airbnb travel for business

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Many travelers book with Airbnb to save on lodging for personal and leisure trips, but it’s equally convenient to use Airbnb for Work. It encourages stronger company culture through team building, local experiences and increased collaboration when traveling — all while saving about 50% on expenses. 

These days, some 700,000 businesses use Airbnb for Work to book spaces. In this guide, we’ll show you how find them, how the program works and why it might be a fit for your company’s travel style.

And although Airbnb doesn’t have a loyalty program, you can earn miles, points or cash back by paying with  the best small business credit cards .

Let’s take a look.

Overview:  What’s Airbnb for Work?

Airbnb for Work  is a dashboard designed for small business travel. It’s a simple but powerful interface that addresses difficulties in booking traditional lodging for teams.

When you sign up as a business, you’ll have access to travel reports, invoices and expense reports. You can even set limits on how much an employee can spend per night — right down to custom limits for specific cities. You can set the maximum at, say, $75 a night in Kansas City and $150 a night in New York or San Francisco.

You’ll save money by not having to pay for multiple rooms as you would with hotels. Instead, you can book a big place with several rooms for one nightly price — which on average is 50% cheaper. Most rentals come with a kitchen, work spaces and a living room, so you’ll also save on eating out and paying for multiple Wi-Fi passes.

Plus, everyone will have their own room for work and sleep and be more available for team meetings, brainstorming sessions and social gatherings.

Many Fortune 500 companies, like Domino’s, Hyundai and PayPal, use Airbnb for Work for team lodging. Airbnb locations are in ~200 countries around the world.

And you can also book a cottage, cabin or castle just to get away for a while.

Advantages of Airbnb for Work

1.  you can save nearly 50% compared to hotels.

In addition to making it easier to book team travel, Airbnb for Work can also save a lot of money. Airbnbs for teams are 49% cheaper on average for travel within the U.S. and can save even more on international lodgings.

Which makes sense because booking multiple hotel rooms can get expensive quickly.  If you can book one place with extra bedrooms, you’re only paying one total cost per night.

2.  Airbnb encourages team building and collaboration

The other advantage to Airbnb for Work is the opportunity to have your team in the same place, but with enough privacy so everyone has their own space.

When you can hang out in the living room, instead of a hotel lobby, your team can bond faster with fewer distractions. And having a full kitchen for meal preparation encourages folks to spend more time in shared spaces.

Plus, you can book  Airbnb Experiences  to arrange shared activities off-site, like sailing, pastry-making classes, a canoe trip and much more.

3.  Airbnb for Work offers a corporate dashboard for travel management

Airbnb knows business travelers need easy ways to book and pay for their stays, keep track of employee spending and generate invoices. The Airbnb for Work dashboard accomplishes this.

The Corporate Dashboard allows you to easily reserve stays for your team, so there’s no need for your employees to book their own reservation. You’re also able to directly reimburse your employees for their paid stays and pay any outstanding invoices related to the stay.

We’ll talk about the dashboard more in a moment.

4.  Airbnb for Work is great for long-term projects or employee relocation

Instead of bland corporate housing, Airbnb for Work can provide long-term accommodations for big projects or employee relocation. In fact, you can usually save even more for a longer booking.

Airbnb offers travelers certain amenities that most hotels simply do not. You’ll have an entire house/apartment to yourself and a full kitchen that’s a welcome convenience for folks who don’t want to eat at a restaurant every day.

5.  Airbnb for Work’s standards and host expectations

Airbnb requires hosts to meet certain standards before their listing will appear as work-ready. Hosts have to ensure:

• Guaranteed constant Wi-Fi
• Laptop-friendly work spaces
• Travel essentials like basic toiletries, iron, hair dryer, and hangers
• Self check-in with a keypad code or lock box
• Flexible and/or free cancellations

In addition to these requirements, each work-friendly listing must have at least an average 4.8 rating (out of 5) and at least five reviews.

Metrics are updated constantly. If a listing fails to meet expectations or falls below standards, it will no longer appear in business travel searches.

How to use Airbnb for Work

To get started, navigate to the Airbnb for Work  website  and click “Sign up.” You’ll have to use a work email, or an email separate from your personal Airbnb account.

You’ll get a verification email with a link to click to confirm it’s the correct email address.

Afterward, you can access and set up your dashboard.

Here, you can:

• Invite employees to book stays through your company’s portal
• Add a company credit card
• Generate invoices
• Track team spending

You can also add employees to groups and designate other admins to approve company travel, if you have a lot of employees.

You can also opt to receive alerts if a stay exceeds a nightly rate. And you can set limits for any specific city, say, $120 for Chicago or $150 for New York City.

This is a useful feature for giving employees more wiggle room in expensive markets. Or making sure they don’t spend too much in cheaper locations.

After you’ve set up your dashboard, you can invite your team members to join. From there, they can start booking their trips any time they log in with their company email address.

Trips will show up automatically in the “Reporting” section of your dashboard. And you can see who booked the trip, where they went, dates of the stay and how much it cost.

The dashboard is laid out simply and easy to use. The advantage of using it is to have everything in one place instead of waiting for each employee to submit expense reports and invoices. Plus, you can add a company credit card so they won’t have to use their own payment methods, which is another way to track spending.

Important considerations

Airbnb for Work is best for business travel involving small groups. If you have 2,000+ employees and want to organize a conference or meeting, you’d definitely want to look elsewhere for that kind of space.

Also, Airbnb isn’t subject to the same safety controls as major hotels, like marked exits, ADA compliance and sprinklers in every room in case of a fire. You’re often staying in a home intended for residential, not commercial, use. Although that provides “homey” space, you might need something with a ramp and an elevator or other special features.

And beware of cancellations. Things can (and do) happen — the heat goes out in winter or a pipe bursts. The landlord can’t move you to another room like in a regular hotel. If there’s a last-monute disaster, it could throw your plans into turmoil, although I’ve personally found Airbnb to be fast and accommodating in the case of emergencies like this.

This can happen in a regular hotel too, of course. For example, when I showed up to a Marriott hotel in Orlando, they told me the water was out on the entire floor — and sent me to another hotel across the street. Or you might arrive at a hotel to find a broken elevator, noisy guests next to your room or loud construction right outside your window (all of these have happened to me).

And hotels undergo frequent renovations. When I arrived at my Hyatt hotel in New Mexico, we had to walk around the entire building to check in because the lobby was closed. So being flexible is important when you travel, not just with Airbnb.

Finally, consider that some communities aren’t welcoming  of Airbnbs and their a constant rotation of new guests. You might experience hostility from neighbors.

If you have any safety concerns, be sure to ask your host. And always trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t question it — just walk away.

Again, that applies to every travel experience. Just know what you’re getting into as much as you can before you show up. Safety first, always.

There’s no loyalty program, but you can still save with the best business credit cards

An Airbnb loyalty program is rumored to be in the works, but until it arrives,  applying for a small-business credit card  allows you to earn valuable welcome bonuses and miles and points on your Airbnb business travel.

Our favorite cards include:

• Ink Business Preferred Credit Card – Best business card overall
• Ink Business Cash Credit Card – Best business card with no annual fee
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express– Best business card for travel and airport lounge access

Check out  the full list of small-business cards . They’re our ticket to award travel — which includes cheap stays through Airbnb, even for business travel.

Bottom line

Airbnb for Work is an easy way to manage team travel, save money on lodging and bring colleagues closer together for team building and collaboration. On average, it’s 49% cheaper within the U.S. to book an Airbnb instead of a traditional hotel.

The dashboard is simple to use and offers organizational features to keep everything in one central hub. When you book through Airbnb for Work, you can expect to find fast Wi-Fi, self check-in, toiletries and flexible cancellation policies.

Airbnbs are usually reliable, but stay flexible in case your host has to cancel because of an emergency or another sudden issue. And it’s not the best option for huge corporations. The ideal client here is a small business team or a solo traveler.

Until Airbnb creates a loyalty program, you can use  the best business credit cards  to earn miles, points and valuable welcome bonuses when you travel.

It’s a viable and money-saving alternative to hotels, especially if you usually book several rooms for your team. In fact, some folks prefer it.

Have you used Airbnb for Work during your business travels? Let us know how it’s helped you and your team.

Meghan Hunter

Contributor

Meghan Hunter is an editor for Million Mile Secrets. She covers points, miles, credit cards, airlines, hotels and general travel. Her work has also appeared in The Points Guy.

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Business travel can be both exciting and challenging. From finding the right accommodation to managing expenses, there are many factors to consider when planning a business trip. In recent years, Airbnb has emerged as a popular option for business travellers. In this blog, we'll explore the benefits of using Airbnb for business travel and how to make the most of the platform when planning your next trip.

Table of Contents

Why Use Airbnb for Business Travel?

• Cost-Effective: One of the main reasons business travellers opt for Airbnb is the cost savings. In many cases, renting a room or an entire apartment through Airbnb can be significantly cheaper than booking a hotel room. This can be especially beneficial for companies looking to cut costs on travel expenses. Additionally, many Airbnb properties come with amenities such as a kitchen and laundry facilities, which can save money on meals and laundry service costs.
• Flexibility: Airbnb offers a wide range of accommodation options, from private rooms to entire apartments. This flexibility allows business travellers to choose the type of accommodation that best suits their needs. For example, if you're traveling alone, a private room may be the best option. But if you're traveling with a team, an entire apartment may be more suitable.
• Local Experience: Staying in a hotel can be a bit isolating, but with Airbnb, you have the opportunity to experience the local culture and neighbourhood. Many Airbnb hosts are happy to share their local knowledge and recommendations, which can make your business trip more enjoyable and productive. Airbnb properties are often located in residential areas, providing business travelers with the opportunity to experience the local culture and neighborhood. This can be a great way to gain a more authentic and immersive experience while on a business trip, and many hosts are happy to provide local tips and recommendations.
• Amenities: Airbnb properties often come with amenities such as a kitchen and laundry facilities, which can be very convenient for business travellers. Having access to a kitchen allows you to prepare your own meals, which can be a great way to save money. And the ability to do your own laundry can be a real lifesaver on longer trips.  

