You’ve got your space picked out, decorated, and bookings are flying into your calendar. Along with these reservations comes the fun part of Airbnb, the payouts!
These payouts are clearly displayed and explained to you on the Airbnb platform, but how do you go about actually receiving these payments from your guests?
In this article, I will briefly go over how the Airbnb payout works and how your money goes from your guest’s pocket and into your wallet.
When do Airbnb Hosts get paid?
First, I will go over the process of when guests pay and when you will receive their payments.
Guest Payment
There are a few different ways a guest may interact with you and your Airbnb listing.
The Inquiry
First, they can send an “Inquiry.” An inquiry is a message that the potential guest has sent to you to ask a question or clarify something about your listing.
These inquiries do not require payment from the guest, as they do not count as a booking.
While you may choose to pre-approve the guest through their inquiry, that still does not guarantee that they will book your listing or that you will receive a payment.
The Booking Request
Next, a guest can send a “Booking Request.” A booking request is basically what it sounds like.
The guest has decided that they would like to book your listing and have agreed to pay the cost once you “Accept” their request.
In this case, the guest has already paid when sending the request.
The Instant Booking
Lastly, a guest can “Instant Book” your listing (if you have it enabled).
When a guest instantly books your listing, you do not have a choice in accepting or declining it, as it is not a request; The reservation will automatically appear on your calendar.
Like with “Booking Requests,” the guest has submitted their payment information previous to booking in order to instantly book your listing.
Receiving Guest Payments
So now that the guest has paid, when will you receive this payment?
The way that Airbnb works is that they will hold on to the guest’s payment until the actual reservation is taking place. In other words, the money is not technically yours until the reservation occurs (assuming no cancellations have taken place.)
Airbnb will provide you with a break-down of your payout for each booking via the “Reservation Details” page, allowing you to see how much to expect to receive from each individual booking.
Once your guest has checked in to their stay and no issues have been reported, Airbnb will send you a message around 24 hours after check-in that the payment has been sent.
Depending on how you have chosen to receive payments, it can take a few days to receive the payment into your bank account.
Airbnb Host Payment Methods
Speaking of choosing payment methods, what methods does Airbnb provide?
When looking at your “Account,” click on the “Payments and Payouts” section to set up your payout method.
In this section, you can choose between “Bank Transfers,” “Paypal,” and the “Payoneer Prepaid Debit Mastercard.”
Which option you choose will have its pros and cons and will determine how quickly your payout reaches you.
For example, the bank payout can take 5-7 days, but does not have any extra fees, while the Paypal and Payoneer Prepaid Debit Mastercard options take 3-4 hours, but may include extra fees.
With such a range of payout methods, there should be an option that works well for anyone. All three methods are safe and reliable methods to receive your reservation payments from Airbnb.
How to Resolve Airbnb Payment Issues
If you find yourself running into payment issues, such as not receiving the right payment amount or having to alter a payment amount after a guest has already booked, Airbnb customer service is always available to help you out.
Payment Issues Between Hosts and Airbnb
If the issue is one between you and Airbnb, such as a payout being wrong, contact a customer service representative via the “Help Center.”
Here, you are given the options to either chat with a representative or call to speak to a representative.
I have had success using both options, but would advise you to use the chat if the problem is not too complicated or time-sensitive.
When busy, the Help Line has been known to keep people on hold for over an hour.
Payment Issues Between Hosts and Guests
If the issue is one between you and your guest, try using the “Resolution Center.”
The Resolution Center was created for the sole purpose of resolving issues between hosts and guests, payments being one of those main issues.
If you need to ask for an extra payment from a guest or refund a guest, the Resolution Center is a simple and easy tool to use.
Simply visit the Resolution Center and choose the reservation in question.
It will then prompt you to choose what your issue is and what action you would like to take.
The Resolution Center will take care of contacting your guest and prompting them to respond.
If you find the Resolution Center difficult to use or are not finding it effective, customer service is always available to help mediate between you and your guest.
Final Thoughts
Payments on Airbnb are quite simple. Once you have set up all your personal options and get into the groove of using the platform, you will be receiving payments with no effort at all.
Personally, I have had no issues with the Airbnb payout system and am quite satisfied with their services. Sometimes, you will even forget the payments are coming and that’s always a welcome surprise!
