Tag: #airbnb

Airbnb Announces New Social Features With AI

Travel isn’t just about where you go—it’s about who you meet. But those connections often fade once the trip ends. That’s why we’re introducing new social features for Airbnb Experiences, to help you connect with other guests before, during and after your experience.

Airbnb Announces New Social Features for Experiences, Smarter Search, Expanded AI Support

With searches for winter travel on the rise, we’re also announcing new updates for guests and hosts in time for a busy holiday season, including:

  • Smarter search and improved maps, to help you discover hidden gems
  • A new way to pay with Reserve Now, Pay Later
  • Expanded AI-powered customer support in more countries and languages
  • More tools to help hosts manage their calendar and pricing

New social features for Airbnb Experiences

Airbnb Experiences are designed to be as much about the people as the activity. Now, we’re introducing new social features, so you can connect with other guests throughout your trip and long after.

  • Who’s going – In a recent survey, more than 7 in 10 respondents said they would like to know more about other guests before booking an experience. Now, before you book, we’ll show you guests who are already going on that experience, along with where they’re from.  
  • Direct messaging – Forget to swap contact info? You can request to directly message guests you first met during an experience to stay in touch or even plan your next experience together, all right in the app.
  • Connections in profile – Now, in the Connections section of your Airbnb Profile tab, you can see the people you’ve met on your experiences, making it easy to reconnect with them.

You can enjoy these new social features while staying in control of what you share with new people. For each experience, you can choose to share your profile, giving you clear and simple control over who can message you and how you’re displayed in other guests’ Connections.

Smarter ways to search and more ways to pay

We’re making it easier to discover great places to stay and pay in a way that works for you.

  • Flexible carousels – When you’re searching for your stay, you’ll now see more options for homes just outside of your search criteria. For example, we’ll show homes with similar prices, different amenities or stays in nearby cities for less, helping you discover great options you might have otherwise missed.
  • Improved maps – Maps now let you easily filter for nearby landmarks, attractions, restaurants and more. Tap on any point of interest to see a summary and how far it is from the home in your search—or from the place you already booked. Later this year, see different map views, including satellite, street, and transit, based on your preference.
  • Reserve Now, Pay Later – With Reserve Now, Pay Later, guests have the option to reserve an eligible stay and pay $0 upfront. We launched this in the US earlier this year, and starting next year, it will be available worldwide for both domestic and international trips.

Expanded AI-powered customer support

Our AI assistant is getting even better with smarter responses and support in more places for guests and hosts.

  • More languages, more countries – The assistant will be available in English, Spanish and French, for users in the US, Mexico and Canada.
  • Smarter answers – The assistant can recognize you, your reservation, or your listing and provide quicker, more tailored responses.
  • Built-in actions – The assistant will let you take actions right in the chat, with interactive cards for common tasks like cancelling a reservation or changing dates.

Upgrades for hosts

We’re also rolling out highly-requested features to give hosts more flexibility and insight.

  • Dynamic cancellation policies – Set different cancellation policies for specific dates—like holidays or off-peak seasons.
  • Improved price tips – View price tips for dates up to a year in advance and adopt all tips in just one tap.
  • Updated earnings dashboard – Starting next year, view earnings trends year-over-year and compare seasonal performance in an all new tab.

Redesigned Airbnb app now available for Summer 2025

Today, Airbnb unveiled its 2025 Summer Release, ushering in a brand new era of travel from the company that first introduced a way to book a home like a hotel in 2007.  With today’s launch, Airbnb is going beyond homes and introducing two offerings – Airbnb Services and completely reimagined Airbnb Experiences.

This is all powered by a new tech stack that allows hosts to offer homes, services, and experiences – and many more offerings in the years ahead. The new Airbnb app – now available to download – features a new design system with a beautifully animated interface that brings the world of Airbnb to life.

  • Built on a new tech stack–Over the past several years, Airbnb has rebuilt its technology stack, including overhauling and modernising the app experience. This new tech stack now allows hosts to introduce even more offerings in the years ahead.
  • A dimensional design system–Airbnb created a design system with a dimensional and beautifully animated interface – including with new 3D iconography – that brings the world of Airbnb to life, so planning your trip feels effortless and delightful.
  • The app that travels with you–From the moment you book your home, the app suggests services and experiences we think you’ll love – and when you arrive at your destination, the app welcomes you with a detailed itinerary, with recommendations for experiences happening nearby throughout your stay.
  • Explore homes, services and experiences–Users logging into Airbnb starting today will now find an entirely new homepage, where you can discover homes in popular destinations, experiences that fit your schedule, and services around the world.