How to Make the Most of Airbnb for Business Travel?

• Research: Before booking your accommodation, take the time to research different properties and read reviews from previous guests. This will help you find a property that meets your needs and has a good reputation.
• Communicate with your host: Before your trip, reach out to your host and let them know what you need. For example, if you need to check in early or need a quiet place to work, let them know. This will help ensure that your stay is as comfortable as possible.
• Take advantage of the app's features: The Airbnb app has a number of features that can make your business trip more efficient. For example, the "Notes" feature allows you to leave important information for your host, such as your arrival time or any special requests. And the "Messages" feature allows you to easily communicate with your host throughout your stay.
• Manage your expenses: Keep track of your expenses by saving your receipts and taking note of any additional costs, such as cleaning fees or extra guests. This will make it easier to manage your expenses and submit your travel expenses report when you return.
• Safety and security: It's important to ensure your safety and security during your stay. Research the neighbourhood, check the property's security features and make sure you have a way to contact the host or Airbnb support in case of an emergency.
• Business travel policies: Some companies have policies in place for their employees' business travel. Before booking your accommodation, make sure you are aware of your company's policies, and if necessary, get approval from your employer.
• How to handle last-minute changes: Business travel can be unpredictable and plans may change last-minute, it's important to have a plan in case of any changes. Airbnb's flexible cancellation policy can help in this situation, but it's always a good idea to have a backup plan in case of any unexpected changes.

How to Choose the Right Airbnb Property

• Location: When choosing a property, consider the location and its proximity to your business meetings or events. It's best to choose a property that's in a safe and convenient location, close to public transportation or within walking distance to your destination.
• Space: Consider the size of the property and the number of guests it can accommodate. For business trips, it's often best to choose a property that offers separate sleeping and living areas, as well as a workspace.
• Amenities: Check the property's amenities and make sure they meet your needs. For example, if you need a property with a kitchen or laundry facilities, look for properties that have these amenities.
• Reviews: Read reviews from previous guests to get an idea of what to expect from the property and the host. Pay attention to comments about the cleanliness, communication, and location of the property.

Making the most of your stay

Even if you are traveling for a short duration, you need to make the most of your trip. Here are three ways you can achieve that:

• Utilise the space: Make use of the property's amenities to make your stay more comfortable. For example, if the property has a kitchen, prepare your own meals to save money. And if it has laundry facilities, take advantage of them to keep your clothes clean and fresh.
• Take advantage of the host's local knowledge: Your host can be a great resource for information about the local area. Ask them for recommendations on restaurants, transportation, and things to do.
• Stay organised: Keep your business documents and travel itinerary organised and easily accessible. This will help you stay on top of your schedule and be more productive during your stay.

Tips for having a successful business trip with Airbnb

• Be prepared : Before your trip, make sure you have all the necessary information and documents, such as your business cards, travel itinerary, and contact information for your host.
• Communicate with your host: Reach out to your host before your trip to discuss your needs and any special requests. This will help ensure that your stay is as comfortable and productive as possible.
• Set boundaries : If you need a quiet place to work, let your host know. If you need privacy, let them know that too.
• Pack smartly: Pack what you need for your business trip, but also pack what you will need to make your stay comfortable.

How to handle issues or complications during your stay?

Complications can arise during any part of your trip, so you need to make sure you are at the top of your game. 

• Contact your host: If you encounter any issues or complications during your stay, reach out to your host. They will be able to help you resolve any problems and ensure that your stay is as comfortable as possible.
• Contact Airbnb support : If your host is unable to help, or if the issue is serious, contact Airbnb support. They will be able to provide assistance and help you find a solution.

How to optimise your business travel budget with Airbnb?

• Compare prices: Compare prices of Airbnb properties with hotels and other accommodation options to ensure you're getting the best deal.
• Book in advance: Book your accommodation well in advance to take advantage of early bird discounts and lower prices.
• Choose shared accommodation: If you're traveling alone, consider booking a shared room instead of a private room or entire apartment. This can be a great way to save money.
• Use the app's features: Take advantage of the app's features, such as "notes" and "messages", to communicate with your host and manage your expenses.

Airbnb has become a popular choice for business travellers due to its cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and local experience. By taking the time to research properties, communicate with your host, take advantage of the app's features, and manage your expenses, you can make the most of your business trip with Airbnb. 

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Airbnb vs Hotel Accommodation for Business Travel

Today’s business travelers may find themselves weighing the pros and cons of Airbnb vs hotel stays when planning trips for work.

It’s undeniable that Airbnb has made a notable impact on business travel itineraries. Certify , an automated travel and expense management software, has tracked Airbnb’s exponential growth over time, noting in its 2017 report that work travel bookings on Airbnb have multiplied by two every year since 2014. Yet, while Airbnb is gaining traction in the road warrior community, hotels still dominate business travel expense reports. In fact, when it comes to pinning down what’s so appealing about Airbnb vs hotel stays for business travelers, you’ll find that one isn’t necessarily better than the other. Rather, they each meet different and unique needs of work travel.

Airbnb Top Amenities

Airbnb’s unique benefits check off a lot of boxes that business travelers may not have even known they needed, expanding the way we travel for business. These are just a few highlights of Airbnb stays:

• Cozy spaces & additional facilities

Healthy Eating

Value for Money

• Travel with coworkers or long-term

Cozy Spaces & Additional Facilities

Obviously, Airbnb gets a gold medal in the atmosphere department. More and more travelers are forgoing bland, one-room hotel accommodations for spacious and cozy Airbnbs. With home touches and additional facilities, like kitchen access and secluded work spaces, we understand why.

Since most Airbnbs provide guests with access to some type of cooking facilities, business travelers can stop eating out for every single meal. It will save the corporate card a few bucks, and will save the traveler a few calories. Instead of a quick fast-food stop between meetings or a heavy dinner from the hotel restaurant, road warriors can prepare everything from snacks to lunch as though they’re in their own home.

In general, Airbnb will get you more bang for your buck, and often at lower prices. While budget hotel prices do rival those of Airbnbs, the expanded amenities available in the latter accommodation make the choice obvious. And so long as you aren’t renting out an apartment with unnecessary extras, you should, for the most part, be saving money with Airbnb.

Travel with Coworkers or Long-Term

For single person, short-term trips, road warriors can comfortably weigh their options for Airbnb vs hotel accommodations. But when it comes to other types of business travel, like trips that require multiple team members or long-term stays, Airbnb is almost always the better option. Splitting an apartment with two or three bedrooms beats expensing multiple hotel rooms, and week-long conferences are better spent in a space where you can feel at home.

Tried & True Hotel Benefits

There’s still much to love about hotel stays for business travel:

• Rewards programs
• Guaranteed Privacy
• Transport connections

Rewards Programs

One area of hotel amenities that Airbnb has yet to match is loyalty programs. While an Airbnb rewards system is slated to be introduced sometime in the future, it is unknown how connected their program will be compared to that of hotel brands.

Popular chains like Marriott and Hilton are partnered with top names across the travel industry. Rewards can be earned and transferred across bookings with partnered airlines, car rental companies, restaurants and more. For frequent travelers, this type of flexibility will be tough to match.

Airbnb may own the food realm of a healthy travel lifestyle, but hotels have an edge when it comes to exercise. As most come equipped with fitness facilities, travelers have an opportunity to get in a holistic workout before or after a day of meetings.  While running and packing lightweight fitness gear is always a good fallback, the range of equipment provided onsite by hotel gyms may simply be more convenient.

With Airbnb, you can rent out a few types of accommodations, and business travelers will likely opt for entire apartments or a private room in a home shared with the host. For the latter option, private rooms may come with shared bathrooms and other facilities. You’re not guaranteed privacy with every Airbnb booking, and sometimes the cost of your own apartment can mean hotel-level prices.

Transport Connections

From airport shuttles to nearby public transit options, accommodations built for travelers are generally better situated to connect guests with the surrounding area. With Airbnb, work travelers will have to make sure they’re within walking distance of their meetings or that a bus stop is nearby. Regardless, both will likely require a few Lyft or Uber rides.

Where Both Airbnb & Hotels Make a Splash

For the moment, there’s no huge Airbnb vs. hotel competition in regards to these amenities:

• Flexible check-in and check-out times

Overall Wellness

Some hotels do still charge for Internet access in room, whereas most average humans have Wifi in their homes and are willing to extend that access to Airbnb guests. However, wherever Internet isn’t available in a hotel, its loyalty program benefits will probably make up for it, providing members with unlimited access across the property.

Flexible Check-In/Out

When it comes to flexible check-in and check-out times, it’s typically on a case by case basis for both accommodations. Airbnb hosts will occasionally let you in or out at your desired time, depending on when the previous guests have left. Some hosts may even designate a checkout time of noon, whereas most hotels will kick you out by 11. But again, hotel rewards systems will often provide additional benefits like flexible check-in/out, so for the moment, it’s still pretty even.

In the end, when it comes to your well-being on the road, both Airbnbs and hotels have benefits and drawbacks that may simply come down to your personal preference. Whip up a healthy meal in your host’s kitchen, or take advantage of the weights provided in the hotel gym. You can always compensate for missing amenities with a jog, healthy restaurant visit, and more.

