Overview
What is the best Airbnb cancelation policy? Sadly, there’s no correct answer to that question. Is your rental in a remote destination with few last-minute rentals? Or is it in a major city near an airport with a high potential for same-day reservations? The best option for your property depends on many demand factors. I’ve outlined the most popular cancellation policies on Airbnb below. Details of all policies can be found on the Airbnb help center.
Flexible cancelation policy:
Good for vacation rentals in cities with high booking demand, and reservations generally have a shorter length of stay.
- Free cancellation until 24 hours before check-in (time shown in the confirmation email).
- If the guest cancels less than 24 hours before check-in, the first night and Airbnb service fee are non-refundable.
- If the guest arrives and decides to leave early, the nightly rate for the nights not spent 24 hours after cancellation is fully refunded.
Moderate cancelation policy:
Good for vacation rentals in cities with high booking demand, and reservations generally have a shorter length of stay.
- Free cancellation until 5 days before check-in (time shown in the confirmation email).
- If the guest cancels less than 5 days before check-in, the first night plus 50% of all nights after that, and the Airbnb service fee, are non-refundable.
- If the guest arrives and decides to leave early, 50% of the nightly rate for the nights not spent 24 hours after the cancellation occurs is refunded.
Firm cancelation policy (new)
Good for vacation rentals in destination markets where last-minute bookings are infrequent, and reservations generally have a longer booking lead time.
- To receive a full refund, guests must cancel at least 30 days before check-in
- If they cancel between 7 and 30 days before check-in, you’ll be paid 50% for all nights
- If they cancel less than 7 days before check-in, you’ll be paid 100% for all nights
- Guests can also receive a full refund if they cancel within 48 hours of booking if the cancellation occurs at least 14 days before check-in
Strict cancelation policy:
Good for vacation rentals in destination markets where last-minute bookings are infrequent, and reservations generally have a longer booking lead time.
- For a full refund of the nightly rate, the guest must cancel within 48 hours of booking and at least 14 full days before the listing’s local check-in time (shown in the confirmation email).
- For a 50% refund of the nightly rate, the guest must cancel 7 full days before the listing’s local check-in time (shown in the confirmation email), otherwise no refund. If only 50% of the reservation has been paid, no refund will be issued, and the remaining 50% will not be charged.
- If the guest cancels less than 7 days in advance or decides to leave early after check-in, the nights not spent are not refunded.
Non-refundable (optional)
Recommended for all bookings.
The new non-refundable option allows hosts to offer an extra 10% off to lock in a non-refundable booking. Combined with Instant Booking, this can be added to most of the cancel policies and is a great way to ensure your guest doesn’t cancel.
Recap
With so many Airbnb cancelation policies, take the time to choose the best one for your listing. While the moderate or firm policies will work for most listings, let’s connect and discuss the best option for your property.
