Airbnb is testing a new way to keep more short-term rental bookings on its platform by offering selected hosts lower service fees when they bring guests in themselves.
The pilot program allows participating hosts to share unique Airbnb booking links through social media, email, message boards and other channels. When a guest follows one of those links and completes a reservation on Airbnb, the host pays a reduced service fee.
For hosts included in the test, Airbnb’s take rate can fall to either 6% or 10%, compared with an average of about 16%, according to people familiar with the program. Hosts may also be able to offer additional discounts through the same links, giving them more flexibility when marketing directly to potential guests.
Despite being described as direct booking links, the reservation still takes place entirely on Airbnb. Guests remain within the platform’s booking system and continue to receive standard Airbnb protections, including AirCover. The approach therefore differs from a traditional direct booking, where a traveler leaves Airbnb and completes the transaction on a host’s own website.
Airbnb confirmed that the program is a limited U.S. test involving some hosts who use third-party software to manage their listings. The company said it is experimenting with how different pricing structures affect hosting businesses and how hosts promote their properties.
The move comes as Airbnb faces continued pressure from the so-called book-direct movement. Some professional hosts and property managers encourage repeat guests to book through their own websites, allowing them to avoid marketplace commissions and retain a larger share of revenue.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has previously played down the scale of that trend, but the new test suggests the company is exploring ways to make staying on Airbnb more attractive even when the platform itself did not generate the customer.
For hosts, the economics could be significant. A lower commission gives them more room to either improve margins or pass some of the savings on to guests through discounts. For Airbnb, earning a smaller percentage of a booking may still be preferable to losing the transaction entirely.
The pilot also introduces a more variable approach to Airbnb’s pricing model. Historically, hosts have paid fees largely based on Airbnb’s standard structures, but this experiment effectively assigns a lower price to bookings where the host handles customer acquisition.
If expanded, the model could blur the line between online travel marketplace and booking infrastructure. Airbnb would still process payments, provide protections and host the reservation, while hosts would take greater responsibility for generating demand.
That could become an increasingly important compromise as professional hosts seek more control over distribution without completely giving up the reach and trust associated with Airbnb’s platform.
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