Traveling became uncertain for over a year due to COVID-19 — government restrictions, quarantine requirements, and falling unexpectedly ill have caused millions of travelers to change their plans at the last minute. Now that there are more precautions against COVID-19, including vaccines, travelers desire more flexibility when booking a flight, a hotel, or a vacation rental. Airbnb has responded to this preference by increasing the flexibility in its cancellation policies. In addition to the existing policies, Airbnb has added a new “firm” policy that fully refunds guests as long as they cancel within a specific amount of time before their stay. Since there are many options for cancellation policies, Airbnb has implemented a special search filter that only shows you rentals with the kind of cancellation policy you want. Traveling has been challenging for so long, but Airbnb is making it easier for you to go on adventures once again.
Existing cancellation policies
Flexible The most forgiving cancellation option, flexible cancellations allow guests to cancel with no penalty up to 24 hours before the check-in time. If the guest cancels within 24 hours before the check-in time, they will be charged for the first night and service fee but the rest of their stay will be refunded. Flexible policies are best for guests whose travel plans may change at the last minute. Hosts in popular areas also benefit from offering a flexible cancellation policy as it’s more likely that they will have another guest fill the accommodation.
Moderate Guests can cancel their booking with no penalty up to five days before check-in. If they cancel after this point, they must still pay the service fee, the full cost of the first night, and 50 percent of the subsequent nights of their original booking. This is a good cancellation option for guests who want to secure a place but aren’t completely sure if their plans will go through. As long as they don’t cancel last minute, they can change their minds with no penalty.
Strict This cancellation policy allows guests to cancel their reservation with no charge within 48 hours of booking. However, if the 48-hour period after booking falls within 7 to 14 days of check-in, they will lose 50 percent of the nightly rate. If they cancel within 7 days of check-in, they will not receive any refund. The strict policy benefits hosts with popular listings to deter last-minute cancellations.
Long Term This cancellation policy automatically applies to bookings of 28 days or longer. The guest can cancel within 48 hours of booking for no penalty as long as the check-in date is still 28 days away. If the cancellation falls within 28 days before check-in, the first month of the reservation cannot be refunded.
Super Strict 30 Days A guest must cancel at least 30 days before check-in to receive a 50 percent refund of the nightly rate. The cleaning fee will be refunded, but not the service fee. If they cancel within 30 days of their reservation, they will receive no refund.
Super Strict 60 Days This policy is similar to the Super Strict 30 Days cancellation policy, except a guest must cancel 60 full days before check-in to receive a partial refund.
New cancellation policy: "firm" policy
The firm cancellation policy offers a hybrid between moderate and strict cancellations that benefits both guests and hosts. If the guest cancels a booking more than 30 days before check-in, they will receive a full refund. Guests who cancel between 7 to 29 days before check-in will receive a 50 percent refund on all nights of their stay. If a cancellation is made less than 7 days before check-in, there is no refund. This policy also allows guests to cancel within 48 hours of booking for a full refund as long as the start of their stay is still 14 days away, providing flexibility if a guest spontaneously books a trip and then decides against it.
The firm policy also benefits hosts because it gives guests more flexibility, which makes the listing more attractive. It also gives hosts a longer advance notice to accommodate another guest if the first one cancels.
Launching flexible cancellation policy search filter
It can be disappointing to find what seems like the perfect Airbnb, only to realize that they don’t have the kind of cancellation policy you desire. Luckily, Airbnb has launched a cancellation policy search filter, allowing you to only see the rentals with the kind of cancellation policy you want. Simply apply the filter when searching for your next getaway and limit your options to the places that will fit your travel needs.
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