Airbnb: 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 Airbnb is introducing new social features for Airbnb Experiences, to help you connect with other guests before, during, and after your experience.
With searches for winter travel on the rise, Airbnb is 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, Airbnb is introducing new social features, so you can connect with other guests throughout your trip and long after.
- Who’s going – Before booking, guests can now see others who’ve already signed up for an experience, including where they’re from. In a recent survey, more than 9 in 10 respondents in India said they’d like to know more about other guests before booking.
- 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
Airbnb is enhancing discovery and flexibility for guests:
- Flexible carousels – Search results now include homes just outside your criteria—similar prices, different amenities, or nearby locations—helping you find hidden gems you might otherwise miss.
- 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 – Guests can book eligible stays with $0 upfront. Already launched in the US, this feature will expand globally next year for both domestic and international trips.
Expanded AI-powered customer support
Airbnb’s AI assistant is becoming even smarter, faster, and more available:
- 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 recognise 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
Airbnb is also giving hosts more control and insight with new features:
- 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.
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