Have something to say about Airbnb vs hotel accommodations for business travel? Comment and share your experience with each!

Business Travel Life

Business Travel Life is an online resource supporting the road warrior lifestyle. We give business travelers the tools they need to maintain their wellness and productivity when traveling. The topics we cover include business travel tips, travel workouts, healthy travel hacks, travel products, general travel tips, and industry trends. Our goal is to make business travel a healthier experience – and to make healthy travel practices more accessible to all road warriors.

Mellisa Pascale

Mellisa is a writer and traveler. She’s studied in London, backpacked in Europe, and road-tripped around Iceland. Most recently, her travels took her to New Zealand, where she worked and volunteered while participating in the Working Holiday Visa program.

Business Travel 101: Avis Preferred

Business travel 101: admirals club.

As someone who tags along on her spouse’s business travel while working remotely, the home-like atmosphere of an Airbnb is very attractive. The wifi is often better as well. Hotels are nice for short vacation breaks. In addition to the workout facilities, the one thing that can’t be beat with a nice hotel is there is often a pool. An early morning swim is a singular pleasure.

Hi Deb, Thanks for your comment. That is a great point. I am sure Airbnb is much more comfortable for working remotely!

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Get your Airbnb ‘Business Travel Ready’

Business travel is one of Airbnb’s major growth areas and as an Airbnb host, the business market is a lucrative one to tap into. But why? The potential for long-term bookings and higher rates are just a couple of reasons why hosts are aiming it. GuestReady guides you.

Why business travellers for your Airbnb?

Airbnb’s Jonathan Liebtag commented on the massive business market for the company, saying Airbnb is “up to 30%” cheaper than booking hotels. Business is a define growth area; even business guests want more unique and spacious accommodation for their trips now and the savings for the companies paying are also compelling.

Business travellers are looking for a new approach to travel; they no longer want to on their own in a cookie-cutter hotel room, they want the opportunity to immerse themselves in the area they are travelling to fully.

They usually stay longer

Business guests usually stay longer – so instead of a weekend break – it’s more likely to be for the week. This is a major benefit for Airbnb hosts , meaning less work on their side and having more mid to long-term stays makes organisation and transactions smoother and more seamless. Being Business Travel Ready as a host is key for these bookings.

Businesses will book regardless of higher rates

Business guests usually have bigger budgets than your average traveller as they are using company dollars.

So if you are finding it hard to get leisure guests during more expensive periods, then business guests won’t have the same expenditure issues – meaning you get a booking over that period anyway.

Companies are now seeing the huge savings when using Airbnb instead of hotels, especially for team travel.

“Airbnb Business guests usually have bigger budgets than the average traveller – so get your listing ‘Business Ready’!”

There’s likely to be less damage than leisure guests

If someone is a business guest, it’s most likely that the space will be left in better condition than most leisure guests with children or party people. The focus is work and not play, which makes Jack a dull boy but makes an Airbnb host a happy one. It’s a win-win.

How do you attract business travelers?

How do you get your Airbnb ‘verified’ or open it for business travelers? Here’s the skinny: Business Travel Ready listings must be an entire home or apartment and the correct property type (see the list on Airbnb including houses, flats, villas, etc).

The listing must be non-smoking and there must be no pets.  If a pet usually lives at the house, hosts must ensure it is fully cleaned before the business guest arrives, to cater to any guests sensitivities or allergies.

Every abode must have at least 3 star rated reviews and responded to 90% of booking requests within 24 hours over the last year, to be eligible for Business Travel Ready status.  They must also have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors; Airbnb can provide these for free .

Other amenities that should be included for business are WiFi, a workspace, self check-in (a key lock box, keypad, smart lock or doorman), essentials such as toilet paper, clean towels and linen), hangers, a hair dryer and iron and shampoo.

In short, your listing will need:

• Wireless Internet
• A laptop-friendly workspace
• Self check-in (this includes a key lockbox, doorman, keypad, or smartlock)
• A smoke detector
• A carbon monoxide detector
• Essentials (toilet paper, clean towels, and fresh linens)
• A hair dryer

In addition to that, going the extra mile with some not-so-standard Airbnb amenities does wonders for your overall guest rating.

Cancellations

Hosts may not cancel any business reservations within 7 days and if a host breaches this rule they cannot be Business Travel Ready for year. Does your Airbnb listing have the Business Travel Ready check-mark already?

Get help from GuestReady

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How to Target Business Travelers on Airbnb

Business travelers could become a staple for your Airbnb unit.  Find out how to attract them to your unit and whether you should even target the in the first place.

Location Matters

Convenience is key to a corporate traveler and nobody can argue with renting a room two blocks from the conference room he needs to be at for an early 8AM meeting, especially while still jet lagged.

For busy corporate travelers, the last thing they want to do when flying into a new city is having to spend additional time with long commutes when they’ve already flown in from somewhere else.

If you have a house in the rural suburbs an hour or two away from the closest city, you may want to consider advertising your space for a different type of renter…not a business person.

If your unit is in the city and centrally located near where business travelers are already traveling to, then you’re well position to succeed with business travelers.

Relevant Amenities

While location may be the most important factor in hosting corporate travelers, it isn’t the only one. Consider how you are advertising your space.

These clients are giving up hotel rooms in exchange for a clean, private space that beats living out of a suitcase in a hotel for a few days.

Make your part of your client’s trip the least stressful and the least amount of work for them.

Lacking any of the basics a business traveler would need just creates an additional hurdle to booking a stay with you.  A small investment here can go a long way.

Many of these travelers want something other than a standard hotel, but want the comfort of a hotel with things like  free WiFi , a coffeemaker , and a washer and dryer.  They also want SIMPLE check ins and outs.

While it’s true that these clients aren’t looking for a just a home…they want a work space.

Other amenities you should consider including are:

• Work desk  with a chair
• working all-in-one fax machine/scanner/printer
• Outlet strips
• Wireless keyboard and mouse
• Easy parking

If you want to take it the extra mile, have a few spare phone or laptop chargers.

Narrow Your Target

You may also want to consider what type of business client you are looking to attract.

Are you in Silicon Valley looking to rent to techies?

New York City looking to rent to those in the fashion industry?

DC looking for somebody in politics?

Whatever you are searching for, cater to their SPECIFIC needs. Give your client a list of industry-specific areas of interest he or she might want to visit in their off time and have appropriate products.

Just ask your guests the nature of your guest’s travel and they will usually share a few details with you.  This is a gold mine of help.

Each industry has different needs so a little up front due diligence into your target audience will allow you to deliver a far more memorable and compelling experience to your guests. Know your city, know your guest’s industry, and know how the two connect.

Value Pricing

In addition, business travelers using Airbnb are usually also motivated by value.

They’re on Airbnb looking for something convenient, different, but also just a better value than the typical hotel offerings.

So price your rental wisely – price your unit properly versus hotel offerings and in such a way that it encourages travelers to stay the entire work week so you still have the weekends available for leisure travelers.

You can set nightly, weekly, or monthly rates but for the corporate traveler it may be wisest to go with a nightly or weekly rate.

Don’t Forget the Basics

As with any other Airbnb listing, be sure to know the state and local laws concerning your endeavor . Do you need a permit? Do you need to pay rental income taxes? What is the maximum length another person can stay? Do you have to share the space with them?

You should also be aware of your property insurance as well as Airbnb’s in case anything goes awry – while Airbnb can insure a host up to $1,000,000, that cost does not include cash, rare artwork, jewelry, pets, and more. Know what you are dealing with and know how to protect yourself .

Finally, just be a good host.

Advertise truthfully, respond quickly, and make yourself available to your traveler whenever he might need you.

Flexibility and hospitality go a long way in this business, so be at your kindest and the people you host will spread the good word.

Business travelers often travel regularly to the same spot so a satisfying and reliable experience could easily mean repeat bookings for you.

Get started with Airbnb Business Travel

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I feel a bed never looks complete without a head board and they are so easy to make. What do you think? We have an ex hotel furniture store which we visit I have also purchase headboards from them and recovered them.

The continental pillow also help to give a finished look to the bed. I am always changing my rooms making improvement. But I have not kept my photos up to date.

I think headboards are beneficial. I add some decorative pillows. It’s good to make it comfortable and homelike so it’s not just like a hotel. I have some examples of what I do in my pictures.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/28718670?s=67&shared_item_type=1&virality_entry_point=1&sharer_id=206982415

As a self-employed person who travels for business and pleasure, I have only just discovered that there is a business travel option on Airbnb. I came across the above thread looking for more info. The basics are well covered above (and I love the comment about continental pillows!). I personally received a really horrible personalised review from one Airbnb host (not advertising for work travel) but this whole experience below reads like a catalogue of what not to do, esp for people arriving late at night, and I would probably say women in particular, so for anyone looking out for what not to do: 1. Have two different addresses (i. on Airbnb, and ii. a different one that you give the person for the apartment very shortly before meeting). This immediately makes someone feel unsafe – particularly as a woman late at night; 2. Invite someone to dinner during post-booking arrangement-making; 3. Not have the apartment clean (or ready) – despite protracted texts over the weekend before for arrangements; 4. Give misleading material info on the advert, that impacts sleeping comfort, especially people arriving late and potentially with jetlag. In this case size and bed (advertised as 15m2, it was 10m2 but a platform bed up a steep ladder was counted as 5m2. I had limited time booking, I certainly would not book a ‘top bunk’ and do not recall this being advertised); 5. Want/expect a social event, and then feel annoyed and act vindictively when this is not the case. If you’ve been up since 04.30 (as in my case) – you might want to get there, feel safe, go to bed, minimum talk. It’s not a sign someone is not a nice person, they may just be on ‘power save’ – i.e. saving energy after a big day and not enough sleep; 6. My own fault was my phone running out of batteries and then fiddling round in a dark place trying to plug in USB for charging, but that situation was made materially worse by being worried about the address discrepancy and what I’d let myself in for.

