Airbnb Instant Booking: What Is It, How to Use It and Pros & Cons

If you’re considering using the Instant Booking feature on Airbnb, you may have seen some negative reviews out there: “I don't like IB either. It worked okay for me for quite some time, but lately I seem to be getting more and more unsuitable guests (e.g. people who haven't understood the listing) wanting to book.”*

However, you’ll find positive testimonials as well: “I’ve hosted over 300 guests at two properties over the last 5 years. I normally allow guests to book ‘instantly’ as it saves me time.”**

This may have you feeling lost on whether you should activate Instant Book, but the answer isn’t always straightforward. There are factors you need to take into account when deciding if it’s right for you, such as the type of property you run and how long you’ve been hosting.

We’re here to help you make that decision and ensure you get the most out of Instant Book if you choose to activate it. This article covers the following topics:

• What Airbnb Instant Book is and how it works
• The advantages and disadvantages of Instant Book for hosts
• 6 ways to make Instant Book work better for you
• How to turn Instant Book on and off

What is Airbnb Instant Book?

Instant Book is a setting on Airbnb that lets guests make a reservation without having to wait for confirmation from the host. There’s no additional fee for guests or hosts, and it can be a good way for property managers to take some manual tasks off their plate. 

For guests, it’s convenient because they don’t have to wait around for a response from a host—they know their booking is confirmed immediately.

How does Airbnb Instant Book work?

Airbnb Instant Book is very straightforward. As a host, you simply toggle on the Instant Book option in the Booking settings area of your listing. This means you won’t have to manually confirm a guest’s reservation—all reservation requests are automatically approved when you use Instant Book (provided the guest meets all your pre-determined requirements). 

Advantages of Airbnb Instant Book for hosts

Plenty of Airbnb hosts swear by Instant Book, and it does have a number of advantages, especially for busy property managers. Take a look at the benefits of letting guests book your properties instantly. 

For many hosts, Instant Book makes their job much smoother. 

Boosts your Airbnb ranking

In Airbnb’s words, “listings that can be booked instantly may rank higher in search results because responses are automatic and the booking is confirmed without the host needing to affirmatively accept the request.”

Response rate is such an important factor in determining where your listing ranks on Airbnb. So activating Instant Book can take the stress off of having to constantly check your phone for messages from potential guests to ensure they’re answered quickly and your listing ranks well. 

Helps you bring in more bookings

Airbnb also affirms that “travelers prefer to use Instant Book because they can book quickly, skip the wait time for hosts to respond, and avoid possibly being rejected.” In fact, guests can toggle an Instant Book preference when setting their search filters, meaning only listings with Instant Book activated will show up in their search results. 

When you combine this preference with the fact that activating Instant Book can directly impact your ability to show in Airbnb’s search results, it’s a simple way to boost your occupancy rates. 

Takes manual tasks out of your day

The convenience of Instant Book can be a big draw if you oversee numerous properties or are trying to grow your portfolio.  While approving or rejecting bookings may not seem like that much work, it can quickly add up if you’re getting multiple booking requests across various properties each day. 

By removing this manual task from your workload, you have more time to focus on bigger-picture efforts, like finding ways to enhance the guest experience or marketing your services to new homeowners.

Disadvantages of Airbnb Instant Book for hosts

Instant Book isn’t for everyone, and some hosts experience issues when they activate this setting. For example, if your space has special features or challenges, or you only offer longer stays, Instant Book may not be right for you. We explain some of these downsides below. 

3. Set additional requirements for guests

On top of maximum and minimum stays, you can set other requirements to make sure you’re getting respectful guests who are a right fit for your property and services. This includes requiring them to have a good track record, as well as having them respond to a preset message when making their reservation. 

For example, this host requires all potential guests to have a verified government ID and no negative reviews (though note that it’s best to avoid negative assumptions in your messaging as this can put off perfectly good guests): 

Additionally, you can set a minimum advance notice to prevent same-day and last-minute bookings. This cut-off time means you can require guests to book up to a week in advance of their stay, giving you time to prepare the property and schedule turnovers accordingly. 

4. Require a damage deposit

What discourages many hosts from turning on Instant Book is the fact that they can’t do their own research into potential guests before a booking is made. This gives you the opportunity to look at past reviews and gauge whether or not the potential guest will respect your property and follow your rules.

To mitigate this concern, you can require guests to pay a security deposit which will protect you in case they cause any damages.

Just know that if there is an issue, you’ll probably have to request your damage deposit through Airbnb’s Resolution Center—you can’t do so outside the platform. 

5. Communicate effectively with guests 

Effective guest communication is important no matter what type of booking process you use, but it becomes especially crucial when you use Instant Book. Since you won’t be having a conversation with your Airbnb guests before they make their reservation, clear and proactive communication is key. 

As we mentioned, you can require guests to respond to a preset message when making their Instant Book reservation, but you can also send a message to them as soon as they make their booking, in the days leading up to their stay, and on the morning of their check-in. 

This helps you avoid any miscommunication issues, and ensures guests understand your house rules and the nuances of your property. This also prevents you from being bombarded by guest questions during their stay.

6. Provide a welcome book

In addition to clearly and proactively communicating with your Instant Book guests, providing them with a welcome book will help them have a smoother stay while minimizing your workload. 

Additionally, you can list your house rules here, making sure your guests understand what’s allowed at your property and what isn’t. While this is convenient for all hosts, it’s especially useful for hosts who use Instant Book, as they can’t personally inform guests of these guidelines before a booking is made. 

To give your guests a stay that exceeds their expectations (and secure that 5-star review), include curated local recommendations in your welcome book, from the best place to catch the sunset to your favorite spot for an evening meal.