Airbnb has launched a new “reserve now, pay later” option for its US users, allowing them to book vacation rentals without immediate payment. This new feature defers the payment until a later date, specifically before the end of the reservation’s free cancellation period. This ensures that hosts have sufficient time to secure new bookings if a guest cancels.
The “reserve now, pay later” option is exclusively available for stays within the United States that have either a moderate or flexible cancellation policy. It’s important to note that while the core reservation payment is deferred, users will still be charged upfront for any additional services such as travel insurance, climate contributions, or other optional add-ons.
This new offering differs from Airbnb’s existing “pay part now, pay later” option, where users pay a portion of the bill at checkout and the remainder closer to check-in. The latest addition provides complete payment deferral at the time of booking. Furthermore, Airbnb also facilitates payments through the “buy now, pay later” service, Klarna.