The upshot was the horrible personal review (clearly, in my view, thinking he would get in first given the parlous state of his apartment and what he thought I might write). This host was not advertising for work-related trips (although I’d made it clear in the original booking that I was coming for a conference with late arrival), the impact of his review is that I’m almost certainly never going to be able to book work-related travel in that City again, so everyone loses out.

The purpose of writing this, is that having discovered there is Airbnb business travel, many of the factors that led to that bad experience would have been avoided in a more ‘professional’ set up and I will look into this as a good option for the future.

Free and fast internet access is the most important aspect to get business travelers, followed by work space, enough lighting to work, and available transportation. If the property is located near main road then it will need to have good sound proof so people can get a good rest after a tiring business trip.

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Signing your company up to Airbnb for Work

Joining Airbnb for Work makes it easy to book and manage company travel, with access to listings around the world for short or extended business travel. If you manage your employer’s travel or human resources department, you can enrol your company in Airbnb for Work.

Enrol your company

First, fill in the contact form . Our team will determine if your company qualifies for a corporate account.

Set up your company's account

Next, you’ll need to confirm your email address. When you do, you’ll get access to the Airbnb for Work dashboard where you can:

• Invite your employees to the Airbnb for Work programme.
• Add your company’s credit card. This gives your colleagues an easy way to pay for any work trips they book on Airbnb.

Use an existing Airbnb account to manage your company’s travel

You can access your Airbnb for Work dashboard with an existing Airbnb account. Invite employees, check upcoming and active trips, review itineraries and more.

Add colleagues to your company's account

Your unique Airbnb for Work invite page makes it easy for you to invite your employees . After they sign up, they can book places to stay for work trips.

Add an admin or trip planner

Once your employee accepts the invitation and is on board, you can change their role and give them more responsibilities, such as making them an admin or a trip planner.

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Joining your company’s airbnb for work account, joining airbnb as a company or managing company info on an account.

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New York Cracked Down on Airbnb One Year Ago. NYC Housing Is Still a Mess

It’s been one year since New York enacted a law that barred most whole-apartment rentals for short-term stays on platforms like Airbnb. Since then, the number of stays under 30 days has plummeted in the city, but Airbnb is raising questions about whether the lawmakers’ stated goals—lowering rents and opening up apartments for full-time residents—have been achieved.

Airbnb fought New York’s Local Law 18 in court, calling it a “ de facto ban ” on the platform, but failed to block it. Now, the company is asking New York to reconsider. In a recent post , the company called the outcomes of the law “predictable.” In the city, rent prices remain high and housing availability low; hotel prices have seen small increases, too. “The data is showing the law isn’t working,” Theo Yedinsky, vice president of public policy at Airbnb, tells WIRED. “We’re asking for what I think are pretty reasonable, sensible changes.”

The law only allows people to rent out rooms in their homes to two guests for stays shorter than 30 nights, and requires hosts to register their apartments with the city. For stays under 30 nights, hosts must be home. (Entire apartments and homes can still be found on platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com, but must be rented for 30 nights or longer.) Yedinsky says Airbnb is calling for New York to let people rent out their full primary residence when they’re away for short periods of time, and to undo a regulation mandating that there be no locks on internal doors.

When New York passed the law, it was seen by many as a test case for ways to rein in short-term rentals. Other cities around the world have grappled with how to regulate rentals, which can bring noise and parties, and may siphon off housing for locals to tourists. (In 2022, more apartments were listed on Airbnb than were available for long-term lease in New York. Many of those listings were illegal, but the city lacked an enforcement mechanism until last year.) This summer, Barcelona went even further than New York, announcing that all short-term rentals will be barred from the city come late 2028 .

Those opposing the law say the regulations are onerous. They block not just megalandlords, but many one- and two-family homeowners from making spare income to offset their own housing costs. In the days after the law took effect, the number of short-term rentals on Airbnb fell by 15,000 , a nearly 70 percent drop. The impact has been most dramatic outside of Manhattan. Some neighborhoods in surrounding boroughs have seen the number of short-term rental listings drop by 90 percent since the law took effect, according to data analytics firm AirDNA .

As of July, in New York there were just over 5,000 short-term rentals on Airbnb, but more than 32,000 stays available for 30 or more nights, according to Inside Airbnb , a housing advocacy group that tracks the platform. Those figures suggest that many short-term stays haven’t been converted to yearlong leases, but instead remain on Airbnb as mid-length stays.

The law hasn’t appeared to provide relief to New York renters either. The median rent in New York is down by about $100 a month compared to August 2023, according to Zillow . But the average rent has increased about $100 year over year, according to Apartments.com , and now sits at nearly $3,900 for a one-bedroom apartment.

A report from real estate firm Douglas Elliman found that average rent in July was down around 7 percent compared to the prior year across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and parts of Queens, but attributed these changes to a “continued pattern” of rentals on the market getting smaller (in Manhattan, the price per square foot rose to the second-highest price on record in the borough).

Hotels have seen a small bump in rates in the past year. In July, average daily hotel room rates were up about 2 percent year over year, according to CoStar, which tracks commercial real estate data. The law also had an unintended effect: sending visitors to neighboring New Jersey, where demand for short-term rentals jumped .

In response to questions about the impact of the law, Christian Klossner, executive director of the Office of Special Enforcement, which handles the short-term rental registrations, claims that Local Law 18 has led to a massive reduction in illegal short-term rental listings and informs short-term rental operators on how to host legally. “This program has been pivotal in protecting the city’s housing stock from illicit activity and keeping New Yorkers safe.”

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Airbnb adjusts ratings, reviews so homes match expectations

Airbnb warned that macroeconomic trends and geopolitical conflicts may impact demand.

Airbnb, Booking.com will benefit from surge in travel demand: Mark Mahaney

Evercore ISI senior managing director Mark Mahaney analyzes three rising travel stocks on 'Varney & Co.'

Airbnb enhanced its home review and rating page after seeing that too many homes weren't meeting guest expectations.

The company rolled out app upgrades Wednesday that focus, in large part, on making the page more thorough and easier to read, so users have a better sense of what to expect. Airbnb admitted that many people prefer hotels because they know what they're going to get. 

Previously, its ratings page provided guests with limited information, Airbnb said. It was also hard for guests to find reviews that were relevant to them. 

AIRBNB CRACKS DOWN ON FAKE LISTINGS

"People often describe checking into an Airbnb as a ‘moment of truth’ – when you find out if the home you booked meets your expectations," CEO Brian Chesky said in a statement. "Too often, it doesn’t."  

Brian Chesky, co-founder and chief executive officer of Airbnb, at the Italian Tech Week event in Turin, Italy, on Sept. 28, 2023. (Giuliano Berti/Bloomberg via / Getty Images)

With Airbnb's redesigned ratings page, reviews will have more information about the reviewer and their trip such as their length of stay, where they are from and who they traveled with. Users will also be able to sort reviews by recency or rating. They will also be able to better read the number of positive and negative reviews a home has received through a chart that shows the distribution of reviews from one to five stars. 

Airbnb also launched a new tab called Guest Favorites, which consists of 2 million most-loved homes on Airbnb based on ratings, reviews and reliability data, according to the company.  

"We had all that data but hadn't put it to use," Jay Carney, Airbnb global head of policy and communications, told FOX Business. "What this allowed us to do was basically address the reliability question." 

AIRBNB PROFIT JUMPS, BOOKINGS SLOW AS COMPANY NUDGES HOSTS TO LOWER PRICES

A new feature called the Listings Tab is a set of tools that lets hosts showcase the specific details about their listing such as amenities and sleeping arrangements. They can also create an AI-powered photo tour that organizes photos by room and helps users understand a home's layout. 

In 2021, the company started rolling out product launches twice a year to address the feedback it received on how to improve Airbnb, which reported its first profitable full year in 2022. 

An Airbnb logo displayed on a smartphone (Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto via / Getty Images)

It's made more than 350 new features and upgrades to its core service in order to enhance user experience and boost usage. 

Prices, though, are still a big concern for users. Among the app upgrades, Airbnb made it easier for hosts to track local pricing trends, so they can adjust their pricing in line with the market. Prices host set will now show service fees, so they can see exactly what guests are paying.  

"Our hosts who are out there in the world are often just individuals or families. They don't necessarily have access to that data or know how to find it," Carney said. "If we help them with that, I think we'll keep prices reasonable and affordable." 

Pricing tools that Airbnb previously launched already helped with keeping costs reasonable, he noted. 

But its latest upgrades come on the heels of concerns regarding macroeconomic conditions and geopolitical conflicts that could impact business. 

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"We are seeing greater volatility early in Q4, and are closely monitoring macroeconomic trends and geopolitical conflicts that may impact travel demand," Airbnb said in a shareholder letter last week. 

Revenue rose 18% to $3.4 billion in Airbnb's third quarter, slightly above analyst expectations. 

Bookings during the period rose 14% year over year to more than 113 million. Airbnb expects that nights booked will "moderate" relative to the third quarter. 

The company forecast fourth-quarter revenue of $2.13 billion to $2.17 billion, weaker than analysts' estimates of $2.18 billion.

Booking your business travel

Do you have a colleague who typically books travel for you? Invite them to book for you on Airbnb! Company trip planners can book business travel on your behalf using a company payment method.

