Key Points

• Airbnb relaunched its Experiences and introduced new Services, showing promising early results with 60,000 host applications.
• The company reported strong Q2 financials, including 13% revenue growth (to $13.1 billion) and a 16% rise in net income, outpacing expectations.
• AI-powered customer service has been expanded to all U.S. users, reducing the need for human agents by 15%, with plans for further global rollout.

Summary

Airbnb reported strong second-quarter financial results, highlighted by the positive early performance of its relaunched Experiences and new Services segment, which allow guests to book additional amenities. The company saw a 7% year-over-year increase in nights and seats booked, significant revenue and net income growth, and notable international expansion, particularly in markets like Japan. Additionally, Airbnb expanded AI-powered customer service to all U.S. users, reducing human support needs, with global rollout planned.

With domestic U.S. demand softening – and a new, slightly lower earnings forecast – Choice Hotels executives were eager on Wednesday to talk up their push to diversify internationally and how the company is becoming less dependent on U.S. market cycles.

Highlights from the second-quarter earnings call:

Weak second quarter and new forecast: The company now expects U.S. revenue per available room (RevPAR) to land between a decline of 3% and flat for 2025. The prior forecast was for between a decline of 1% and a gain of 1%.

The company attributed the revision to a “changing macroeconomic backdrop.”

Domestic RevPAR fell 2.9% year-over-year, partly because of the timing of Easter and a tough comparison with a surge in eclipse-related travel a year ago.

“The two headwinds the whole industry is experiencing are international inbound and government travel. Those a

Key Points

• The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority approved a modified agreement involving American Airlines, IAG, and Finnair after investigating competition concerns on transatlantic routes.
• The airlines agreed to give competitors take-off and landing slots at London airports for routes to Boston, Chicago, Dallas, and Miami.
• The CMA ended its investigation without determining if competition laws were broken.

Summary

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has concluded its investigation into the transatlantic joint business agreement among American Airlines, IAG, and Finnair, approving a modified deal. To address competition concerns, the airlines have agreed to provide rival carriers with airport slots on certain routes between London and key US cities. The authority closed the probe without ruling on whether competition laws had been breached.