Capital One is reportedly finalizing a deal to acquire the software that powers its Capital One Travel platform, along with hiring select hotel and engineering teams from Hopper. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, staff based in Europe and Canada have already begun receiving job offers from Capital One, signaling that the transition is well underway.
The move marks an expansion of Capital One’s long-standing relationship with Hopper, a partnership dating back to 2021 when Hopper began powering much of the bank’s travel portal. Bringing these teams in-house would enable Capital One to build more direct hotel relationships and accelerate development across its travel and fintech product lines.
Hopper, meanwhile, has faced questions about the stability of its business as competition intensifies in the travel-tech sector. CEO Fred Lalonde, who also chairs a separate climate-focused startup, has drawn scrutiny over whether he can balance both commitments while steering Hopper through a challenging period.
If completed, the acquisition would represent a major realignment in the companies’ relationship, positioning Capital One to exert greater control over its travel ecosystem while reducing its reliance on third-party technology.