Airbnb expands beyond stays

Nearly half of experiences are booked without accommodations as the company tests hotels and deepens AI integration

Airbnb’s strategy to grow beyond home stays is gaining traction. Nearly half of all Airbnb Experiences bookings in Q3 were made without an accommodation, signaling broader user engagement. The company is also piloting hotel listings in regulated markets, investing in AI personalization, and carefully considering how to integrate with platforms like ChatGPT.

Key takeaways

• Experiences attracting new users: About half of Airbnb’s Experiences bookings are from users not booking stays, and 10% of service users are new to Airbnb entirely.
• Local engagement: In Paris, 70% of Airbnb Originals are booked by locals, showing strong appeal beyond travelers.
• Measured expansion timeline: CEO Brian Chesky expects services and experiences to take three to five years to become a significant revenue stream.
• AI integration focus: Airbnb is developing over a dozen AI work streams to personalize guest and host interactions but avoided early ChatGPT partnerships to retain brand distinction.
• Hotel pilots in restricted markets: Airbnb is testing hotel listings in Los Angeles, New York, and Madrid—cities with short-term rental restrictions—to fill supply gaps.
• Financial performance: Q3 2025 revenue rose 10% year over year to $4.1 billion, with record adjusted EBITDA of $2 billion and strong growth from the “Reserve Now, Pay Later” feature in the U.S.
• Strategic positioning: Chesky emphasized that homes and hotels serve different audiences, and adding hotels supplements Airbnb’s supply without cannibalizing core business.

Get the full story at PhocusWire