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Airbnb's Chesky Says He's 'Less Religious' About Hotels, Cars and Flights
Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky said he has softened his long-held resistance to mainstream travel offerings, telling a New York conference he could see the platform listing Hilton and Marriott properties "at some point."
Speaking at the Skift Global Forum 2026 in New York City last week, Chesky described himself as "a little less religious" about the categories Airbnb once avoided, 18 years after he co-founded the short-term rental platform.
The change of thinking covers hotels and standard online travel agency products such as car rentals and flights. Chesky said he would be open to Airbnb carrying inventory from major hotel chains including Hilton and Marriott "at some point," a step he had previously considered too "jarring" for the Airbnb brand.
Airbnb already sells what he characterised as commodities, pointing to car rentals, and he said flights would follow "one day." The company has recently begun offering mainstream tours and activities as part of its experiences business, easing an earlier requirement that such listings be distinctive.
Even so, Chesky framed the shift as limited. "We've gotten over a little bit of our religion of no commodities, but I will say the vast majority of our supply will always be unique," he said.
He did not elaborate at length on how his views on Airbnb's experiences have evolved, beyond the addition of more conventional tours and activities alongside the platform's original offerings.