Journera, Jeff Katz’s startup that tried to create a connected trip, shutting down

Journera, a travel data startup created seven years ago by Orbitz founder Jeff Katz, is shutting down.

In a statement shared with Travel Weekly and PhocusWire, Katz said, “The idea to use modern methods of big data — machine learning, now AI — to make the traveler’s entire journey easier and better remains compelling and more accessible than ever. But our reality is that we were not able to get Journera to a scale where profitability was within reach, and so we have to accept the reality that for us this mission is complete.

“I’m thankful, above all else, to our customers, our investors and team for their support and efforts since our founding.”

Since its founding in 2016, Journera raised about $36 million from investors, with its most recent funding coming in July 2022 as a $10 million Series B-1 round, led by B Capital with participation from Andreessen Horowitz and BCG.

At the time, Journera said its partners included United Airlines, American Airlines, Hilton and Marriott International.

In 2019, PhocusWire selected Journera as one of its Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2020. At the time, Katz explained the complexity of what he was trying to create: “We are also beginning to build up the thousands of small brands who need to be part of the seamless travel ecosystem that most travelers touch, from parking to luggage to livery, dining, independent hotels and so much more.

“We are also opening up what we call the ‘last mile’ on our first strategic use-cases with major brands. The ‘air to hotel handoff’ is a big part of this effort. This is a complex process that can have a huge impact. The reality is that most customers who travel by air touch the lodging industry and vice versa, so the opportunities for making travel easier, smarter, and more personalized are limitless.”

This report originally appeared in Phocuswire, a sister publication to Travel Weekly.