Fed up with fees: Airbnb promises to revise pricing structure

It's time to fix Airbnb cleaning fees.
airbnb search


The Daily Navigator strives to help you make the best decisions in travel. While we produce content according with strict editorial integrity this post may contain references to partner products. Here’s a full explanation for how our team makes money .

Amid backlash about its cleaning fees and pricing model, Airbnb is redesigning its pricing structure.

In response to a tweet publicly criticizing how prices are displayed on the short-term rental site, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said, “You are correct — the cleaning fees were never intentionally designed, which is why we’re now playing catch up. This is one of my top priorities — we are redesigning how pricing on Airbnb works.”

Airbnb says that it has long been aware of the pricing issue and, over a year ago, formed a team to review the company’s fee policies. Since then they have begun testing features to make total costs and fees more transparent.

It seems it should be easy enough for the platform to show the total costs of a stay since they are already required to do so on their European listings. Instead, the real challenge Airbnb is facing is how to remain competitive with the nightly display rates of competitors like traditional hotels.

Airbnb has also shown trepidation about changing its cleaning fee policy, which currently allows hosts to set their own prices. It helps hosts turn a profit, so they would certainly be up in arms if that were taken away, but I think we can all agree that paying $143 to do laundry that’s not yours while on vacation is a bit far.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone. This post contains references to products from one or more of our partners and we may receive compensation when you click on links to those products.

Stay in the know

Get expert insight into credit cards, loyalty programs, financial tips, and more with the Smart Points Newsletter.

Related Stories

Smart Points Logo

Stay in the know with
Smart Points Newsletter

Get expert insight into travel credit cards, loyalty programs, points tips, and more. Recent edition →

Get expert insight into travel credit cards, loyalty programs, points tips, and more. Recent edition →

Advertiser Disclosure

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. The relationship may impact how an offer is being presented. Our site doesn’t include all the offers available. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

DFC Partner Perks App Link Image
Special Discounts for Our Members

Save Big with Perks

Get $5,000+ in immediate travel savings with Perks. Unlock next level travel benefits, for life. Get discounts from the world’s best travel brands you won’t find anywhere else. No credit required.

DFC Concierge App Link Image
Special Discount for Our Members

93% off lifetime access

Save $1,200 and 10 hours of your time on every vacation. With Lifetime access to DFC Concierge, get fully customized trip itineraries to make every vacation unforgettable.

Dollar Flight Club App Link Image
Special Discount for Our Members

50% Off PREMIUM

You can save up to $500 on your next adventure without lifting a finger get email alerts when we find flights up to 90% off leaving your home airport. Just let us know your departure airport and we’ll do the rest.

The Navigator Commitment

The Daily Navigator is the cornerstone of the DFC Media family. Through each of our brands, we’re dedicated to helping our readers travel, spend, and live smarter.

With products dedicated to affordable travel, daily news, hospitality, and personal finance, we deliver the day’s essential content with none of the filler — all in a way that’s fast, easy, and fun to read. Every morning, over 2 Million travelers trust DFC to deliver the latest news and information so that they can make informed decisions faster. We hope you’ll join them.

We’re happy to have you here!