Startup Trends: Travel applications likely to benefit from holiday travel surge

The upcoming Thanksgiving travel period in the U.S. this week is expected to set a record: The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates nearly 80 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home over the holiday. That figure is up by about 1.7 million people compared to 2023, and nearly 2 million more than 2019. With this increasing level of demand, travel tech and hospitality players are facing a growth opportunity.

Below are highlights of five private companies across the traveltech space — each with distinct business models, traction and relevance, each with the potential to benefit from travel surges.

Away, direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand

New York City-based Away is a travel and lifestyle brand that focuses on selling luggage products and other related accessories. The private company seeks to provide durable suitcases and bags using premium materials that are stylish, lightweight and meet airline travel standards.

Earlier this year, Away partnered with Amazon to sell its sought-after luxury and convenience-styled bags, allowing the firm to reach a broader customer base, and meeting a faster delivery time door-to-door.¹ In May, the company launched its new brand line just for kids, featuring child-size carry-on suitcases, backpacks and lunchboxes to further increase its market share.²

Founded in 2015, Away’s last price per share was $11.80 based on a Series D funding round in May of 2019, putting its post-money valuation at $1.41 billion. The company’s notable investors include Wellington Management, Global Founders Capital, Comcast Ventures and Battery Ventures.

Kasa Living, providing short-term accommodations

A tech-powered hospitality brand and operator, San Francisco-based Kasa Living specializes in converting multi-family residences and boutique hotels into professionally managed short-term accommodations. Kasa manages 85 properties across 40 U.S. states, and is considered a two-sided marketplace, connecting property owners with travelers.³

Founded in 2016, Kasa distinguishes itself as an all-in-one solution for its clients and end-users. According to the company, its AI-enabled technology fully operationalizes its revenue management, guest services, housekeeping workflows and trust and safety infrastructure. The private company announced a $40 million investment round led by Silver Lake Waterman in August. In the announcement, Kasa’s CEO said the funding round will be used to double down on its AI-augmented technology systems.⁴

Kasa Living’s price per share is $6.60 as of its latest Series C funding round in October of 2023, which put its post-money valuation at $284 million. The company’s roster of investors includes FirstMark Capital, Citi Ventures, Ribbit Capital and BoxGroup.

Fora Travel, a digital travel advisory company

Based in New York City, Fora Travel is a travel technology company that aims to help people plan trips according to their unique individuality. With a mission to curate experiences for travelers, the company connects users with an advisor to create their dream trips, one detail at a time.

Founded in 2021, the company has been quickly innovating on its product offerings. Just a month ago, Fora announced it was making a move into the lucrative group travel space through its product dubbed “Fora Groups.” The news comes after the travel application has already generated more than $80 million in revenue from trips such as corporate retreats, conferences and incentive trips.⁵ It also launched a price-drop alert this year, which notifies advisors of price changes for refundable hotel bookings.⁶

Fora’s latest price per share is $16.65 as of its funding round in April 2025, putting its post-money valuation at $441 million. Its notable investors include Thrive Capital, Insight Partners, Forerunner Ventures and Heartcore Capital.

Breeze Airways, a discount airline carrier

Headquartered in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, Breeze Airways is a newcomer to the discount airline carrier scene, offering travelers low-cost flights to underserved cities with point-to-point non-stop service. The airline was founded by industry veteran David Neeleman, who also founded JetBlue.⁷

In September of this year, Breeze Airways earned its U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s certification as a U.S. flag carrier, meaning the airline passed a rigorous evaluation demonstrating safety and sound management and operation. It was recently named one of Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative companies of 2025, noting the company has transformed the low-cost airline industry through nice experiences.⁸ Today the airline services more than 300 destinations year-round in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Founded in 2017, Breeze’s price per share is $540.11 as of its funding round in August of 2021, putting its post-money valuation at $1.19 billion. Notable investors of the private company include Blackrock, Knighthead Capital Management, Aries Capital Partners and Peterson Partners.

GetYourGuide, offering unique travel experiences

Berlin, Germany based GetYourGuide operates an online marketplace that offers tours, activities, and travel experiences globally. As travelers explore new locations, GetYourGuide provides opportunities for them to immerse themselves in a local culture.

Founded in 2019, the private company announced in October that it had reached profitability, with revenue approaching $1.2 billion so far for 2025.⁹ This past fall, GetYourGuide released a new suite of features for its partners, one that allows efficient management of operations and marketing. The firm claims these new products are AI-enabled tools, and that 60% of its client base were already using these enhancements as of the announcement.¹⁰

GetYourGuide achieved a $194 million funding round in 2023 at a post-money valuation of $2 billion at the time. Blue Pool Capital led the round, while KKR and Temasek participated.