Tips for avoiding preventable cancellations

Once a booking is confirmed, guests don’t expect it to change. Cancellations by Hosts can disrupt their travel plans, undermine confidence in our community, and lead to fees or other consequences. 

Here are some tips to help you avoid canceling reservations for preventable reasons.

Let guests know when they can stay at your place.

• Open dates from three months to two years in advance.
• Block dates you can’t host.
• Check your calendar regularly to make sure it reflects your availability.

Updating your calendar availability is especially important if you’re using Instant Book. Instant Book allows guests to reserve any dates you have open without waiting for you to review their request.

When a guest’s booking is confirmed, your calendar is automatically blocked for those dates. You need to manually block any dates you can’t accept reservations for other reasons.

Getting a booking on dates you can’t honor could lead to a cancellation fee or other consequences.

Your settings are split into two tabs: Pricing and Availability. These tools can help you get the bookings you want, when you want them. For example, you can:

• Support your pricing strategy. You’re always in control of your price, and you can change it anytime. The pricing tools let you compare the prices of similar listings nearby, offer discounts for longer stays, and set custom prices on specific dates, like holidays and weekends. You can also turn on Smart Pricing to automatically adjust your price based on local demand.
• Set your booking preferences. Use the availability window to determine how far in advance guests can book, from three to 24 months. Other options include: specifying the minimum and maximum number of nights per stay, requiring up to seven days’ advance notice for reservations, and blocking off a night or two between bookings as preparation time.
• Connect your calendars. Sync your personal and other hosting calendars (if you list your place on other websites) with your Airbnb calendar. This can help you manage your hosting tasks and prevent double bookings.

We understand that you may need to cancel a reservation for reasons beyond your control, like making emergency repairs. If you have to cancel, make sure you:

• Review our policies. Our Host Cancellation Policy explains the fees and other consequences for canceling, and when those may be waived. If you aren’t sure if your situation qualifies, contact Airbnb Support before you cancel. You can’t cancel for reasons that violate Airbnb’s Nondiscrimination Policy or Accessibility Policy.
• Give guests ample notice. If you can’t honor a reservation—regardless of the reason—you’re expected to cancel in a timely manner. You may not ask guests to cancel their reservations.
• Follow local rules and regulations. Read our responsible hosting articles to better understand the laws, taxes, best practices, and other considerations for accommodating guests in your region.

When Hosts cancel a reservation, we work with guests to help them find another place to stay.