Airbnb tests pay-to-play visibility for “best guests” (LOYALTY PROGRAM TEST?)

Rental Scale-Up
Published: February 17, 2026
Growth & Marketing

Summary

Airbnb is testing a pay-to-play visibility model where hosts offer a 20% discount to top-rated guests (4.8+ rating) for higher search ranking. This resembles Booking.com's Genius program, which successfully boosts visibility in exchange for discounts. This test signals a potential shift towards discount-driven loyalty programs.

Key Insights

  • The structure of the test mirrors Booking.com's Genius model, a successful discount-for-visibility system.
  • Airbnb is testing a program where hosts offer a 20% discount to top-rated guests (4.8+ rating) in exchange for higher ranking in search results.

Action Items

  • Monitor whether this program expands beyond the test markets and if Airbnb formalizes enrollment.
    Effort: low
    Impact: medium
  • Evaluate how a discount-for-visibility strategy would impact your ADR and overall profitability.
    Effort: medium
    Impact: medium

Tools & Resources

  • Rental Scale-Up: The article is from Rental Scale-Up.(rentalscaleup.com)

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