Sean O'Neill

Sean O’Neill is Skift's senior hospitality editor, reporting on hotels. Send him news tips at [email protected]. He's been a full-time journalist for two decades. He lives in Washington, D.C. Stop him before he starts another home improvement project.

Latest Stories

Online Travel

Skift Forum Europe: Skyscanner’s CEO Is Looking Beyond Scale

Skyscanner CEO Gareth Williams is the rare Western executive to have played his cards right in China, in light of the successful recent sale to Chinese giant Ctrip of the price-comparison company he co-founded. Williams' next bets for growth are on voice-activated Internet search, instant booking for airlines, and mobile-first transactions in Asia.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

Skift Forum Europe: Skyscanner’s CEO Is Looking Beyond Scale

Airlines

Airline Services Leaders Accelya and Mercator Announce Merger

Piece by piece, private equity firm Warburg Pincus is building Mercator into a rival to Sabre and Amadeus -- two travel technology providers that provide overlapping software and operational services to commercial airlines (and that recently went public after restructurings by buyout experts). Expect the Mercator merger with Accelya to spur an acquisition spree.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

Airline Services Leaders Accelya and Mercator Announce Merger

Online Travel

5 New Travel Startups From India That Have Momentum

India's public company stars MakeMyTrip and Yatra get all the attention in travel. But several startups have the execution chops and the support of experts like Sequoia Capital and Amadeus to thrive in providing services to the country's online population, now numbering more than 400 million.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

5 New Travel Startups From India That Have Momentum

Online Travel

Oasis Receives $2.5 Million for Its Hotel-Style Home Rentals: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Last year, AccorHotels took a 30 percent equity share in Oasis, a curated marketplace for luxury rental properties, while also investing in similar concepts like OneFineStay and Squarebreak. This week Oasis received $2.5 million from an "undisclosed investor." We wonder who might that be.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

Oasis Receives $2.5 Million for Its Hotel-Style Home Rentals: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Business Travel

iCars Buys Limos.com in Crowded Corporate Travel Ground Transport Market

The iCars merger with Limos.com could make the combined company a viable competitor against Blacklane and GroundLink, leaders in private car aggregation for corporate travelers. But all the companies need to step up their games.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

iCars Buys Limos.com in Crowded Corporate Travel Ground Transport Market

Online Travel

5 New Travel Startups From China That Challenge the Status Quo

Chinese travel startups are innovating, not cloning, these days. For instance, Zanadu is using virtual reality to sell luxury travel in real world shops, Baoku is bringing integrated workflows to corporate travel planners, and Aipinji is applying an Uber-like user interface to an old-school wholesaler model.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

5 New Travel Startups From China That Challenge the Status Quo

Airlines

American Airlines Expects to Catch Up to Delta With Its Basic Economy Strategy

Airfares in the U.S. are still near historic average lows, and a transatlantic fare war should last for more than a year. But after a delay, American is copying Delta's playbook. It aims to fix its profit margin problem by coaxing business travelers to pay more on routes worldwide by 2018.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

Business Travel

WorldMate’s Retreat Leaves Itinerary-Organizing Rivals in Dogfight

WorldMate suffered as many smartphones and other services added free travel notifications. But TripCase and TripIt still have fans among many frequent travelers.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

WorldMate’s Retreat Leaves Itinerary-Organizing Rivals in Dogfight

Online Travel

TripActions Raises $14 Million to Trim Rogue Bookings: Travel Startup Funding This Week

TripActions' funding adds buzz to a category of startups aiming to incentivize travelers to book travel more cheaply, while Bluesmart's fresh funding validates the electronic luggage category.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

TripActions Raises $14 Million to Trim Rogue Bookings: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Hotels

5 New Travel Startups Put Niche Spins on Short-Term Rental Booking

Airbnb and HomeAway clones are a dime-a-dozen. But we found a handful carving out niche market segments that seem promising. These startups focus on travelers interested in corporate-friendly lodgings, architecture and design properties, Asia's top destinations, and exclusive luxury residences.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

5 New Travel Startups Put Niche Spins on Short-Term Rental Booking