Airbnb reserve now pay later stays – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
Skip to main content

Airbnb now lets you ‘pay later’ on vacation rentals

Airbnb won’t charge you at the time of booking if you choose its ‘reserve now, pay later’ option.

Airbnb won’t charge you at the time of booking if you choose its ‘reserve now, pay later’ option.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

acastro_STK090_06
acastro_STK090_06
Image: Alex Castro / The Verge
Emma Roth
is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.

Airbnb has introduced a new “reserve now, pay later” option that lets users in the US book a reservation without paying right away. Instead, users can put off their payment to a later date before check-in.

Airbnb says it will require payment before the end of a stay’s free cancellation period, ensuring “hosts have time to secure another booking even if a guest cancels.” The option is only available for stays in the US with a moderate or flexible cancellation policy. Airbnb also notes that it will still charge upfront for travel insurance, climate contribution, or other optional add-ons.

Image: Airbnb

While Airbnb already offers a “pay part now, pay later” option, which allows users to pay part of their bill at checkout and the rest before check-in, this new method means users don’t have to make a payment at the time of booking at all. Airbnb offers payments with the buy now pay later service, Klarna, as well.

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.