 

Airbnb Experiences

One of the top reasons people book an Airbnb is because they can live like a local. But it’s hard to find the best things to do when you’re somewhere new. Too often, you end up in a big group, following a tour guide with a megaphone, doing activities that feel like you’re ticking a box. What if there was a more authentic way to experience a city?

Today, we’re introducing completely reimagined Airbnb Experiences – hosted by locals who know their city best. We’re launching experiences in over 650 cities around the world and adding more every day. Uncover the best parts of a city with experiences like:

Reimagined nearly every part of the app, including:

  • Explore tab –  An all-new homepage to discover homes in popular destinations, experiences that fit your schedule, and services around the world.
  • Trips tab – An advanced travel itinerary with a schedule of your trip, details about your home, and the services and experiences you’ve booked.
  • Messages – A revamped messaging platform with photo and video sharing and integrated payments for customising services.
  • Profile – A redesigned Airbnb profile lets you share where you’ve travelled on Airbnb and see the people you’ve met along the way. Airbnb profiles also highlight the over 200 million guests and hosts worldwide who have completed our identity verification process.

Rebuilt the app for hosts to include everything they need to manage their home, service or experience:

  • Airbnb Setup – A simplified listing creation tool makes it easy for hosts to submit a service or experience to Airbnb.
  • Today tab – An all-new reservations management tab makes it easy to see details about upcoming reservations to help hosts provide exceptional hospitality.
  • Calendar – A redesigned calendar for homes, features a new daily view  with an hour-by-hour schedule and real-time integration with Google Calendar.
  • Listings tab – New listing management tools for services and experiences make it easy for hosts to adjust every aspect of their listing, from location to pricing.

Airbnb launches Pay Over Time with Klarna in Ireland, offering more flexible payments for guests

Airbnb and Klarna have joined forces to launch Pay Over Time with Klarna, a new way for guests in Ireland to spread the cost of their reservation. Today’s launch is part of a phased global roll-out which will see Klarna and Airbnb offering an alternative way to pay in twenty countries across three continents by early 2024.

First launched in North America as part of Airbnb’s 2023 Summer Release, Pay Over Time with Klarna allows guests in Ireland to apply to pay for their next stay in three interest-free installments over two months.

With Klarna’s seamless and flexible payment solutions, booking unique stays around the world, whether it be a cottage in Connemara, a treehouse in Thailand or a farm in France, has never been easier or more accessible.

Amanda Cupples, General Manager for Northern Europe, Airbnb said: “We’re pleased to bring Pay Over Time with Klarna to Ireland, giving guests greater flexibility to spread their payments over a number of weeks or months. Whether you’re booking a solo trip, or organising a get together with friends, choosing the right payment plan has just become a lot easier.”

Guests are presented with the option at checkout to either pay for their reservation in full at the time of booking or to Pay Over Time with Klarna, and are seamlessly taken through to the payment platform.

Colin Creagh, Head of Klarna, Ireland said: “Airbnb tells us that one of the top requests from their guests is more ways to pay for their stays. We’re thrilled to bring Klarna’s flexible payment options to Airbnb guests around the globe.”

Pay Over Time with Klarna also launches in six other countries across Europe from today including Czechia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, with more expected later in the year.

Pay Over Time with Klarna is available from today to guests in Ireland for reservations priced between €35 and €1,500.

Introducing a new Airbnb for a new world of travel

With a new way to search designed around Airbnb Categories, the innovative Split Stays feature, and AirCover for guests, this launch represents the biggest change to Airbnb in a decade. 

Last year, Airbnb released 150 upgrades to improve every aspect of the Airbnb service. Today, they are launching the biggest change to Airbnb in a decade including: 

  • Airbnb Categories – A new way to search that makes it easy to discover millions of homes you never knew existed. 
  • Split Stays – An innovative feature that provides more options for longer stays by splitting your trip between two homes. 
  • AirCover for guests – The most comprehensive protection in travel, included for free with every stay. 

