How to Save Money on Airbnb

How to Save Money on Airbnb

Editor’s Note: How to Save Money on Airbnb was originally published January 2019 and has recently been updated and revised for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

If you are actively pursuing your Adventure Travel bucket list like we are, then you know exploring the world can be truly amazing! But though the reward is immeasurable, the costs of traveling can sometimes be something of a hinderance. That’s why we’re constantly scouring the internet for travel hacks that give me the best value for my money.

One of the best money-saving techniques we often use when traveling is looking at places to stay on Airbnb. We love Airbnb for multiple reasons. But probably one of the biggest reasons is that we can save money on some of the best Airbnbs in the U.S. compared to hotels in a similar location. Plus, with a few extra travel hacks, we have developed a strategy to help anyone save even more money on Airbnb! Check out these 11 travel hacks that could save you hundreds of dollars on your next Airbnb booking!

1) Use an Airbnb Coupon Code

The old Airbnb Promo code to save money on your first Airbnb rental

Sadly, Airbnb has stopped giving out Coupon Codes for Guests.  Before February 26, 2021, the easiest way to save money on Airbnb was to use a first-time coupon code. Essentially by accepting the Airbnb Coupon Code, you were immediately given $55 (USD) off your very first Airbnb booking! It was a great way to save money on Airbnb while testing out the numerous options they had to offer. 

Now, though they don’t offer new promos, some of you may still be able to save money.  See, according to Airbnb, “If you were sent a coupon prior to the shutdown of the program, you will be able to use the coupon on any booking made prior to the expiration of the coupon.”

So, log on to your account and see if you have pending coupons or credits. All you have to do is log on, click on your profile in the top right, select ACCOUNT, and then Referral Credit & Coupon. If you have a credit from a promotion waiting for you, USE IT before they cancel them entirely.

2) Book Early

Person in their beautiful Airbnb after learning how to Save Money on Airbnb
Like with any sort of travel, whether you are trying to find a cheap flight or cheap lodging, timing can be crucial. Sometimes we wait too long to find a place to stay when travelling to a popular location or a specific event and it costs us. So don’t make that mistake. Booking early can really help you save money on Airbnb! Plus, we found that you can often find cooler locations in a more centralized spot if you start checking earlier before they book up. For example, we found a great Airbnb deal in Munich for Oktoberfest in 2017 near the festival grounds just by looking at places a few months earlier.

The Bucket List Project has developed a strategy to help anyone save money on Airbnb! Check out these 11 travel hacks that could save you hundreds of dollars on your next Airbnb booking! #travelhack #AirbnbCouponCode #SaveonAirbnb Click To Tweet

3) Try To Be Flexible With Your Travel Dates

Using the search funcion on the website properly can help you Save Money on Airbnb
Flexibility is often one of the biggest keys to travel hacking. If you are trying to save money on Airbnb, then being flexible with your dates can often help. Obviously, weekends may be a bit more expensive. But if you can stay mid-week in a desired location, you can possibly save some extra money on your place of choice. When you find a desired location, look at the host’s calendar and see the prices for different days before booking.

4) Save Money on Airbnb by Staying Longer

Two screen shots comparing how if you stay 7 days you can Save Money on Airbnb for a property in San Diego
We can see it in your face right now, did they say staying longer would save money on Airbnb? They must be crazy!

Well, we are a bit crazy, but seriously, you may also consider trying to extend your stay.

See, many hosts on Airbnb will offer discounts for longer stays. For example, as seen in the picture above, it is actually $6.00 cheaper to book 7 nights versus just 6 at an Airbnb we found in San Diego, California.

So read all of the offers listed to see if adding a day may help you save money on the property. In general, we have found that many Airbnb properties offer anywhere from 10%-30% off depending on whether you are looking at weekly or monthly stays.

5) Pay Attention To The Extra Fees

Picture of extra fees like the one's circled here is a great way to help you save on airbnb
One of the biggest mistakes we personally make is overlooking the extra fees involved with travelling. A place on Airbnb may have a great initial price but then with extra fees like cleaning or a service fee, you can get nickel and dimed up to a price you may not like. Therefore, look at the total price with fees and see if that matches your budget. Also look for places that don’t charge extra per person. The good thing about Airbnb is that all fees must be presented up front, so you won’t be surprised.

