Airbnb is considering an expansion into flight bookings, a new report claimed on Monday.
The short-term property rental service could launch the new tool within the next 18 months, according to Bloomberg Technology sources.
Such a move would put the San Francisco-based start-up into competition with the likes of Expedia, by allowing it to offer more complete vacation packages.
According to the report, Airbnb may purchase an online travel agent or simply license technology to help it launch the service.
The sources say the $30 billion (about £23bn) valued company wants to get it off the ground before floating on the stock market.
So far Airbnb has declined to comment on the report.
Meanwhile, the company is facing questions over its tax affairs following a report claiming its London arm paid just £317,000 in UK tax last year, despite doing £145m in UK revenue.
According to a Guardian report it has been following the lead of many US tech firms by routing the earnings through Ireland to take advantage of more lenient tax laws.
See also: iPhone 8
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Would a flight booking service be a solid move for Airbnb? Share your thoughts on the comments section below.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
