Airbnb to Give 10 Cents From Every Stay to Airbnb.org

Airbnb is changing how it funds Airbnb.org, its independent nonprofit that houses people in crisis. Starting this week, Airbnb will donate $0.10 of its own revenue on every stay. Guests will not pay more, and host payouts will not drop.

The company says the new model should deliver $500 million to Airbnb.org over five years. The goal is to reach 1 million nights of free housing a year. Skift reports that is about ten times the roughly 100,000 nights the nonprofit is on track to provide this year.

How it works

The donation is a flat $0.10 per stay, the same in every market whatever the nightly rate. Airbnb says it will not make donations for stays cancelled before check-in, or for bookings of experiences or services. Skift adds that hotel bookings are excluded too. Nobody has to opt in.

Airbnb.org works with local nonprofits and government partners to find people who need a place to stay. It then gives them credits to book the Airbnb that fits, whether that means staying near family, bringing pets, or having step-free access. Guests stay free and hosts are paid for the stay. Hosts can also choose to offer discounted stays or give part of their earnings.

Airbnb covers the nonprofit's operating costs, so all public donations go to housing. The company says it makes no money from these stays.

Growing demand

The need is climbing. Airbnb says Airbnb.org has responded to more than 200 disasters this year, against eight in 2023. Total help since 2020 stands at more than 1.6 million nights for over 250,000 people.

The nonprofit is also moving beyond disaster relief. Per Skift, a medical travel program that began in Mexico in October 2025 now runs in 16 countries, and a domestic violence pilot called Safe Havens is due to launch in Utah within a couple of months. Executive director Christoph Gorder told Skift that reaching 1 million nights will take more partnerships with governments and hospitals.

"Now, every time someone books a home on Airbnb, they'll help someone else find a place to stay when they need it most," said Brian Chesky, Airbnb's co-founder and CEO.

What it means for hosts

There is no direct cost to hosts. The number of free-stay bookings should grow, though, and those bookings pay hosts as normal. Skift also notes that Airbnb's per-stay amount is larger than what Booking.com and Vrbo give per stay, which may help Airbnb in the goodwill stakes with regulators and local governments. The flat 10 cents is small next to Airbnb's fees, so it is a modest line in the accounts but a visible one in the company's public case.