Airbnb to Make Pricing More Transparent for Vacation Rentals

Airbnb is making some changes to how it displays pricing information for vacation rentals. CEO Brian Chesky wrote on Twitter that, starting next month, the company will offer the option to see the full price of a stay in search results, and on the map, price filter, and listings pages.

You’ll still be able to see a breakdown of the full price, including Airbnb’s service fee and any discounts. Moreover, Chesky says Airbnb will prioritize total price rather than nightly price in its ranking algorithm. “The highest quality homes with the best total prices will rank higher in search results,” Chesky said.

These changes should make it easier for potential guests to know how much their stay will cost, including any additional fees. This may also help Airbnb rank better in search results, as the company will be prioritizing total price over nightly price.

The only downside is that the price displayed in search results and on the map doesn’t include taxes. Showing taxes at the start would be beneficial, especially considering many hotel booking sites show the full price that includes taxes in their search results. Chesky wrote: “Since prices in the US are typically shown without including tax, we decided to go with this convention.”

If you’re planning on booking a vacation rental through Airbnb, keep an eye out for these changes in the coming month. In the meantime, you can check out Airbnb’s help center for more information on how pricing works.