6) Search Better

Home Page of Airbnb to help you with your Travel Bucket List itemsTaking your time to really search better can save you money on Airbnb. It is easy to just search the city center for a place to stay. However, with a little research, you can find an awesome place that may be just outside of your desired location. For example, with a little research Darcee & I found a penthouse suite in Edinburgh, Scotland for $51 a night. The only issue was that was 1.5 miles away from the city center. But in our research, we realized it was an easy 5-minute walk to a public bus. So, every day, as our host Trevor put it, we were “whisked to Holyrood Palace and the Parliament buildings, to the city center, or down to the waterfront to visit bustling Leith, Ocean Terminal shopping mall, or the world-famous Royal Yacht Britannia” by bus.

Did you know that it's possible to travel hack Airbnb? See how you can save money on #Airbnb so that you can have more money for #bucketlist experiences wherever you travel! #travelhack Click To Tweet

7) Negotiate With The Host

Meeting with an Airbnb host is a great way to help you save on Bucket List Travel
One of the interesting factors about Airbnb is that the room prices are set by the individual hosts. So, you may not have to necessarily accept the initial price. If you are lucky, you might be able to haggle with a host and save on Airbnb. Here are the steps to successfully negotiate with your host:

  • Do not click the red Book button. Instead, scroll to the bottom of the listing and click Contact Host.
  • Here is where you can easily send a quick message to your host.
    • Share in your email any positive reviews you have on Airbnb from previous stays
    • Share how long you are planning on staying & why you feel their location is ideal for your travel adventure. Remember in general, many hosts offer discounts for longer stay and it will be noted. However, let’s say they only offer that for a 7 day stay and you’re staying for 6. Ask your host if they would be willing to give you the 7-day rate for your 6 days.
    • We usually check out multiple Airbnb locations and may send a counteroffer to several people. But if there is a place you really like, give them an idea of what you can possibly afford. Also share with them what nearby places are offering to see if they are willing to match those lower prices.
    • We like to look for places with zero or few reviews. I have found that places with zero or few reviews are often the best bet in order to save money on Airbnb. This is because they may be new or just a bit farther from the tourist areas. But reviews are very important to Airbnb hosts as they allow them to be found more effectively and can ultimately equal more visitors. Therefore, tell them that you will write a review for them after your stay in exchange for a discount.
    • If you don’t have a price point of nearby places, then just give them a price point 20 – 30% lower than their asking rate.
    • Ask them, if that price point sounds good to them, to “Send a Special Offer.” Special Offers allow the host to set a custom price for a guest who has sent a booking inquiry. A special offer is for those who are ready to confirm a reservation because it is only valid for 24 hours. Therefore, hosts may be more willing to offer you a deal if they know you are not just a looky-loo.

8) Search For Discounted Airbnb Gift Cards

Picture of the Raise Gift Card Website to help you snag some great Airbnb Deals
One of the easiest ways to save money on Airbnb is to buy gift cards at a discounted rate. We have had some success finding Airbnb gift cards for sale for anything from 3% to up to 20% off. It is actually rather easy to just check when you start your travel planning. Several websites we use will even email us when Airbnb gift cards become available at a certain price we want or when they go on sale.

When looking for discounted Airbnb gift cards, we immediately search Raise! They make it easy to buy gift cards online at a discount so you can save on a wide variety of brands, retailers, and restaurants. In general, we save around 3% or more off an Airbnb gift card.

Another thing we like is that many of their gift cards are actually e-gift cards. So, once we purchase them, we can immediately use it to save money on Airbnb! Plus, you can join Raise today & get $5 to spend on any discounted gift card you want by CLICKING HERE!

HOT TIPIf you use Ebates, also known as Rakuten, login to your account before using Raise. Currently, users get 1% cash back on all Raise purchases through Ebates. So, you not only save on Raise but get an additional rebate. If you have never used Ebates, you can join for free and also get a $10 Welcome Bonus by Clicking Here!

