Airbnb CEO Suggests a Loyalty Program May Be Coming
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky posed an interesting and exciting question on Twitter on Tuesday. The world's largest home-sharing site appears to be discussing the introduction of a membership loyalty program. Chesky tweeted on Sunday night a request for people to tell him what benefits they'd want to see from a "guest membership program."
Interestingly enough, Chesky responded himself to some of the suggestions, giving us an idea of what may be included in a future rewards program:
Will Airbnb partner with local gyms to offer travelers (free?) access to fitness centers?
Some of the most popular Airbnbs are difficult to rent because of high demand, so having special access for elite members is an idea that Chesky seemed to like.
Of course, many said they would love to see Airbnb points redeemable for free nights. Chesky's response didn't seem very enthusiastic...
... and neither did the reply to a bunch of ideas floated by a follower named Matt Pointon:
A frustrating issue is that many properties require visitors to stay at a property for a minimum amount of nights, even if their desired stay is shorter. The CEO said it'd be a "good idea" and that it's a "popular request" to make the minimum stay requirements more flexible.
An idea to make the Airbnb experience more seamless and similar to your home would be to sync your accounts to a property's devices, i.e. you show up at your Airbnb in London and your favorite Spotify playlist is blasting on a Google Home when you walk in.
While all these ideas seem exciting, it's still hard to tell if Airbnb will implement any of them, let alone a rewards or loyalty program at all. In September at the Skift Foru,Airbnb's co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Nathan Blecharczyk said he was personally surprised that the company still didn't have a loyalty program.
We solicited feedback from the TPG Lounge, asking what our readers would want to see in Airbnb guest membership program, and what it would take to shift their loyalty away from hotels. One of the most popular ideas, and probably obvious for a loyalty booking, would be a "fee-free booking" that you would receive after a certain amount of stays or nights. Airbnb would likely waive the booking and cleaning fees and all you'd have to pay for is the nights themselves.
Airbnb could team up with a credit card issuer and offer credits as a perk for a card, suggests Jack Vogt.
Kalis Kim expressed frustration at the the company's cancellation policy and suggested it would be hard to provide the same level of service to an Airbnb "elite" as a VIP would receive at a hotel.
Although not everything will be included, David Miller listed a slew of requests like credit in partner programs and reduced fees — and if some of them were implemented it would push him to choose an Airbnb over a hotel.
Although there are no indications that we'll see an Airbnb loyalty program in the immediate future, the prospect is exciting and would likely disrupt the hotel industry even more.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.