Quick overview

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Airbnb saw its biggest increase in ten months after reporting robust fourth-quarter bookings and releasing an optimistic revenue outlook, citing high travel demand and expanding adoption of its new flexible payment and booking options. The home-rental behemoth stated that its revenue for the quarter ending March 31 would range from $2.59 billion to $2.63 billion.

Wall Street anticipated $2.54 billion. According to analysts’ projections, the company’s revenue growth for the entire year was expected to accelerate to “at least low double digits” from the 10 percent it experienced in 2025. The stock had dropped roughly 15% so far this year.

The advice comes after positive reports from US airlines last month, which showed that travel demand is stable in spite of the country’s harsh winter weather and increased geopolitical tensions. That would be encouraging for Airbnb, which is drawing both new hosts and visitors to its platform in anticipation of this year’s major athletic events, such as the World Cup and the currently-running Winter Olympic Games.

According to Airbnb, its Reserve Now, Pay Later option,  launched in the US last year, has been received by visitors and contributed to an increase in bookings during the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, the key indicator of “nights and seats booked” increased 9.8 percent to 121.9 million, significantly exceeding forecasts.

By 2026, the company wants to offer the deferred payment option to more visitors worldwide.

Additionally, it claimed that more lenient cancellation policies reduced customer service interactions and increased reservations during the holiday season. The majority of reservations were made in Airbnb’s new overseas markets.