9) Redeem Your Points For An Airbnb Gift Card

Cashing in on Airline or Credit Card Miles to redeem for Free Airbnb Gift Cards
If you have a credit card that allows you to collect rewards points, you may be able to redeem them for an Airbnb gift card. For example, with American Express membership rewards, you can redeem $100 Airbnb Gift Cards for 10,000 points. Or if you have Chase Rewards, you can get a $25 Airbnb gift card for 2,500 points. So, make sure you are earning your rewards points on every purchase so you can snag a gift card.

However, if you are like Eric, you don’t use credit cards so earning memberships rewards may not be an option.  But don’t fret because, you can still find fun ways to earn points to redeem for gift cards. Personally, we participate in rewards points websites like MyPoints where we collect reward points by participating in miscellaneous free activities or making online purchases from certain retailers.

Now you can’t necessarily use your points on either of these sites for an Airbnb gift card directly. But we personally use our points for Visa Gift Cards or a Paypal redemption. Then we can easily use that cash redemption to purchase our Airbnb stay.

10) Refer Others To Become an Airbnb Host

Screenshot of How to become an Airbnb Host and earn income

So, we all know by now that there is no Airbnb affiliate program or even a simple referral system for earning on stays.  However, there is still a truly simple way to earn money on Airbnb.  The most popular way now is to invite anyone and everyone to become an Airbnb host.

After you introduce a friend to the Airbnb Host Program, then they’ll get an extra $10 after completing their first booking. But then you too will earn $220 for the one-time referral.

11) Search Outside Of Airbnb

Using other sites like Booking.com is a great alternative to Airbnb
In reality, sometimes Airbnb just isn’t the best priced option on a specific property you found. But in our research, we’ve found that often a host is renting out their space on Airbnb and using other booking services as well. This is even more of a probability if the Airbnb listing is a popular named place with tons of reviews. Therefore, we will often try searching for the Airbnb place we like on another site like Booking.com just to see if the price is lower.

So, as you can see, with a few simple and easy to use travel hacks, anyone save money Airbnb! Which one of these 11 travel hacks have you used to save money on Airbnb? Have you ever even stayed in an Airbnb? If so, did you love it? Let us know all about your personal Airbnb experiences in the comments below!

Don’t forget to Pin this to your Bucket List Board! Pinterest picture of a person holding their cell phone while using the AirBnB app

 

Disclosure: This post, “How to Save Money on Airbnb” may contain affiliate links. Using the links doesn’t cost you any extra, and it helps keep the site free, fun, and community supported! Eric & Darcee will never recommend a product that we don’t genuinely believe in, actually use ourselves, have researched, and trust. Please see the disclosure policy for more information.

44 thoughts on “How to Save Money on Airbnb

  1. Discount on first booking seems great……… Always good to know some ways to travel canny and save money! Airbnb is just awesome 🙂

  2. Wow! This is very informative. I was just about to share airbnb to my aunt. Glad i have read this. Thanks for sharing.

  3. Once things begin loosening up (and, of course, are safer) in our post-pandemic world, I can’t wait to begin travelling again! Learning how to save money on Airbnbs is super helpful for the planning process, and I’m excited to be able to implement your suggestions.

  4. I haven’t tried Airbnb. but I have read articles on it. Booking early seems to be a very important tip when trying to save money.

  5. Both of my sons have travel plans that they want to fulfill once the lockdown has been lifted and it is safe to go places. I will let them know about these tips. The more money they save on accommodations, the better.

  6. I have to admit I’ve never had much luck with Air B and B, but I do love booking.com! We’ve managed to acquire a lot of genius points which means we now get discounts on all our bookings (plus I love the cancellation policy, it’s great to have so much flexibility when we travel!).

  7. I always use code coupon when I’m on a travel trips AirBnB always save my money especially when I go for staycation.

  8. I second the tip about looking outside of your desired location. When I went to London and Lisbon, I stayed just a short train ride (5-10 minutes) from the city center and saved a ton a money.

  9. Hubby and I are wanting to get away for a few days to celebrate our anniversary. These tips are wonderful because we have a limited travel budget.