When they do, you’ll receive a notification about the requested reservation, which you can accept or deny.

Invite a travel booker

• Confirm your company has enrolled in Airbnb for Work
• Add your work email address to your profile 
• Change your booking permissions to allow others to book trips for you
• Go to Booking permissions
• Under Booking permissions , choose Manage
• Enter the email address of the person you’d like to invite, then click Send Request

The person will receive an email invitation. When they accept your request, you’ll receive an email confirmation.

Related articles

How to use business travel if your company isn’t enrolled in airbnb for work, marking a booking as a business trip, giving employees access to your airbnb for work dashboard.

Banned in nyc: Airbnb One Year Later

Local Law 18 hasn’t yet led to a significant amount of additional long-term housing in NYC and hotels are thriving. But small-time hosts have lost a key source of income. Modifications, and a more balanced approach, are needed.

Published September 1, 2024

Malaika nearly wiped out her retirement savings a decade ago to make a downpayment on a two-family home in Brooklyn’s Ocean Hill neighborhood.

To make the math work, Malaika planned to rent out the downstairs apartment while living upstairs with her two sisters, one of whom purchased the home with her. But skittish about taking on long-term renters who might turn into hard-to-evict squatters, Malaika (not her real name) put the apartment on Airbnb.

She prided herself on giving her guests, many from foreign countries, an affordable stay in a place filled out with African pillows, masks and mud cloths, and the opportunity to experience an authentic piece of the city. “I say in my listing this is the real Brooklyn. If you don’t want to stay in the real Brooklyn, this is not the place for you,” Malaika says. “New York City is a place of grit and culture, and guests had a real appreciation for that.”

Everything was going well for her — and many other short-term rental hosts. She quit her job in 2022 as a healthcare administrator to focus on real estate investing. “I did that with the idea that my two-family home would support me in doing so,” Malaika says. “Little did I know that on the horizon, New York City, the Office of Special Enforcement, and the mayor had a very different plan for me.”

Everything changed one year ago – on September 5, 2023 – when New York City began enforcing Local Law 18.

This host registration law limits stays of fewer than 30 days to two guests, requires that there be no locks on internal doors, and that hosts be physically present during the reservation. Owners of one- and two-family homes can register as hosts only if they want to stay together in the same unit as their guests. They otherwise are restricted to listing their homes for stays of 30 days or longer, which doesn’t require registrations.

When the law went into effect, Malaika turned the apartment downstairs into a mid-term rental, but it often sits empty. And when her sisters moved out, Malaika converted one of the upstairs units into a short-term rental, which is permissible because she’s living there during guest reservations.

Malaika says she has lost about $2,400 in monthly income, nearly a 30% drop.

Gia Sharp, a homeowner and co-founder of RHOAR , which seeks a pause in enforcement and an exemption from the registration law for one- and two-family homeowners, says some members of the group are doing even worse. Sharp says one homeowner, with nowhere else to turn, lived in his car over the summer because he had to rent out his place so he wouldn’t lose it. Other members have moved in with family.

Regarding her own 110-year-old two-family home in Brooklyn, Sharp, who is a consultant, says since Local Law 18 kicked in, she’s had a few month-long stays in her upstairs unit, and one reservation was for a few months. “There’s definitely a few mortgage payments for income that I’m doing without, which is insane. I definitely can’t afford to replace my windows, which is thousands of dollars.”

Skift has been following efforts to crackdown on short-term rentals for more than 10 years. Those efforts have been intensifying, but New York’s experiment is among the most extreme and its impact shows what other cities can expect as they consider new regulations.

The goal of the law was to put illegal hotels out of business, to increase the supply of affordable housing and to improve the safety and quality of life for city residents who found themselves living alongside strangers and house parties.

The impact? Airbnb’s NYC business has nosedived, individual hosts have had to hustle to make mortgage payments or pay rent, while some condo owners keep earning money from short-term rentals without disruption because of a loophole in the law. Also, a black market for short-term rentals emerged that provides few, if any, protections for guests.

At the same time, the city’s hotel industry is booming, the local tourism board projects an increase in visitors this year, and the median asking rents in the five boroughs have risen less than 1%. However, rent for a one-bedroom apartment has soared to a record $4,500 per month. It’s impossible to measure how much of those outcomes is attributable to the new law because there are other factors at play. 

New York’s Long Battle Against Short-Term Rentals

New York has been battling short-term rentals for at least a decade-and-a half.

In 2011, New York State passed the Multiple Dwelling Law, which banned stays in apartment buildings for fewer than 30 days unless the permanent resident was present. Airbnb, which had fought the law, didn’t change its listings policies after the law went into effect. Hosts were subject to fines, but they weren’t required to register with authorities.

In 2013, a Skift story pointed out that thousands of Airbnb listings were illegal under the law.

In 2021, the New York City Council adopted Local Law 18, which wouldn’t become effective for two more years. A Prohibited Buildings List now enables landlords in big apartment buildings to block short-term rentals.

The law also required platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com to ensure that all listings have valid registration numbers and to provide host data to the city. They face significant fines for non-compliance. An Airbnb spokesperson said last week that it has not been penalized to date.

In the interim, Airbnb, which was the largest short-term rental platform in the Big Apple, has seen its business in the city decimated, although the company won’t detail the financials.

Analytics firm AirDNA found that the number of Airbnb listings in the five boroughs for stays of fewer than 30 nights — which is the primary way people travel — fell 83% from July 2023 through July 2024. That’s a drop from 21,900 listings in the run-up to the host registration law versus just 3,700 a year later.

However, Airbnb’s overall listings – including those for 30 or more nights – are down only 24%. “Many of those listings [for stays of 1-29 nights] immediately switched to allowing longer stays, 30 nights or longer, which have subsequently seen a 29% increase over the past year,” says Jamie Lane, AirDNA’s chief economist.

So if the city’s goal was to convert short-term rental listings into long-term leases, that hasn’t happened in a very significant way.

The outer boroughs, where the hotel footprint is relatively light, were particularly hard hit. “The impact on the city hasn’t been even, with a range of impacts on short-term rental listings for stays of less than 30 nights down the most in submarkets throughout the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens with many submarkets down more than 90% year-over-year,” Lane says.

Author of Local Law 18 Speaks Out

Former City Council member Ben Kallos told Skift that he’s proud of Local Law 18, which he wrote in 2021.

“It’s good to see evidence that the number of short-term rentals in NYC has been decreased by the law I authored,” says Kallos. “This morning 33,255 children woke up in a homeless shelter and it makes me angry to learn that bad actors would rather leave their homes vacant in hopes of commanding hotel prices for 30-day stays than just renting their homes at market rates to families and children in desperate need of housing.”

Still, Kallos says the language of Local Law 18 was purposely silent on whether a host needed to be present during a stay, how many guests would be allowed, or the number of units that would be permissible. Those details were left up to the city to regulate, he says.

“I think what I was hoping to target were the Airbnb hosts who had — not one or two units — but hundreds of units,” Kallos says. “There was one person who had 400 units, and that person was in a place to have more units than some Marriott hotels or Hilton hotels.”

Kallos added that he’s “puzzled” by how few hosts have been able to register, and he hopes the city would close a loophole that enables condo owners in Class B buildings to keep offering their units as short-term rentals without the host having to be present or any limitation on the number of guests.

For example, while small-time hosts in many cases have had to shutter their short-term rental businesses, Sonder, which operates short-term rentals in Class B buildings, cited New York City as one of its five top markets last year.

Office of Special Enforcement Points to ‘Massive Reduction’ in Illegal Listings

As of August 26, the city’s Office of Special Enforcement, which processes registration applications and imposes penalties for violations, granted 2,498 registration applications and denied 2,542. So it has denied more applications than approved. Another 1,612 were returned to applicants for additional information or corrections.

Criticized for being very slow to process applications in the run-up to and the early days of the law’s implementation, the OSE has made a determination on 99.7% of applications. That includes those returned to hosts for corrections or additional data.

“The Short-Term Rental Registration program has been pivotal in protecting the city’s housing stock from illicit activity and keeping New Yorkers safe,” Christian Klossner, the OSE’s executive director, told Skift in June. “The implementation of the registration law led to a massive reduction in illegal short-term rental listings. It has also supported local short-term rental operators in understanding legal hosting practices. Lastly, LL18 has effectively prevented the misuse of thousands of permanent housing units for illegal short-term rentals.”

So why are so few hosts registered to offer short-term stays in the city?

As this OSE video details, hosts must not only provide identification documents, portions of their lease, and listing information, but they must also certify that they comply with zoning rules, the Multiple Dwelling law, as well as housing maintenance, construction, and building codes, for example. The nonrefundable application fee is $145.

Stanley McIntosh, a retired FEMA employee who’s in his 70s, and his wife Rosalinda Cooper, had been offering a garden-level apartment as a short-term rental in Harlem since around 2017, mostly on Vrbo. It’s part of the brownstone where they live and it has been in the family since 1938.

But for them, the registration process and new rules were too complicated.

“I was going to put in an application but the changes and the stuff you had to do would not have worked at all,” McIntosh says. “It’s crazy. The goal is just to discourage. Even if your two-family has a separate apartment, you have to be there all the time that they’re renting. It’s not like you can leave, go away and come back.”

After the law went into effect, McIntosh initially changed the listing to stays for 30 days or more, and now the couple is trying to figure out what to do next. He says the income hit means he can still pay his mortgage, but the couple can’t save like they used to.

Airbnb’s Take on Local Law 18

Theo Yedinsky, Airbnb’s vice president of public policy, says Local Law 18 hasn’t achieved its aims.

