Airbnb Launches New Option for Booking Without Upfront Payment

• Users can book accommodations without paying upfront.
• The option is available only for listings with flexible or moderate cancellation policies.
• Airbnb has experience in the "pay in installments" space since 2018.

This is reported by TechCrunch, TechCrunch, The Verge.

Airbnb introduced a new feature called "Reserve Now, Pay Later," which allows users in the U.S. to book accommodations without paying upfront. This option simplifies the booking process if plans change.

The feature is available for listings with flexible or moderate cancellation policies. The flexible policy allows booking up to 24 hours before check-in, while the moderate policy allows booking without charge up to five days before check-in.

Users must pay the full value of the booking by the end of the grace period without charge. Airbnb will send reminders about the need to make the payment before this deadline.

The company previously promoted the "pay in installments" option since 2018. In 2023, Airbnb partnered with Klarna to allow users to pay for their stay in four installments over six weeks.

According to a survey conducted with Focaldata, 55% of respondents prefer flexible payment options, while 42% indicated that they missed the opportunity to book accommodations due to payment issues with other providers.

Tags: USA/Technology