Daniel Hafner

Chief Executive Officer of KAYAK, Booking Holdings

Search every verified Daniel Hafner interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Daniel Hafner, CEO of KAYAK at Booking Holdings, has spoken publicly about travel industry trends and broader societal observations. In a 2022 interview, Hafner stated that travel demand had returned after the pandemic, citing increased leisure travel offsetting a decline in business travel. He attributed rising ticket prices to airline staffing shortages and higher fuel costs, and said that consumers were seeking off-the-beaten-path destinations and non-hotel accommodations. Hafner also called for increased capacity at government border-processing entities to address travel disruptions. In a 2023 presentation to the Chicago Rudolf Steiner Branch, Hafner discussed what he described as a declining tolerance for delayed gratification and a reduced willingness to take responsibility, which he linked to societal trends. He argued that "coming of age means you no longer have someone who can tell you what to do" and that "the more you try to make group decisions, the more you inevitably come into situations where all but two people want one thing." Hafner also commented on pasteurization laws, stating that "living beings cannot live in a sterile environment."