Justin Dawes travel tips

Sabre is planning to sell its business-travel booking tool, GetThere, for $12 million. Serko, a corporate travel management company based in New Zealand, said Monday that it plans to buy it in early 2025 as part of an effort to expand business in North America.

There’s a lot more around AI that Expedia needs to worry about than just developing a new trip planner. 

Uber on Wednesday announced several new features geared toward those booking rides to and from the airport. 

Big Lincoln is the AI chatbot mascot on Enjoy Illinois, the website run by the Illinois Office of Tourism and charged with carrying out travel marketing campaigns for the state. 

Apple said users will be able to share the location of AirTags and other Apple devices with third parties — soon directly with airlines. 

American Airlines is still hurting from its failed direct bookings strategy this year. But CEO Robert Isom says it’s on its way to recovering. 

Flight Centre Travel Group has developed and deployed several AI projects, with dozens more in the pipeline. 

Expedia Group transferred 1 million short-term rental listings from its Expedia brand to Vrbo, adding more variety to the vacation rental business and a stronger focus on urban stays. 

Expedia Group said on Thursday that its chief financial officer, Julie Whalen, is stepping down from the role. 

Booking Holdings has a lot of AI experiments in the works. 

Robo-taxis, flying taxis, electric planes, and renewable jet fuel. Next-generation mobility is the theme in this startup funding roundup.

OpenAI made arguably its biggest update yet to ChatGPT on Thursday. 

Booking.com has made a big update to the AI trip planner on its mobile app.

Blacklane, a chauffeur service app, said Tuesday that it has raised $65 million (€60 million) in a series G round of funding. 

Flying taxis could reduce an airport commute from 90 minutes to 7. They could better connect small towns to urban areas. Optimistic investors believe they’re the future of urban travel. 

A new piece of AI is meant to perform computer tasks — including making travel plans — the same way a human would.

Mid September to early October was the most active time period for travel funding of the year: 13 startups raised $600 million, and then another six startups raised $500 million.

A report in the Financial Times Wednesday that Uber was exploring a purchase of Expedia has everyone in the travel industry talking. If Uber were to acquire Expedia Group, it would be the biggest shakeup the travel industry has seen in years. 

Uber is launching a new black-car service for business travelers, the company told Skift Tuesday. The service, called Uber Business Black, will come with several features designed for busy business travelers. 

Joby Aviation just closed the largest single round of funding for a flying taxi startup in years.

Hotel Engine recently raised one of the year’s largest rounds of capital for a travel startup: $140 million, which valued the firm at $2.1 billion.