Should You Allow Airbnb Instant Booking At Your Short-Term Rental?

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A new host recently asked me whether they should allow Airbnb instant booking reservations at their short-term rental, and I immediately answered “yes.” That is with one small caveat… only if they have a good track record!

So, how do you know if they will be good guests?

You don’t! But by toggling the “require a good track record” button, Airbnb allows instant booking only if the guest has completed a stay without incidents or bad reviews. Most people fall into that category and will be able to book instantly. Others will come in as booking requests, which you can still accept or decline.

And if you are a new Airbnb Host, take a second to save my Airbnb Setup Checklist, so you don’t forget anything!

Airbnb Hosting FAQ: Airbnb Instant Booking

In a minute, I will share exactly where to find this setting, but first, I want to summarize what Airbnb instant booking is and some of the pros and cons of allowing it. That way, you can make the best decision for your rental property!

What Is Instant Booking on Airbnb?

It’s as simple as it sounds!

Airbnb instant booking allows guests to make and confirm a reservation without your approval. Most Airbnb listings enable guests to book instantly. I think it is 100% the way to go, except for a few specific circumstances! 

The alternative is that all bookings come through as an Airbnb Booking Request requiring your approval.

PROS of Allowing Airbnb Instant Booking

One of the main reasons to turn on the Airbnb Instant Booking setting is that when guests are ready to book, they want to book! They don’t know how quickly you will respond to a request. Most often, they will choose another property that allows instant booking rather than wait for a response. In fact, you can even sort only to show instant book listings! 

Secondly, it saves you time by allowing guests to book right away! You don’t need the extra step of manually approving bookings. I have found that most Airbnb guests are good. In fact, many are great! So, I don’t see manual screening as necessary in the Airbnb booking process.

Honestly, the most difficult guests tend to be those who don’t read your listing or any messages you send before and during their stay.

CONS of Allowing Airbnb Instant Booking

Speaking of that, I have had guests who have made an Airbnb instant booking (after agreeing to our house rules) who aren’t a fit for our rental. But I have found any issue fairly easy to handle. That’s not as much of an issue with how Airbnb Instant Booking works. The problem is that the guest did not read through things before booking.

For example, per our occupancy limits, we can only accommodate 2 adults and up to 2 children, but I have had groups of 4 adults book. In this instance, if they book instantly, I first send them a note saying that we cannot accommodate them and that they can cancel since they just made the booking. If they refuse to or don’t respond, I call Airbnb and let them know that the booking doesn’t align with our guest requirements and house rules. They have canceled the reservation for me with no issues.

Also, you need to be mindful of Airbnb same-day bookings. I do not allow same-day Airbnb instant booking reservations, but instead have all same-day bookings come through as a booking request. That setting is in a different place, and I will share where to find that in the How To Set Up Airbnb Instant Booking section of this post in just a minute!

Another potential issue with Airbnb instant booking is if you allow off-site bookings and don’t have your Airbnb calendar up to date. In this case, you could end up with double bookings. I only host on Airbnb for a number of reasons, but keep this in mind. You may be better off being safe than sorry, and want to turn off instant booking for Airbnb reservations.

One last unique situation involves Airbnb hosts with setups that require more in-depth approval. Maybe you are hosting in a private room at your home and want to conduct a deeper screening. I don’t blame you!  

RELATED POST: 16 Airbnb Essentials You Always Need Backups Of

Do I Recommend Airbnb Instant Booking?

Yes, I think the pros far outweigh the cons. Simply put, you want to make it as easy as possible for guests to book a stay at your Airbnb! So, enable Airbnb instant booking and handle any issues as they arise.  

And here is how to do it!

How to Turn On Airbnb Instant Booking

Under your Booking Settings, you will see the Airbnb Instant Booking settings shown in the screenshot below. You want to use Instant Book and then toggle on the Require A Good Track Record setting.

Note that there are other calendar and availability settings that you may also want to adjust. I mentioned above that I do NOT allow same-day instant bookings, instead having them come through as booking requests. This setting is located in the Availability section of your listing.

Here, you can require advance notice (I have it set to 1 day) and toggle on a feature to still allow booking requests for same-day reservations. Here is a screenshot of this setting and how to enable these Airbnb last-minute booking restrictions. 

More Tips For Airbnb Hosts

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You can click here to browse all Airbnb posts from newest to oldest.

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