  10. Thank you for sharing your coupon. I found your post very practical. I don’t know when I will be able to travel again, but I will keep in mind to watch for the extra fees (which honestly, I never do)

  11. We are planning to visit Canada soon and this tip would be quite helpful since we are planning to book Airbnb. Anything we can save will be a blessing for us.

  12. There are some really handy hints here for sure. Being flexible on dates is always a good one xx

  13. Wow! Great tips! Never tried an actual BNB rental stay yet but I did not know you can still even negotiate things after. Wise!

  14. Great tips, Eric! I’ve only stayed in Air bnb twice and I’m actually quite conflicted, seeing the issues they have in major cities i.e. increasing rents and making affordable rents harder to come by (NYC, where I live has sued them many times and Madrid has banned them in some areas) and with ill-mannered guests ruining a neighbourhood (Barcelona). I have a coupon still unredeemed. Let’s see.

  15. I have not used Airbnb very often but one the occasion that I did, it was a beautiful well maintained property. These travel hacks are very useful especially the one about negotiating with the host, as it’s something I had never given thought to.

  16. Enjoyed reading your informative post. I have found being flexible with travel dates helps reduce costs in so many ways.

  17. Solid tips bro! But my favorite tip for saving money on AirBNB is to book a shared house. These are always cheaper than private houses, plus you get the experience of living with a local and sharing a meal with them on some occasions.

  18. Great tips!! I’m totally gonna use them. I particularly like the one about negotiating with the host. I didn’t know that maybe they will consider lowering their prices. Thanks for that!

  19. These are the wonderful pointers to save money on Air BnB. Booking earlier, researching, gift cards and coupon codes surely will make a lot of difference. Flexible with dates however seems tough to us.

  20. Some great tips here Eric – I had no idea that you could potentially negotiate with your Airbnb host, I’ve always just assumed the rate they publish is the final rate. I am thinking about an Airbnb for my upcoming trip to Paris, so might give it a try! x

  21. I love staying in Airbnbs as I can meet local people, but you’re right they’re not always the cheapest! I hadn’t thought about buying gift cards before, that’s a great idea!

  22. It is always a great tip to start looking early for accommodations. Especially if you want to be close to a specific spot. Extending the trip to 7 days is great if you get a discount or weekly rate. The extra fees were a big surprise when we stayed in an AirBNB. And I found the refundable fees sometimes take awhile to process. I will note however that sometimes a spot that looks too good to be true needs to be checked. A friend got a great deal on a place “close to the beach” but the ad did not say the beach was a long walk down a dirt road and them a climb down the hill. Looking for discount coupons is a great idea to help save money.

  23. Booking early is definitely a great tip – I’ve found some amazingly cheap places just because I searched and booked early! 👌🏼 I actually did not know that I could negotiate with the host, that is fantastic! 🤩🤩 All these tips are really helpful, thank you 🙌🏼

  24. Since they ‘invented’ the Airbnb and VRBO I only use them for my lodging needs. Hotels became such a bore! Besides they are so much more expensive. I wish I had known about the Airbnb coupon when I first started using it. I also didn’t realize that I could make some money by referring other people. Thanks for letting me know about all these tricks to save money.

  25. Love the tip for extra fees. At first glance some prices are great. But then when you add the extras, it changes the story completely.
    Yes, the price is important. And after all, Airbnb entered the accommodation market by offering more affordable prices.

  26. These are good tips, sure we you need to pay attention to extra fees, because that is when most people kinda forget and just go all out, connecting with the host also helps, as well as referring people to AirBnb, I don’t know about the be flexible with the dates, but something can be done with that I am sure, I will use these tips for sure during my next trip, thank you for sharing

  27. Great 10 point help with AirBnB. Connecting with host surely helps a lot. Though I find it difficult to be flexible with dates.

  28. AirBnb is a great option in most places, though as you say its’ not 100% of the time. Like anything I suppose. It’s still the number 1 accom site IMO.
    Great list by the way, I think number 5 is particularly relevant and useful – I do this often. For example in London a cheap place can be a few underground stops away from an expensive area. It’s usually well worth staying in the better value area and travelling in!

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