Learn how Airbnb’s new Offsite Payment and Fee Policy impacts hosts starting May 10, and how Monopoly Property Services helps you stay compliant.
Howdy Houstonians!
Effective May 10, 2025, Airbnb is introducing significant changes to its Offsite Payment and Fee Transparency Policy in an effort to strengthen trust across its platform and comply with evolving price-transparency laws, including a new Federal Trade Commission rule.
For many hosts, these updates will require adjustments to how fees, payments, and guest communication are handled moving forward. In this edition of Property Pulse, we’re breaking down what’s changing, why Airbnb is making these moves, and what this means for hosts.
Most Notable Policy Changes
Airbnb’s latest policy focuses on keeping payments and communication on-platform, while making all fees transparent upfront. Here are the most notable changes that can be seen:
- You cannot collect or redirect bookings off-platform:
Hosts are now strictly prohibited from encouraging guests to move any part of the booking process off Airbnb. This includes asking guests to pay through other platforms, offering discounts for direct bookings, sending links to external sites, or arranging reservation extensions outside Airbnb. All communication and transactions must remain within the platform. - All mandatory fees must be disclosed upfront:
Fees like utilities, pet charges, resort fees, or extra guest charges must now appear in Airbnb’s pricing fields or be included in the nightly rate. These must be visible at checkout. Hosts can no longer add them later or communicate them separately. - Reservation changes must go through Airbnb tools:
Any changes made to a booking, such as dates, number of guests, etc., must be made through the “Change reservation” feature on Airbnb. Private agreements or external payments are not allowed. - Security deposits are mostly being phased out:
Airbnb discourages hosts from collecting their own security deposits, instead promoting its built-in AirCover for Hosts program as the standard protection option. - Guest communication must stay on Airbnb:
Hosts can no longer request or use guest phone numbers, emails, or other contact information. All communication must stay within Airbnb’s system to protect both parties and ensure policy compliance.
Together, these rules reflect Airbnb’s shift toward stricter oversight of how bookings and payments are handled on its platform.
Why is Airbnb Making These Changes?
Airbnb wants to ensure bookings, payments, and communication stay on its platform to reduce risk and maintain a consistent experience for guests and hosts. Off-platform transactions make it harder for Airbnb to enforce policies, provide support, and resolve disputes.
These updates also align with new regulations, including a Federal Trade Commission rule focused on eliminating hidden fees and improving price transparency in the travel industry.
What This Means for Hosts
For hosts who rely solely on Airbnb to manage their listings, these changes may require an immediate review of your pricing setup and listing details. All mandatory fees must be properly disclosed and included in Airbnb’s pricing fields to avoid policy violations.
Additionally, hosts who previously collected security deposits directly or managed add-ons outside of Airbnb’s payment system will need to adjust their processes to remain compliant. It’s also worth noting that Airbnb has carved out exceptions for certain hosts, including select software-connected hosts and hotels with standard incidental deposit procedures.
Our Solution for Smarter Hosting
Airbnb’s new policy is a clear move toward full transparency and tighter control of the reservation process. Hosts must now disclose all mandatory fees clearly, avoid any form of off-platform communication or payment collection, and rely on Airbnb’s tools for reservation changes. For hosts who have previously used direct deposits, cash payments, or outside communication, this is a major shift in how bookings are managed.
At Monopoly Property Services, we help you navigate changes like these without losing control over your business. Clients on our Park Place Prestige Plan fall under Airbnb’s software-connected category, so we can continue collecting certain fees and security deposits directly. More importantly, we support our clients across multiple platforms, including Airbnb, VRBO, and direct booking sites, giving them greater flexibility, protection, and independence from policy shifts.
Need further clarification on how this can impact your booking? Reach out to us, and we’ll help.
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