“What we said, based on experience in dealing with thousands of other cities around the world, and the data started to show this, is that it would not reduce rent prices, it would not reduce home prices, it would not increase vacancy rates, and that it would move the activity underground,” Yedinsky says.

He said it’s a misconception to think if you remove a listing off Airbnb, that it automatically turns into long-term housing. “It assumes every Airbnb that is listed on the platform is not lived in, is not a primary residence, isn’t a room, and is listed all the time, which is fundamentally not true.”

NYC Hotels the Top-Performing Major Market in the U.S.

For a variety of factors, including Local Law 18 and the fact that 16,000 hotel rooms have been taken off the market and have been used to house migrants and the homeless, the New York City hotel industry has had a banner year so far in 2024.

Comparing the first six months of 2024 to the same period a year earlier, New York City hotels achieved the highest revenue per available room (RevPar) increase among the top 25 hotel markets in the country, according to hotel analytics firm CoStar. It was up 10.1% in NYC, versus just 2.5% in the other 24 top markets and 1.4% in the U.S.

“New York has certainly outperformed,” says Jan Freitag, national director of Costar Group’s hospitality analytics. “The other top 25 markets are recovering as well. They are not seeing a jump of that magnitude.”

Demand is up in New York City and hotel supply was down 0.8% because of the rooms taken out for migrants and the homeless, Freitag says. As the chart shows, average daily rates and occupancy also spiked in the city.

Freitag says many of the 16,000 rooms taken off the market weren’t previously targeted toward tourists. They are located near airports, not prime tourism locations, and many had long-term residents.

“I think on the short-term rental side there’s definitely overlap between somebody who could stay in a hotel and somebody who could stay in an alternative accommodation – so I think both things matter,” Freitag says, referring to the 16,000 hotel rooms off the market and Local Law 18. “In Manhattan, maybe the alternative accommodation restriction matters a little bit more than in the outer boroughs.”

While Freitag characterized New York City as outperforming every major hotel market in the country, the CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City isn’t popping champagne or characterizing Local Law 18 as a game-changer.

“The impact has been on the margin,” says Vijay Dandapani, CEO of the hotel association, referring to the host registration law, “as NYC ’s hotel market is the only one in New York State that lags 2019 numbers …”

Regarding the administration’s response to illegal short-term rental operators, Dandapani added: “The response last year was slow due to initial teething troubles but has been robust since then.”

Dandapani claimed that CoStar’s numbers showing healthy increases in occupancy, ADRs and RevPar don’t adequately take into account 6,000 rooms that remain closed and what he estimated are 18,000-19,000 rooms housing migrants.

Although CoStar cited a 10.1% year-over-year increase in RevPar in the first half of 2024, Dandapani said, “when adjusted for inflation, RevPar is still behind 2019.”

He said Local Law 18 is necessary to “work toward closing the enormous regulatory and financial arbitrage enjoyed by STRs,” but it is still premature to assess its impact.

Visitor Numbers Are Expected to Rise in 2024

There were fears that Local Law 18 would price out bargain-seeking visitors and hurt New York City tourism overall.

In June, a Trinidadian business owner in Brooklyn who helped organize the Celebrate Canarsie event, lashed out at Local Law 18, charging that local businesses saw a “significant drop in revenue since Local Law 18 limited accommodation options for visitors.”

And the CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce last month criticized some of the law’s “ridiculous restrictions.”

“The unintended consequences of this legislation, especially the steep decline in places for tourists to stay, are hindering Brooklyn’s potential to attract visitors and is hurting its residents, small businesses, and local economy,” chamber CEO Randy Peers wrote in an op-ed for the Brooklyn Paper.

But tourism has remained strong.

A spokesperson for New York City Tourism + Conventions said the city forecasts that the city’s visitor numbers will increase 4.2% to 64.8 million in 2024.

Tiffany Townsend, a spokesperson for the agency, claims that a lack of short-term rentals doesn’t stop people from visiting the city.

“In terms of visitor behavior, traveling is not an all-in, all-out choice,” says spokesperson Townsend. “When people travel, they generally operate within an expected budget, but then adjust what they spend. Rather than forgo a trip, they look for ways to maximize their budget and they spend differently.”

But others might argue that some budget-conscious travelers would either stay in the suburbs and commute into the city, or skip the Big Apple entirely.

Townsend says travelers may scale down their trips in several ways to still visit the city. “They may travel economy instead of premium; they may down-scale their hotel, reduce the number of nights, or go back to sharing a double-double with their children rather than booking two rooms; they generally downscale their food expenses; and finally, they often reduce their retail spending,” she says.

However, one thing the projected visitor increase can’t prove is whether — and how much — tourism arrivals might have increased even more had the city not lost roughly 18,000 short-term rental listings for stays of fewer than 30 days, according to AirDNA’s estimates.

Rents Are Up But Increases Are Slowing

With some short-term rentals coming off the market and becoming available in theory as long-term rentals, you’d think that more long-term housing supply might contribute to a dip in rents. Rents were still increasing throughout the summer.

The median asking rent in July 2024 showed just a 0.9% increase compared with July 2023. Kenny Lee, senior economist at StreetEasy and Zillow, thinks the number of short-term rental listings involved is too small to impact the “1 million unit market-rate rental housing stock in NYC.”

However, when just considering rents for one-bedroom apartments, the median rent in September rose 12.8% year-over-year to a record $4,500 per month, according to Zumper’s National Rent Report.

The short-term rental crackdown in New York City, including the deletion of several thousand Airbnb listings, does not appear to be a needle-mover when it comes to the city’s long-term rental trends.

“The resurgence of urban living over the past two years, coupled with employers implementing return-to-office policies, have prompted many former suburbanites to return to the city,” the Zumper report says. “Additionally, the peak summer moving season is further intensifying upward pressure on rent prices here.”

Lee said that while many rent metrics in the city are approaching or at record highs, “what’s telling is the recent slowdown in the growth of various rental measures,” he said.

And there are a number of factors at play.

“I do not think the slowdown in rent growth since 2023 is related to Airbnb listings turning into long-term rentals. This is about supply and demand rebalancing rather than just short-term rentals joining the market,” Lee says. “Since 2023, the demand has been slowing in NYC as the local labor market continues to cool. Supply has been increasing as more homeowners consider renting out their homes rather than selling amid high mortgage rates and new developments entering the rental market.”

Staying In and Hosting Illegal Short-Term Rentals

With so many short-term rentals hosts unable or unwilling to register with the city, there’s been a growing black market of listings on sites such as Craigslist, various Facebook and Whatsapp groups, as well as on Discord and Telegram, for example. The short-term rental listings can sometimes take digging to find because they are mixed in with long-term rentals and sublets.

With a lack of short-term rentals where individuals or groups don’t have to stay with hosts, travelers are posting on Facebook and other platforms seeking places to stay. 

Hosts often ask prospective guests to send money up-front, and there are few consumer protections if the listing turns out to be a scam, or there are other issues.

For example, a seller on Facebook Marketplace listed a one-bedroom condo in June for $130 per day (plus $10 per person if extra guests). I messaged asking whether it would be available as a short-term rental in mid-September for two guests.

Unlike the process on an established short-term rental platform, he detailed how the booking process would work. “I will require a video call where we show each other’s ID before moving forward,” the seller said. “Half the payment to take the listing off and I will authorize you access for the agreed dates. Full payment required on the first day.”

The OSE advises guests to immediately call 911 if they are fraud victims, and otherwise to use “the major sites that have insurance, customer service support, and are complying with the registration law.”

Klossner of the OSE said his office has “not seen evidence of an extensive ‘black market’ or underground illicit activity.”

Marcus Räder, the founder and CEO of short-term rental software provider Hostaway, appeared on the Alex & Annie Vacation Rental Podcast in June, and talked about how he was staying for a week at an illegal short-term rental in the city. “Originally I booked it on Airbnb, then the listing got shut down and it got canceled. The host reached out to me and said, ‘Yo, just send the money. I’m still doing it.’”

Räder said there’s long been a gray market in New York City where people have booked condos through connections. “If you’re leaving your home for a week that you can’t afford, you have to rent it out,” he says. “Under the new regulations, they’re essentially saying, if you want to keep doing a black market, your gray market stuff, that’s OK. But Airbnb and Vrbo, you’re the bad guys. You make it visible. We need more Craigslist, we need nondescript, or no photos. That’s OK.”

Malaika, the host in Ocean Hill, Brooklyn, says she participates in a group chat with hosts and at times some of them will accept reservations that break the rules.

“We go on there and individuals take risks in times of need if it’s a personal referral to the group,” she says. “So it definitely does happen.”

As for herself, Malaika says she did an illegal rental, but just one time.

“A neighbor referred someone and they stayed here in the apartment for that one week,” Malaika says. “They paid cash for it. But that was the only time. I was so desperate that I wouldn’t be able to pay my mortgage. But I was crapping the entire time because the OSE sends people around and they could have been knocking on my door on that one day while these guests were here. So it’s almost not really worth the anxiety.”

Dennis Schaal is Skift’s Executive Editor. Contact him at d [email protected] Graphics by Vonn Keynes

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Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says women founders say they can't go 'founder mode' like men, and it needs to change

• Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said women had told him they couldn't adopt "founder mode" like men.
• Chesky embraces founder mode, a strategy explained in a Paul Graham essay published Sunday.
• Chesky shared posts that said women founders had been canceled for practicing founder mode.

The tech world is abuzz with talk of " founder mode " this week, but not everyone in Silicon Valley feels as if they can embrace the management strategy.

