Have you ever gotten excited about a seemingly cheap Airbnb booking, only to get extra fees added at checkout that made it feel like not such a great deal anymore?
This week, the vacation rental company announced it will include all fees in the total price before you check out from now on.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said on Twitter: “I’ve heard you loud and clear — you feel like prices aren’t transparent and checkout tasks are a pain.”
I’ve heard you loud and clear—you feel like prices aren’t transparent and checkout tasks are a pain. That’s why we’re making 4 changes:
— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) November 7, 2022
1. Starting next month, you’ll be able to see the total price you're paying up front. pic.twitter.com/58zodrzU3g
Potential guests can now see the total price, with all fees before taxes included, in search results, on the map and in filter/listing views.
According to NBC News, the price structuring at Airbnb isn’t changing — it’s just making it more transparent to guests what the charges are and what users can expect to pay in total when booking.
Airbnb reports that 45% of listings worldwide do not include a cleaning fee for the booking, per Business Insider.
Why you won’t have to do chores to check out of Airbnb anymore
Another issue the rental company is hoping to address is the chores that some Airbnb hosts request from guests.
“Some people said they have had to take their trash with them, vacuum, do laundry and even feed farm animals,” USA Today reported.
Airbnb will now give guidelines to hosts about only requesting “reasonable” checkout requests, such as turning off the lights.