“The way people travel has changed forever. That’s why we’re introducing the biggest change to Airbnb in a decade,” said Brian Chesky, CEO and Co-Founder of Airbnb. “First, people are more flexible about where they live and work, so we’ve designed a new way to search with Airbnb Categories. Second, people are taking longer trips, so we created Split Stays to give you more options by splitting your trip between two homes. And third, we’re introducing AirCover for guests, giving you the confidence to book knowing that Airbnb’s got your back.” 

Airbnb Categories 

Millions of people are now more flexible about where they live and work. But travel search has been the same for 25 years — you enter a location and dates into a search box. Most of us can only think of a few dozen cities to type into the search box, but there are Airbnbs in 100,000 towns and cities around the world. 

That’s why they are introducing a new way to search designed around Airbnb Categories, making it easy to discover millions of unique homes you never knew existed. When you open Airbnb, you’re presented with 56 categories that organize homes based on their style, location, or proximity to a travel activity. When you search for a destination, your search results are also organized by categories that are relevant to that destination. As you view different categories, the map intelligently zooms to show you where the homes are located. 

To create Airbnb Categories, we evaluate millions of homes using machine learning to analyze titles, written descriptions, photo captions, structured data from Hosts, and reviews from guests. Members of Airbnb’s curation team review listings and hand-pick featured photos — so if a listing is in the Amazing Pools Category, the first photo shows a pool. Then, each category goes through a final check to help ensure consistency and photo quality. 

The 56 Airbnb Categories include more than 4 million unique homes that are made possible by Airbnb Hosts all around the world. Airbnb Categories organize homes by what makes them unique, which helps people discover places they wouldn’t have otherwise found. This can help alleviate over-tourism by redistributing travel to new locations beyond the same popular destinations. 

Split Stays 

In the last three months*, nearly half of nights booked on Airbnb were for trips of a week or more. That’s why we created Split Stays, an innovative feature that splits your trip between two homes. With Split Stays, you will typically see around 40% more listings when searching for longer stays. 

When searching a specific destination, Split Stays automatically appear in your search results. They also appear within 14 categories — including Camping, National Parks, Skiing, and Surfing — to inspire you to stay in two destinations as part of a longer trip. 

When viewing Split Stays on a map, an animated line visually connects the two homes to show you the distance between them and the sequence of the stays. Once you select a Split Stay, you’re guided through an easy-to-use interface to book each stay, one home at a time. 

AirCover for Guests 

This summer, millions of people will travel for the first time since the start of the pandemic. That’s why we created AirCover, the most comprehensive protection in travel. AirCover is always included and always free, and it represents the biggest upgrade to Airbnb customer service in a decade. 

With AirCover, you’re covered by four protections every time you stay on Airbnb: 

  • Booking Protection Guarantee – In the unlikely event a Host needs to cancel your booking within 30 days of check-in, we’ll find you a similar or better home, or we’ll refund you. ● Check-In Guarantee – If you can’t check into your home and the Host cannot resolve the issue, we’ll find you a similar or better home for the length of your original stay, or we’ll refund you. ● Get-What-You-Booked Guarantee – If at any time during your stay you find your listing isn’t as advertised — for example, the refrigerator stops working and your Host can’t easily fix it, or there are fewer bedrooms than listed — you’ll have three days to report it and we’ll find you a similar or better home, or we’ll refund you. 
  • 24-hour Safety Line – If you ever feel unsafe, you’ll get priority access to specially-trained safety agents, day or night. 

AirCover has been designed directly into the Airbnb app and website, making it easy for you to contact an agent and resolve issues quickly. We created a team of specially trained agents for last-minute rebooking assistance. We also significantly expanded our 24-hour safety line to cover 16 languages. 

Available starting today 

Airbnb’s redesigned app and website with over 50 categories of unique homes, the innovative Split Stays feature, and AirCover for guests will be available worldwide this week, with rollout starting in the US today. 

