Suggestions will show after typing in the search input. Use the up and down arrows to review. Use enter to select. If the selection is a phrase, that phrase will be submitted to search. If the suggestion is a link, the browser will navigate to that page.
Community policy

Experiences Guest Refund Policy

Reservations booked before May 13, 2025 are subject to the current policy. For reservations booked on or after May 13, 2025, the new Refund Policy for Experiences below are in effect.

This Experiences guest refund policy explains how refunds are handled when a host cancels a reservation or another Experiences Issue disrupts an experience.

What Experiences Issues are covered

The term “Experiences Issue” refers to the following situations:

  • Host cancels the experience
  • Host fails to deliver or fulfill the experience
  • Host arrives more than 15 minutes late to the experience causing the guest to abandon the experience
  • Experience presents or entails a safety or health hazard that would reasonably be expected to adversely affect a guest’s participation
  • The actual experience materially deviates from the experience as described at the time of booking or from the Airbnb Experiences standards and requirements in a manner that would reasonably be expected to adversely affect a guest’s participation

What happens if a host cancels the experience

If a host cancels an experience reservation, their guest automatically receives a full refund.

What happens if another Experiences Issue disrupts an experience

Other Experiences Issues must be reported to us no later than 72 hours after they occur. If we determine that an Experiences Issue has disrupted an experience, we will provide a full or partial refund. The amount refunded depends on the severity of the Experiences Issue, the impact on the guest, how the experience was affected, and whether the guest was able to attend and participate in the experience.

How to request a refund

To be eligible for a refund for an Experience Issue other than a host cancellation, the guest who made the reservation may submit a request by contacting us. Requests must be made to us no later than 72 hours after occurrence of the Experiences Issue and supported by relevant evidence such as photographs or confirmation of the conditions by the host or other guests. We will determine whether an Experiences Issue has occurred by evaluating available evidence.

How this policy affects hosts

If a host cancels an experience reservation or another Experiences Issue disrupts an experience, the host will either receive no payout or will have their payout reduced by the amount of the refund to their guest. In most circumstances we will attempt to confirm a guest’s request with their host. Hosts can also submit an objection to an Experiences Issue by contacting us.

Other things to be aware of

This policy applies to all reservations made on or after the Effective Date. When this policy applies, it controls and takes precedence over the reservation’s cancellation policy. Before submitting a request for a refund, whenever feasible, the guest must notify the host and try to resolve the Experiences Issue directly with their host. In connection with resolving the issue, guests can request refunds directly from hosts using the resolution center. We may reduce the amount of any refund under this policy to reflect any refund or other relief provided directly by a host.

Where a guest demonstrates that timely reporting of an Experiences Issue was not feasible, we may allow for late reporting of the Experiences Issue under this policy. Experiences Issues that are caused by the guest, co-travelers, or their invitees or pets are not covered by this policy. Submitting a fraudulent report violates our Terms of Service and may result in account termination.

Our decisions under this policy are binding, but do not affect other contractual or statutory rights that may be available. Any right that guests or hosts may have to initiate legal action remains unaffected. This policy is not insurance and no premium has been paid by any guest or host. All rights and obligations under this policy are personal to the booking guest and host of the reservation and may not be transferred or assigned. Any changes to this policy will be made in accordance with our Terms of Service. This policy applies to experiences, but does not apply to Luxe or Stays reservations.

Refund Policy for Experiences

Effective date: May 13, 2025.

This policy describes when guests may be eligible for refunds for experiences. It also explains how guests can request refunds and how we will handle them.

Refund eligibility

If a guest’s experience is disrupted by a Covered Issue, then the guest is eligible for a full or partial refund. The term “Covered Issue” means any of the following:

  • A host cancels a service or experience, except when a host cancels because of a disruption caused by the guest (ex: the guest refuses to follow safety instructions)
  • A host is more than 15 minutes late for the experience, or does not arrive for the experience at all
  • The delivered service or experience differs substantially from what was advertised or agreed to with the guest (ex: the host provides an inaccurate starting location information or fails to deliver key aspects of what was promised)
  • A host is not prepared to host the experience (ex: inappropriate venue, missing essential equipment, or failing equipment)
  • A host damages a venue provided by the guest

Refund requests

If a host cancels a reservation, their guest automatically receives a refund, unless the cancellation is due to a disruption by the guest. In these cases, the guest will not be entitled to a refund.

For any Covered Issue other than a host cancellation, the guest should, whenever feasible, try to resolve the Covered Issue directly with their host. Guests may request refunds directly from hosts using the Resolution Center.

For any issue that is not resolved directly with the host, the guest who made the reservation may submit a request by contacting us. The request must be submitted no later than 72 hours after the Covered Issue occurs. And the request must be supported by relevant evidence such as photographs, communications between the host and guest, or other available documentation, which we will use to help determine whether a Covered Issue has occurred. If a guest demonstrates that reporting a Covered Issue within 72 hours was not feasible, we may allow for late reporting under this policy.

Refund amounts

If a host cancels a reservation for any reason other than a disruption caused by the guest, the guest will automatically receive a full refund. If we determine that a Covered Issue other than a cancellation has disrupted an experience, we will provide a full or partial refund. How much we refund depends on the severity of the Covered Issue and the extent of the impact on the guest.

If a host has already provided a partial refund in response to a guest request, we may reduce the amount of any further refund under this policy to reflect what the host has already paid to the guest.

Effect on hosts

In most circumstances, we will attempt to confirm a guest’s reported concern by reaching out to their host. Hosts can also dispute a guest’s assertion of a Covered Issue by contacting us or responding to our correspondence.

If a host cancels a reservation or is responsible for any other Covered Issue that disrupts an experience, the host may either receive no payout or may have their payout reduced by the amount of the refund to their guest.

Other things to be aware of

This policy applies to all reservations made on or after the Effective Date and is applicable to the maximum extent permitted by law, which may imply guarantees that cannot be excluded. When this policy applies, it controls and takes precedence over the reservation’s cancellation policy. Covered Issues that are caused by the requesting guest are not covered by this policy. Submitting a fraudulent report violates our Terms of Service and may result in account termination.

Our decisions under this policy are binding but do not affect other contractual or statutory rights that may be available. Any right that guests or hosts may have to initiate legal action remains unaffected. This policy is not insurance and no premium has been paid by any guest or host. All rights and obligations under this policy are personal to the booking guest and host of the reservation and may not be transferred or assigned. Any changes to this policy will be made in accordance with our Terms of Service. This policy applies to experiences but does not apply to home reservations.

Did this article help?

Related articles

  • How-to • Guest

    Refunds for experiences

    Find details of what to do if you have a travel issue that prevents you from being able to complete an Airbnb experience, and you’re unable to resolve it with your host.
  • How-to • Experience host

    How do payouts for experiences work?

    First, set up your preferred payout method on your Airbnb profile. The day after you host an experience, Airbnb will release your payout for it.
  • Rules • Experience host

    Guidelines for hosting Airbnb Experiences with a team

    The Experience’s primary Host can choose who joins the team and which tools and features they can access.
Get help with your reservations, account, and more.
Log in or sign up