Brian Chesky , the CEO of Airbnb , gave a recent talk that inspired Paul Graham, a founding partner of the startup accelerator Y Combinator, to publish an essay on Sunday about founder mode. He described it as a way to run a company that involves being more hands-on rather than delegating to a small number of direct reports.

Chesky chimed in after countless takes on social media about the concept.

"Women founders have been reaching out to me over the past 24 hours about how they don't have permission to run their companies in Founder Mode the same way men can," he said in a post on X. "This needs to change."

When someone asked what he meant by "permission," Chesky shared a screenshot of a 2020 headline from Business Insider that said, "The fall of the girlboss is actually a good thing." (The article is about a slew of female founders who stepped down amid allegations of a toxic work culture.)

Chesky also retweeted female founders who said women who practiced founder mode had been canceled for it.

In his essay on founder mode, Graham described it as the alternative strategy to the "manager mode," which he said was how most companies were run. He said the idea behind manager mode was "hire good people and give them room to do their jobs," but in practice it often meant "hire professional fakers and let them drive the company into the ground."

Chesky, who cofounded Airbnb in 2008, said in another X post he was inspired to adopt founder mode by Jony Ive and Hiroki Asai, who both previously worked for Apple. He also said founders who embodied many founder-mode principles included Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, and Elon Musk.

Axel Springer, Insider Inc.'s parent company, is an investor in Airbnb.

Watch: CMOs need to avoid an echo chamber to stay relevant says The Female Quotient's Shelley Zalis

• Main content

Money blog: 'Set-jetting' is the latest travel trend - have you joined in?

The Money blog is your place for personal finance and consumer news. Scroll down to find out about new research on which jobs cause most stress, a stamp duty warning, how the savings market is acting unpredictably and a new travel trend. Leave your thoughts on anything we cover below.

Thursday 12 September 2024 18:30, UK

• These are the most stressful jobs in the UK
• Savings market is acting unpredictably - here's how you can benefit
• Stamp duty warning for first-time buyers

Essential reads

• 'Set-jetting' is the latest travel trend - have you joined in?  
• Everything you need to know about new Renters' Rights Bill
• Paul Kelso: Chancellor signals first budget will be painful
• Student finance special: Best paying jobs after uni, cheapest cities for students, top discounts and freebies

Tips and advice

• Data roaming charges compared by network
• Should I consider an annuity?
• Free school meals guide
• How much should you spend on wedding gift? 'Annoyed' Britons give verdict

Ask a question or make a comment

A union has won a Supreme Court battle against Tesco over so-called proposals to "fire and rehire" workers on less favourable terms.

The Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers took legal action over the 2021 proposals.

Five Supreme Court justices ruled unanimously that Tesco should be blocked from dismissing the staff, after the supermarket chain appealed a previous High Court decision also in the union's favour.

The ruling was called an "important victory for workers across the country" by TUC general secretary Paul Nowak who said practices like fire and rehire have no place in a modern economy.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has cut interest rates for the second time this year as eurozone inflation slows, and the economy falters. 

The ECB, which is the central bank for 20 countries, lowered its deposit rate by 25 basis points to 3.50% in a move that was widely expected.

It's not thought to impact rates here in the UK - with the Bank of England widely expected to hold its own rates when it makes a decision next week. 

Online fashion retailer Boohoo will stop using its US warehouse only a year after it opened in Pennsylvania.

Instead, all orders from the US will be fulfilled at the company's distribution centre in Sheffield in the UK, which the company said would expand the range of products on offer to American customers.

The decision is expected to take a £34m hit on the capital that had been pumped into the US warehouse, according to Shore Capital.

Boohoo said it "remains excited about the opportunity in the US" but Katie Cousins, an analyst at Shore Capital, said the retailer had been forced to back-pedal because it had "failed to gain traction in the US despite investing to grow market share and improve delivery times for consumers".

The boss of Ryanair has stepped up his efforts to curb drinking at airports - saying he is prepared to introduce a two-drink limit on his planes if bars in the terminal do the same.

Michael O'Leary first called for a limit on airport drinking last month after a rise in disorder on flights - but some critics pointed out that there is also no limit on how much passengers can drink on Ryanair journeys.

Now, when asked by Sky News if he would restrict passengers to two alcoholic drinks, Mr O'Leary said he would be "happy to do it tomorrow".

His call for restrictions comes after a "spike" in violent disorder among passengers over the summer.

On Sunday, a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Ibiza was diverted to Toulouse in France after a group of passengers became disruptive.

Mr O'Leary added: "If the price of putting a drink limit on the airport, where the problem is being created, is putting a drink limit on board the aircraft, we've no problem with that.

"The real issue is how do we stop these people getting drunk at airports particularly as, like this summer, we've had a huge spike in air traffic control delays."

Read the full story below:

Almost 40 shops have shut each day in the first six months of this year, according to new data.

From January to June, a total of 6,945 shops (38 a day) closed on high streets, shopping centres and retail parks - an increase from 36 a day in 2023.

Chemists, estate agents, chain pubs and banks made up half of all this year's closures.

Shop openings also grew slightly compared to last year, up from 24 to 25 a day.

The data from advisory firm PwC found that fashion retailers had a significant improvement in closure rates compared to the same time last year. 

The net closure rate has slowed by nearly two-thirds, despite a number of high-profile fashion retail businesses falling into administration and announcing closures.

Online retail has also increased further in the first half of the year, which PwC put partly down to unseasonably wet weather.

"How consumers choose to prioritise their pounds and take up their time has changed. There's been a continued shift, with consumers seeking new experiences and spending more time with friends and family," Rick Jones, its leader of hospitality, said. 

"Our data shows continued net closures in the first half [of 2024], particularly for those businesses hardest hit by energy and labour cost inflation. Put simply, adapting to these changes has become an existential matter."

Game of Thrones, Emily in Paris and Outlander are some of the most influential TV shows on European tourism, a new study has found.

In the UK, London is estimated to have acquired more than £12.3m in revenue through various TV tours, including the Poirot Tour of London by Black Cab, the Killing Eve self-guided audio tour, and the Ted Lasso Tour of Richmond.

Set-jetting is one of the biggest travel trends influencing consumers today, seeing locations like Saltburn's Drayton House, Northamptonshire, soaring in search demand (+600%) since its release in December 2023, according to Tour Operator Software Provider Bokun. 

Visit Britain also revealed that 70% of UK tourists who have taken a leisure trip in the past decade have visited a film or TV location, highlighting the significant influence of media on tourism.

Edinburgh had a significant tourism boost from the hit show Outlander, with 21 of the city's 23 TV tours dedicated to the show, possibly bringing in £6.4m.

Game of Thrones has been the most influential show on European tourism and is responsible for more than 107 themed tours across the continent.

These alone are estimated to have generated more than £44m for the European economy - translating to approximately £605,000 in tourism revenue per episode aired.

Tours based on the show in Dubrovnik, Croatia, actually contributed 98.8% of the country's total income from TV tourism. 

Despite being fairly new shows, Emily in Paris and Bridgerton highlighted Netflix's international influence. 

In France, 18 themed Emily in Paris tours generated around £1,391,000, while in the UK Bridgerton's nine raked in an estimated £1,325,000. 

As another year starts at universities around the country, students are being warned about scams targeting their maintenance loans.

The Student Loans Company (SLC), which dishes out £2bn to students over the autumn term, said in the past that students have fallen victim to smishing and phishing scams after acting on false communications.

Scams often involve students being contacted via text message (smishing) and being asked to click a link to complete a task - for example, verifying bank details or confirming their personal information, providing an opportunity for a payment to be diverted to a scammer's bank account.

SLC warned that it will never ask students to provide or verify their personal or financial information via email or text message.

Alan Balanowski, risk director at the company, said: "Our message to students is quite simply, think before you click."

Tips to avoid scams

The Student Loan Company has the following advice for students:

• Neither SLC nor Student Finance England provide any services through WhatsApp and will never initiate contact with a student through social media channels, including Facebook, X, Instagram and Tik Tok, to discuss their application or student finance entitlement;
• Check the quality of the communication - misspelling, poor punctuation and bad grammar are often signs of phishing. Scam emails and text messages are often sent in bulk at the same time and are unlikely to contain both a first and last name. These commonly start - Dear Student;
• Messages that convey a sense of urgency are also unlikely to be genuine – for example "failure to respond in 24 hours will result in the account being closed";
• Be mindful of the information you share about yourself on social media, and elsewhere online, to help guard against identity theft;
• SLC or Student Finance England send a text message to students in England if a change has been made to their bank details. If you haven't changed your bank details and receive a message, contact us immediately.

Hundreds of thousands of teenagers are heading to university for the first time this month, with many facing financial independence for the first time. 

In our first ever Money blog spin-off, we put together some essential reads that will hopefully help stand them in good stead - check that out here:

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

The UK's benchmark stock index is benefiting in a global stock market rally following the US after inflation data cemented expectations of a smaller interest rate cut. 

The FTSE 100 index of the most valuable companies on the London Stock rose as much as 1% on Thursday morning before slowing to 0.76%. 

The larger and more UK-based FTSE 250 also rose 0.94%. 

Online train ticket seller Trainline was up a shock 10.59%, leading the FTSE 250, as more than 50% of tickets were bought online for the first time. 

Fever Tree drinks had sales dampened by "subdued consumer backdrop and poor weather" in the UK and Europe but it didn't stop profits rising 79% in the second three months of its financial year. 

Oil prices remained at the comparatively low $70 for a barrel of Brent crude oil. The benchmark price is now $71.29. 

The summer-time value of the pound against the dollar at $1.31 has long gone with £1=$1.305. 

Against the euro, sterling buys €1.1844. 

