Global flight booking company Etraveli has acquired Israeli AI startup Wenrix to strengthen its business-to-business (B2B) flight booking services around the world. The companies did not reveal the exact purchase amount.
However, sources say the deal is valued at at least $200 million, and the total payment could go up to $300 million if Wenrix meets certain business performance goals in the future.
Wenrix was founded in 2018 by Amir Balaish (CEO), Tor Leelo (CPO), and Armon Avrahamy (CTO). The company has built an AI-based platform that helps make flight bookings smarter and easier.
Its technology predicts flight prices, processes orders automatically, and offers more flexible options for cancellations and changes. This allows online travel agencies and corporate travel companies to provide better prices, smoother booking experiences, and new travel services.
Balaish said, “We are a completely B2B company and all of our customers were online and various travel agencies. The buyer has been our customer for two years with extensive cooperation. We were never on the shelf and they looked into the possibility of acquiring us. We were in no hurry to agree to the offer. We agreed to accept the offer in the end because it preserves our company as it is and grows it.”
Balaish further highlighted the company’s competitive edge: “We know how to predict the price of the flight and, in fact, with the help of the prediction, we give customers insights into when it is right to book and create added value. The second value area is flexibility, the ability to cancel and change flight tickets smoothly. The third is full automation of services after booking, handling changes, cancellations, refunds, and operational problems where automation does not work well today. These are three significant areas, and there is a lot to do to achieve our essential vision.”
After the acquisition, Wenrix will continue to operate as an independent company under the same name, products, and leadership team. It will keep serving its existing customers without any changes.
The company also plans to grow its team in Israel and other countries. Wenrix expects to increase its workforce from about 80 employees to around 130 employees by the end of the year.
The Etraveli Group, from Sweden, runs one of the world’s biggest flight booking platforms. It operates in more than 75 countries and manages well-known brands like Gotogate, MyTrip, and Booking.com’s flight system.
Etraveli has acquired Wenrix to grow its business-to-business (B2B) services faster and improve its technology.
“Etraveli Group’s strategy is to continuously strengthen its leading platform for selling flights and ensure it benefits the wider air travel ecosystem,” said Etraveli CEO Mathias Hedlund. “We are now looking forward to jointly addressing the challenges of air travel and creating competitive offerings.”
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