Introducing ‘Reserve Now, Pay Later’, giving guests greater flexibility

Key Takeaways

• We’ve introduced a new way to pay, offering US guests the option to reserve a stay and pay $0 upfront when they book eligible domestic stays.

We’re excited to launch a new way for US guests to reserve their stay with even more flexibility. Reserve Now, Pay Later gives US travelers booking eligible domestic stays the chance to reserve a listing without paying anything upfront at the time of booking. This marks a major step forward in Airbnb’s commitment to offer more flexible options for guests that may also lead to more bookings for hosts. 

Available for listings with a moderate or flexible cancellation policy, guests don’t need to pay the full amount until shortly before the end of the listing’s free cancellation period. Cancellation policies selected by hosts remain unchanged, and because the payment from guests is always due before the free cancellation period ends, hosts have time to secure another booking even if a guest cancels. 

This feature comes as new data reveals that today’s travelers are seeking more flexibility when it comes to booking a stay, particularly a group trip that requires arranging funds with friends or family. 

With Reserve Now, Pay Later, guests can secure their booking without an immediate payment, perfect for group trips or budget-conscious planning. In a recent survey of US travelers conducted by Airbnb and Focaldata:

• 60% of respondents said having flexible payment options is important when it comes to booking a holiday.
• 55% said they use a flexible payment option with one in ten saying they always use that option when available.
• 42% said they have delayed and missed out on their preferred accommodation option because of time spent coordinating how to pay for their trip with co-travellers.

Reserve Now, Pay Later complements Airbnb’s suite of flexible payments options including Pay Part Now, Part Later – where guests can pay a portion at checkout and the remainder closer to check-in – as well as Pay Over Time with Klarna. 

Reserve Now, Pay Later is available for US guests booking eligible US-based listings with a flexible or moderate cancellation policy.

¹ Based on a nationally representative online survey commissioned by Airbnb and conducted by Focaldata in July 2025 of 2,159 US adults. All additional survey data originates from this survey.