Airbnb Lets Asia Pacific Guests Book Without Paying Upfront: Here’s How It Works
Photo Credit: An Airbnb host in Kathmandu. Airbnb
Skift Take
Although the rollout spans most major Asia-Pacific markets, travelers in India still won’t see the feature yet, a notable exclusion given the country’s size and growing outbound travel demand.
Airbnb’s new “Reserve Now, Pay Later” option landed in Asia-Pacific on Tuesday, letting travelers lock in eligible homes without handing over a card at checkout.
The company said the option applies to listings with flexible or moderate cancellation policies, and guests who choose it are charged shortly before the free-cancellation window closes and not at booking.
“Guests are able to use the free cancellation filter to see which listings offer a more flexible option,” an Airbnb spokesperson told Skift.
Different from a Buy Now Pay Later concept that some online travel companies promote, this Airbnb feature is more of a courtesy hold, not credit as there are no interest charges, no credit checks, and no installment schedule.
Airbnb called it a way to reduce the friction that makes groups lose out on the homes they want while they sort out payment.
The option is now available to Asia-Pacific guests booking eligible listings
