Why hosts are asked to respond within 24 hours

Hosts are asked to respond to reservation requests, booking enquiries and all other messages from guests within 24 hours because quick responses build trust in our hosting community, making it easier for guests to find a place to stay.

If you receive a booking enquiry or reservation request, responding within 24 hours helps you move towards a confirmed reservation. Guests who have already checked in or are planning a future trip appreciate quick responses too.

What counts as a response?

A response depends on what kind of communication you got from the guest.

• If you have a reservation request, accepting or declining counts as a response
• If you have a booking enquiry, you can do any of the following to respond within 24 hours:
  • Pre-approve the booking if your place is free
  • Send a special offer to suggest different pricing or dates
  • Send a message
  • Decline if you’re not able to host
• For all other messages from current or potential guests, send a message to keep your response rate up

What if I don’t respond within 24 hours?

Taking longer than 24 hours to respond will count as a late response, which will decrease your response rate and increase your response time. Your response rate can affect your listing’s position in search results.

Learn more about response rate and how it’s calculated.