Airbnb Categories

56 Airbnb Categories Number of homes
Style categories
A-frames 4,500
Amazing pools 1,500,000
Amazing views 27,000
Barns 14,000
Bed & breakfasts 20,000
Boats 9,500
Cabins 240,000
Campers 12,500
Castles 2,600
Caves 750
Chef’s kitchens 7,500
Containers 2,200 Creative spaces 900 Design 27,000 Domes 3,000
Earth homes 4,000
Farms 150,000
Grand pianos 2,800
Historical homes 4,000
Houseboats 2,000
Luxe 3,800
Mansions 1,500
OMG! 700
Off-the-grid 2,300
Shared homes 650,000

 

Tiny homes 60,000
Towers 200
Treehouses 2,500
Windmills 190
Yurts 3,800
Location categories
Arctic 6,500
Beach 900,000
Beachfront 450,000
Casas particulares 7,500
Countryside 200,000
Cycladic homes 11,000
Dammusos 280
Desert 2,100 Iconic cities 490,000 Islands 1,200 Kezhans 19,000
Lake 160,000
Lakefront 90,000
Minsus 1,000
National parks 750,000
Riads 900
Ryokans 1,200
Shepherd’s huts 1,100
Tropical 500,000
Trulli 1,900
Vineyards 120,000

 

Activity categories
Camping 32,000
Golfing 150,000
Skiing 400,000
Ski-in/out 40,000
Surfing 240,000

Airbnb 2021 Winter Release: 50+ upgrades and innovations across their entire service

As the world undergoes a revolution in how we live and work, Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky, today revealed via a streamed announcement multiple platform upgrades, including 50+ new product features aimed to meet the new way of travelling brought on by the pandemic, and the wave of guests it will bring with it.

This announcement offers a range of upgrades that make it easier to host and support the changing needs of travellers, including:

  • AirCover – Top-to-bottom protection. Free for every Host. Only on Airbnb.
  • Translation Engine – The most advanced translation technology ever offered to our community.
  • Accessibility Review – Every accessibility feature is reviewed for 100% accuracy.
  • I’m (even more) Flexible – Search for more unique homes up to 12 months in advance.
  • Verified Wifi – Our new speed test tool verifies the speed of the wifi in a listing.
  • Smarter Trips Tab – A redesigned Trips tab with all your must-have travel details.
  • Ask a Superhost Expansion – Connects new Hosts to a Superhost in their area for 1:1 help.

Additionally, Airbnb shared trends data, looking at how guests are travelling now and into next year. Some key insights include:

  • People increasingly are living on Airbnb: From July to September, 20% of nights booked were for stays of one month or longer.
  • People are travelling at any time: Nearly half (45%) of nights booked on Airbnb were for at least one week, compared to 38% two years ago; and families are travelling more during the week, with the most growth in stays on Mondays and Tuesday nights globally
  • They want amenities for living, not just visiting: Globally, the most searched-for amenities in recent months were: 1) pets-allowed, 2) pools, 3) wifi, 4) kitchens and 5) free parking.
  • Greater interest in holiday travel: As of the end of September, we had over 40% more nights booked for Thanksgiving week in the US than at the same time in 2019
  • Border reopenings reveal pent-up demand: In the US, which historically is the largest inbound travel market in the world — during the week following the October 15 announcement of the November 8 reopening date, nights booked by foreign guests for stays starting November 8 increased by 44%

Check the Wifi Speed in Your Airbnb Listing Before You Book. #AirBnB #Wifi #Travel

As the growing flexibility to work and live from anywhere continues, being able to determine a listing’s wifi speed before booking is a must-have for digital nomads, remote workers, roadschoolers, traveling families, gamers, and creatives alike. This is a great idea and would be helpful if adopted in hotels and more as I am doing a staycation from next week for a few weeks and it would be nice to know what I am in for before I reach my destinations as hotel Wi-Fi can be dodgy but I do have some Airbnb stays booked too.

Guests want peace of mind that where they’re staying can support their connected needs — whether gaming and streaming on Twitch, Zooming with colleagues, or catching up with family on video chat, fast and stable internet is more important than ever.

While Hosts have been able to manually add wifi speeds to their listing pages for some time, we’re now providing an easy and efficient in-app solution to allow them to measure the wifi speed in their listing using the Airbnb app.

Hosts can test their listing’s connection speed right within the Airbnb app, and easily have their wifi speed information posted on their listing page, making their listings more appealing to guests looking for connected stays.

This feature uses M-Lab’s open source software to measure download speeds and we’ve begun rolling out in-app internet speed testing in the US and we will expand globally in the coming weeks. Hosts can learn more by visiting their Help Center.