Aldi has announced where in the UK it is looking to open new stores.

The retailer, which has more than 1,000 shops and is consistently named the country's cheapest supermarket, announced in its annual trading update that it wants to open 23 new locations before the end of the year.

This will be accelerated by a bumper £800m annual investment package - the biggest ever for the store.

The priority locations where Aldi is searching for sites include:

• Woodford, London
• Surbiton, London
• Bromley, London
• Barnet, London
• Redhill, Surrey
• Aldershot, Hampshire
• Haywards Heath, West Sussex
• Chatham, Kent
• Chorlton, Manchester
• Formby, Liverpool
• Newark, Nottinghamshire
• Chesterfield, Derbyshire
• Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
• Brentwood, Essex
• Dorchester, Dorset
• Clarkston, Scotland
• Cathcart, Scotland
• Penzance, Cornwall
• Warwick, Warwickshire
• Bath, Somerset

The supermarket chain said the ideal location for a brand-new Aldi would be freehold town-centres, edge-of-centre and retail park sites suitable for property development. 

It should be able to accommodate a 20,000sq ft store with around 100 parking spaces and ideally, the location would also be near a main road with good visibility and access.

Aldi is the cheapest supermarket in the UK at the moment, according to monthly analysis by the consumer group Which?, with an average household basket full of groceries and other essentials coming in at £110.58 in August. 

Lidl, Aldi's main rival, was just behind at £111.88 on average with Lidl Plus, and £112.17 without.

Police officers, social workers and community nurses have some of the most stressful jobs in the UK, research has suggested. 

Police officers take the top spot, with a rate of 6,500 per 100,000 current or former officers reporting that their job had negatively affected their mental health. 

This rate is almost two and a half times (242%) higher than the national average. Approximately 11,000 out of an estimated total of 169,231 police officers reported that their jobs had caused mental health issues or made them even worse - working out to an estimated 6.5% of the total employees in this role. 

Social workers rank second, with a rate of 6,100 per 100,000 current or former social workers reporting mental health issues caused by their jobs. 

Third place went to welfare and housing professionals. Throughout the UK, almost two in fifty people (1.9%) reported that their jobs had either caused or made mental health issues worse - working out to a rate of 1,900 per 100,000 residents, or an estimated 636,000 people nationwide. 

The study, by personal injury experts Claims.co.uk, analysed health and safety executive data from the government, looking at prevalence and rates of self-reported stress, depression or anxiety that were either caused or made worse by their current or most recent job.

A spokesperson for Claims.co.uk said: "Factors such as long hours, high responsibilities, and public-facing roles appear to contribute significantly to an employee's mental health being negatively impacted." 

According to the data, bookkeepers, payroll managers and wage clerks have the least stressful jobs in the country. 

For this week's Savings Guide, Savings Champion  co-founder Anna Bowes has dug into how ISAs have been affected by the Bank of England's rate cut last month. 

The Bank of England base rate was finally reduced on 1 August this year, after months of speculation. 

Unfortunately, as you would expect, that has had a negative effect on savings rates and best buy rates across the board have fallen since. 

That said, with inflation at 2.2%, there are still plenty of savings accounts available that are providing interest that beats the rising cost of living.

The market hasn't behaved completely as expected in the aftermath of the rate cut. 

Although you'd expect to see variable rates tumble, fixed term bond rates should be less affected as they are normally priced based on what the market is expecting from interest rates going forward. 

This is why the longer-term bond rates continue to be lower than the short term, as the market is expecting the base rate to be cut again in the next few months.

However, there was an initial flurry of fixed bonds being replaced with lower rates - perhaps providers were not expecting the base rate to be cut in August!

And for those looking to utilise their ISA allowance - or to transfer from poor paying ISAs, there is another anomaly that we're not used to seeing. 

Currently the top easy access ISA rates are higher than the top standard easy access accounts. 

So, you can not only access the very best rates on the market via these cash ISAs, but enjoy tax free interest to boot!

First-time buyers have just two months left to save up to £15,000 in stamp duty, Zoopla has warned.

With the average property taking around 25 weeks to complete, and rates due to return to previous levels on 1 April 2025, first-time buyers should be looking to begin the process as soon as possible to benefit from the tax relief.

Stamp duty remains essentially a tax on moving home in southern England, with 81% of total receipts coming from southern England. The threshold will reduce from nothing paid on homes up to £425,000 down to £300,000. A first-time buyer purchasing a £425,000 property in April will have to pay £6,205, compared to nothing today.

The impact of this change will be the greatest in southern England, the property website has said, with first-time buyers in London, the South East and the East of England most affected.

In the London boroughs of Camden, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Islington will see stamp duty increase by an average of £15,000.

Data from Zoopla indicates that many first-time buyers have been capitalising on the reduced stamp duty rates and improvements in mortgage rates, with a 20% increase in first-time buyer demand in July, compared to the same month last year.

Just 5% of first-time buyers in northern England and the Midlands affected due to lower property prices, which will remain below the threshold. 

Izabella Lubowiecka, senior property researcher at Zoopla said: "With just two months to go, those looking to purchase their first home should act this Autumn if they are to avoid paying more in stamp duty, particularly if they are looking to purchase a home in Southern England."

She added: “Those not looking to purchase until after 1 April, should make sure they build the additional stamp duty fees into their plans and account for it in their overall budgets.”

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A potential Air Canada pilot strike could impact your travel. Here's what to do about it

Airline could begin suspending operations as soon as this weekend.

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With a potential pilot strike looming, Air Canada is preparing to suspend its operations in a shutdown that could impact tens of thousands of passengers.

Canada's largest airline and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents more than 5,000 Air Canada pilots, are negotiating over the union's wage demands. Air Canada pilots are seeking compensation in line with what their U.S. counterparts make.

"What the airline can do is to diminish the impact on the travellers and that's what Air Canada is trying to do now," said Frederic Dimanche, a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and the director of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

Air Canada strike could leave passengers scrambling

He said that giving travellers an opportunity to reschedule their flight or offering them credits — as Air Canada is doing — is "the very minimum" the airline can do.

"I think it's important for people to be aware that a strike is potentially coming and that they need to make some arrangements."

Here's how a potential strike could impact your travel plans, and what you can do about it.

What to know about a potential strike

A strike or lockout can't take place before the 21-day cooling period that began on Aug. 27, after the pilot union voted overwhelmingly in favour of authorizing a strike.

While Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights would be impacted by a potential strike, Air Canada Express (which includes the Jazz and PAL carriers), are not involved in the negotiations. Their flights will continue to operate normally.

A spokesperson for Air Canada also confirmed to CBC News that flights operated by one of its airline partners (e.g. Lufthansa) wouldn't be impacted by a disruption.

Sunday, Sept. 15: Air Canada could start suspending its operations.

Sept. 15-18: If an agreement isn't reached, the airline or the union will likely issue a 72-hour strike notice or lockout notice, triggering a three-day wind-down plan. 

Both Air Canada and its low-cost subsidiary Air Canada Rouge will prepare to suspend flights over the course of three days, starting on Sunday.

If a traveller's flight is cancelled once a strike or lockout notice is issued, Air Canada will notify the passenger, who will be eligible for a full refund. The airline said passengers customers will "typically" get 12 to 24 hours' notice of a cancellation during the wind-down phase.

But they won't be entitled to any additional compensation under the Airline Passenger Protection Regulations.

Wednesday, Sept. 18: Following the three-day wind-down, a total shutdown of Air Canada's operations would start at 12:01 a.m. on this day. 

After Sept. 18: Once a complete shutdown has occurred, Air Canada anticipates it will take seven to 10 days for normal operations to resume.

Making changes to your booking

Customers who booked a ticket or redeemed points for an Aeroplan flight reward on Sept. 9 or earlier — for travel scheduled between Sept. 15 and 23 — can make changes to their bookings now for free, according to Air Canada's goodwill policy.

You can rebook your flight with an Air Canada carrier (including Rouge and Express) to another date between Sept. 9 and 14, and/or between Sept. 24 and Nov. 30, 2024.

If you booked your travel through a third-party service, the airline is advising passengers to contact the travel agent or company directly.

Possible Air Canada pilot strike will disproportionately affect travellers, former COO says

If you cancel your flight.

Customers who choose to cancel their flights will get a full refund if they purchased a refundable fare. A cancellation fee could apply depending on the type of ticket purchased.

If you bought your ticket using Aeroplan points, you can cancel and have your points redeposited into your account.

If you bought a non-refundable ticket, you can get a one-time credit for future travel the next time you book with Air Canada, but there is an expiry date attached to the credit and it's non-transferable.

The airline will notify you if your flight gets cancelled, and you'll be eligible for a full refund regardless of the fare you purchased. No cancellation fees will apply.

The airline will also try to rebook you on a different flight, though it cautions that space is limited.

• Air Canada could begin suspending flights soon as strike deadline nears

CBC News asked Air Canada whether passengers who are stranded abroad during a strike would be eligible for additional compensation or accommodations if their flight home were to be cancelled. In response, the airline said that would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

"It will be case dependent as different countries and jurisdictions have different regulations about such things, but our policy is to abide by all applicable laws," read an email.

The Air Canada website notes: "If you are contacted by someone claiming to represent Air Canada offering to change your booking, please be aware we will never ask for your booking reference or locator number, as we already have that information."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jenna Benchetrit is the senior business writer for CBC News. She writes stories about Canadian economic and consumer issues, and has also recently covered U.S. politics. A Montrealer based in Toronto, Jenna holds a master's degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University. You can reach her at [email protected].

With files from Anis Heydari, James Dunne, Reuters and The Canadian Press

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