Airbnb Special Offer Calculator: What to Charge Guests
Calculate exactly what to charge when sending Airbnb special offers. Know what you'll net after fees and discounts.
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Fee Structure
You pay 3%, guest pays ~14% (most common)
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When to Use Special Offers
Special offers are Airbnb's built-in tool for private negotiations with potential guests. Unlike public discounts that appear in search, special offers are visible only to the recipient—making them perfect for strategic pricing without devaluing your listing.
Best Use Cases
- •Fill calendar gaps — 1-2 night openings between bookings that rarely convert at full price
- •Last-minute bookings — Within 7 days of check-in when you're competing with heavily discounted inventory
- •Slow season — Periods with zero inquiries where any revenue beats empty nights
- •Negotiating with high-quality guests — Reward guests with great reviews and long stays
Special Offer Pro Tips
- 1.Offers expire in 24 hours—send them when you're ready to commit
- 2.Never send multiple offers for the same dates to avoid double-booking
- 3.Work backward from your target net earnings to set the right offer price
- 4.Special offers don't affect your base pricing or search ranking
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I send a special offer instead of waiting for someone to book at my full price?
Send special offers strategically for 1-2 night gap fills between existing bookings (these rarely book organically), last-minute dates within 7 days of check-in (where you're competing with heavily discounted listings), or slow season periods where you've had zero inquiries for 2+ weeks. Avoid sending offers during peak season or for prime weekend dates—these will book at full price if you wait. For example, if you have a Tuesday-Wednesday gap between two weekend bookings, send a 15-20% discount offer to inquirers rather than hoping for a full-price booking that statistically won't happen.
How much should I discount for last-minute bookings vs. advance bookings?
Last-minute bookings (0-7 days out) warrant 20-30% discounts because you're competing with hosts desperate to fill inventory—your alternative is $0 revenue. Mid-range (8-30 days) justifies 10-15% discounts to secure the booking and prevent calendar gaps. Far-advance bookings (60+ days) should get minimal discounts (5-10%) or none—these guests are planners willing to pay full price for certainty. Use the calculator to see breakeven: a 25% discount on a $200/night booking still nets you $150/night, which beats an empty calendar. Track your booking lead time in Airbnb analytics to see where you're weak and target offers accordingly.
Will giving discounts through special offers hurt my long-term pricing power or search ranking?
No, special offers don't affect your base nightly rate, calendar pricing, or search ranking algorithm. Airbnb treats them as one-off negotiations, not permanent price changes. Your listing still shows your full rate in search results. The only visibility is in the guest's message thread—other potential guests never see the discounted rate. This is different from applying a promotional discount or Last Minute pricing rule, which does broadcast lower rates publicly. Use special offers as a private negotiation tool to fill gaps without devaluing your listing in the broader market.
What's the best strategy for filling 1-2 night gaps between bookings?
One-night gaps are nearly impossible to fill at full price—most guests search for 2+ nights and your listing won't even appear in their results. Instead of blocking the date (lost revenue) or leaving it open and hoping (statistical dead end), send 20-25% discount offers to anyone who inquired recently or enable Instant Book for single nights with a minimum 3-day advance notice. A $150 gap-fill booking beats $0. Two-night gaps have better odds but still underperform—offer 15% off to fence-sitters. The calculator helps you see net revenue: a 25% discount on a $200 gap night nets you $150, which is $150 more than blocking it.
How do I calculate what to charge so I still hit my revenue target after the discount?
Work backward from your desired net earnings. If you want to net $500 and you're offering a 20% discount, you can't just add 20% to $500 (that's a common mistake). Instead, divide your target by (1 - discount %) to find the gross amount. Example: $500 target ÷ 0.80 = $625 offer price. After the 20% discount, the guest pays $500, which is what you wanted. The calculator does this math automatically and factors in Airbnb's service fees on top, so you see your final payout. Most hosts undercharge because they forget that discounts compound with fees—use the tool to avoid leaving money on the table.
Should I send special offers to multiple guests at once, or one at a time?
Send offers one at a time to avoid double-booking risk and maintain leverage. Special offers expire in 24 hours, so if you send to 3 guests simultaneously and all accept, Airbnb only honors the first acceptance—leaving you with 2 annoyed guests and potential bad reviews for 'canceling' their bookings (even though you didn't technically cancel). Instead, prioritize your best inquirer (earliest check-in, longest stay, highest guest rating) and send them an offer. If they decline or let it expire, move to the next. This also lets you adjust pricing based on how close you get to the check-in date—a date 5 days out might need a steeper discount than the same date 10 days out.
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