Airbnb’s new features make it easier than ever to find the right home for your trip
Airbnb just launched a series of new features to help both travelers and Airbnb Hosts — the people who rent out their rooms, entire homes, castles, treehouses and nearly everything in between.
This new release is helping answer the question that many people have had when considering booking an Airbnb lately: Isn't it just easier to get a hotel?
"(At) a hotel, you understand absolutely what it is that you're going to get," Catherine Powell, Airbnb's global head of hosting, told TPG. "What is so amazing about Airbnb is how unique all our listings are, but that uniqueness makes it challenging to understand."
Powell added that users can often wonder if the listing they booked was the right choice for them specifically. So, the new features Airbnb just unveiled aim to help people better find and book the perfect Airbnb for their stay out of the whopping 7 million listings on the home-sharing platform.
Available features include a handy badge that will alert users that a listing has met a series of qualifications to make it a "Guest favorite," an updated ratings and reviews experience, and new tools to help hosts make their listings as descriptive as possible.
Related: How to earn cash back or points when booking Airbnbs, Vrbo rentals, hostels and more
For Powell, who recently listed her own Malibu guesthouse on Airbnb, these new features can better help hosts fully share what's on offer (and what isn't) at their listing; this will then help guests find exactly what's right (and isn't right) for their stays.
As for her own place, Powell is well aware of how much work, care and attention goes into creating an amazing experience — but it's worth it.
"Nothing beats actually being a host and the effort that goes into creating that great guest stay and wanting to meet guest expectations," she said.
Here are a few highlights from Airbnb's new additions.
The new 'Guest favorite' badge
Now, while searching for listings on Airbnb, you might see a small badge displayed on search results that reads “Guest favorite.” That badge indicates that the listing is one of 2 million Airbnbs with sky-high ratings from past guests and near-zero cancellations or service incidents.
The badge, Powell explained, is dynamic and refreshes every day to account for the volume of new reviews that are continuously coming in.
"Every minute, 100 five-star reviews are left on the platform," she said.
She also noted that homes with a guest favorite badge have an average 4.9-star rating and can't be considered for the badge until they've received five reviews.
"It's an easy badge to see, so you will know this is something that guests love (or) most loved, so I'm gonna book that," Powell said.
Improved guest ratings and reviews
One new feature TPG thinks travelers will love is the ability to more easily comb through reviews and understand past guests' ratings. This will help you make sure the listing you're considering meets all of your needs.
This update now allows you to sort through reviews to find ones that contain information you might be looking for. For example, you can now use a search box above the reviews to find reviews with certain keywords that might help answer questions about the listing or a previous guest's experience to help better inform your decision-making process.
There are also more details included in reviews to help give information to would-be bookers, like how long that person stayed, the purpose of their trip and if they traveled with family, a pet or a group.
"If you go and work remotely somewhere, and you're going to spend three weeks and you see that a review was left by someone who spent two or three weeks in that home, you know that their needs are going to be the same as yours," Powell explained. "And so it's more relevant."
Lastly, new charts will be visible in listings that show the distribution of reviews from one to five stars, making it easier to understand the actual number of positive and negative reviews a listing has received.
Related: A guide to the best credit cards for Airbnb stays
Hosts are empowered to give more details
Another way Airbnb is helping travelers find the right Airbnb for their trip is by helping hosts beef up their listings so guests quickly get as much information about the listing as possible.
"A lot of what this release is about is really helping guests find the right listing for them," Powell said. That is made easier, she explained, by giving hosts smarter tools.
Those new features include the new "Listings" tab, a powerful set of tools to help hosts better share details about their listings by highlighting various amenities, room types and sleeping arrangements. It's also where a listing's arrival guide lives, and it's easier than ever to edit that.
One area that Airbnb realized needed work was with a listing's photos. According to Powell, there are more than 175 million photos on the platform, and they understood that guests needed a better way to look at those photos to understand exactly what they were seeing.
To do that, Airbnb is implementing an artificial intelligence-powered photo tour that will automatically recognize, categorize and label photos into various room types so that it's easier to understand the layout of a home.
One last feature that will benefit hosts and guests is the ability to integrate certain smart locks directly into a listing, so a unique entry code is delivered right into the app before a guest's arrival.
Most of these new features are already beginning to roll out worldwide. Some host-facing features, like smart lock integration, will come later this year in the U.S. and Canada and require enrolling in Airbnb Early Access.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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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 $6,000 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 $6,000 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.