the most frequent funding, but there was a wide variety of other startups that raise venture capital throughout the year despite a declining economic forecast. 

Below is an outline of some of the most interesting travel tech startups, in alphabetical order, that received funding in 2022. 

>>Deal Engine raised $5.3 million — not a lot compared to some of the others in this list — but the Miami-based startup is tackling a problem that’s a notorious headache for airlines and their customers: post-booking flight changes. Historically, airlines contract expensive call centers to deal with many of the change requests by customers, an issue that became unbearable during the pandemic.

Volaris told Skift that it starts the process with software by Sabre, but that only covers about half of the issues, and the rest historically were transferred to call centers. With the supplemental Deal Engine software, fewer than 10 percent of post-booking calls have to be sent to a call center now.

>>Gordian, a Y Combinator grad, raised $25 million to help airlines with upselling. The tech is used to help push travelers buying airline tickets into paying for extras like seating assignments and checked baggage. 

Because airlines often weren’t getting any upsells in online channels because the agencies weren’t offering them, any gain is flowing directly to their bottom line. As a result, ordinarily bureaucratic carriers found ways to prioritize the integration.

Gordian in July reported it had more than 100 online travel companies and sites as customers. It also said at that time that it was operating at 15 times its 2019 revenue. 

>>Hopper added $96 million to an investment from Capital One and announced a long-term partnership with the bank. The online travel agency has raised a total of $730 million.  

Hopper powers Capital One Travel, and Hopper also offers an array of fintech products, such as price freezes on flights and hotels, for an array of other partners. Hopper has said that much of its revenue comes from its unique fintech products.

Hopper claims to be the third largest online travel agency in North America, commanding 11.2 percent of third-party flight bookings in the U.S., citing Marketing Information Data Tapes figures.

>>Mews, a U.K.-based hotel tech startup, raised $185 million led by Kinnevik and Goldman Sachs. It was a number high above typical venture capital fundraises in that industry, especially impressive during the economic uncertainty that’s causing venture capital firms to hold onto money a bit tighter. 

Mews offers a wide