Airbnb, Inc. is an American technology company that operates an online marketplace for accommodation and travel-related services. Through its website and mobile applications, hosts can offer homes and other accommodation to guests, while the platform also supports bookable experiences and other services.[1]
The business originated in San Francisco in 2007 when Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia hosted three visitors in their apartment during a design conference. Nathan Blecharczyk joined them in 2008, and the company was incorporated in Delaware on 27 June 2008 as AirBed & Breakfast, Inc.[2] The company's name was later shortened to Airbnb. Its Class A common stock began trading on the Nasdaq in December 2020 under the ticker symbol ABNB.[3]
As of May 2026, Airbnb reported more than 9 million active listings in more than 150,000 cities and towns across over 220 countries and regions. The company said that its platform had recorded more than 2.5 billion guest arrivals and included more than 5.5 million hosts.[4]
History
Origins and launch
Airbnb's origins date to October 2007, when Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia were living in San Francisco and were seeking a way to help pay their rent. With hotels in the city heavily booked during a design conference, they created a simple website called AirBedandBreakfast.com and offered air mattresses in their apartment to visitors. Three people became their first guests.[2][4]
Nathan Blecharczyk, a software engineer, joined Chesky and Gebbia in 2008. AirBed & Breakfast officially launched during the South by Southwest festival in March 2008, although the company says that launch produced only two bookings. A new version of the website was launched in August 2008 around the Democratic National Convention and received about 80 bookings.[4]
The company was legally incorporated on 27 June 2008 as AirBed & Breakfast, Inc., a Delaware corporation.[2] Its early model concentrated on connecting people who had available space with travelers seeking temporary accommodation.
In March 2009, the service changed its public name from Airbed & Breakfast to Airbnb and expanded its focus beyond rooms and airbeds to include apartments, entire homes and vacation rentals.[4]
Early expansion
Airbnb introduced a mobile application and its Instant Book feature in November 2010. The company began a more formal international expansion in 2011 with the opening of an office in Germany.[4]
In 2012, Airbnb introduced a US$1 million Host Guarantee. Later that year, following Hurricane Sandy, it worked with New York City on accommodation for displaced residents and developed a disaster-relief initiative.[4]
The company opened its headquarters at 888 Brannan Street in San Francisco in 2013. In July 2014, Airbnb introduced a redesigned brand identity and the Bélo logo. The identity was developed with DesignStudio around Airbnb's "Belong Anywhere" brand concept.[5]
Expansion beyond accommodation
In November 2016, Airbnb introduced Trips, an initiative intended to extend the platform beyond accommodation. One of its major components was Airbnb Experiences, through which people could offer bookable activities and local experiences.[6]
Airbnb also expanded through acquisitions. In 2017 it acquired Luxury Retreats, a company specializing in high-end vacation properties, as part of its move into luxury travel.[7]
In March 2019, Airbnb announced the acquisition of HotelTonight, a service specializing in hotel-room bookings. The deal broadened Airbnb's accommodation inventory and increased its involvement in conventional hotel booking.[8]
COVID-19 pandemic and public listing
The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted Airbnb's business as international travel declined in 2020. In May of that year, Chesky announced that Airbnb would eliminate nearly 1,900 jobs, around 25% of its workforce at the time. He said the company expected 2020 revenue to be less than half its 2019 level and would concentrate more closely on its core business.[9]
Airbnb nevertheless proceeded with an initial public offering later in 2020. The company priced its shares at US$68 each and began trading on Nasdaq on 10 December 2020. The stock opened at US$146 and closed its first trading day at US$144.71, giving the company a fully diluted valuation of approximately US$100.7 billion at the time.[3]
2021 to present
In November 2021, Airbnb introduced AirCover for hosts as part of a broader set of product changes. At launch, it included damage and liability protection along with several other protections for hosts.[10]
In April 2022, Airbnb announced its "Live and Work Anywhere" policy. The program generally allows employees to work from home or an office, live anywhere within the country where they are employed and, subject to legal and company requirements, temporarily work from other countries.[11]
Airbnb acquired GamePlanner.AI in November 2023. The acquired company was a 12-person artificial-intelligence business led by Adam Cheyer and Siamak Hodjat. Airbnb said the team would work on artificial-intelligence projects and applications for its platform.[12]
In May 2025, Airbnb redesigned its application around three primary categories: Homes, Experiences and Services. The Services offering initially included categories such as chefs, photography, massage and spa treatments.[13]
In May 2026, the company announced additional travel offerings including car rentals, grocery delivery, airport pickups, selected FIFA World Cup 2026 experiences and a greater emphasis on boutique and independent hotels.[14]
Platform and services
Homes
Airbnb's core business is an online marketplace connecting hosts who offer accommodation with guests who want to book it. Listings can include rooms, apartments, houses and other types of accommodation. Airbnb generally operates the marketplace rather than owning the accommodation listed by hosts.[1]
Hosts determine aspects of their listings such as availability, nightly prices and property rules, subject to Airbnb's policies and applicable law. Guests can search by destination, travel dates, property features and other criteria, and bookings and payments are generally handled through Airbnb's platform.[15]
Experiences
Airbnb Experiences are activities offered by hosts and other providers. The company first introduced Experiences through its Trips initiative in 2016.[6] Airbnb relaunched and expanded Experiences as a major component of its 2025 application redesign, presenting them alongside accommodation and other services.[13]
Services
Airbnb Services were introduced as a major product category in 2025. At launch, Airbnb said services were available in ten categories across 260 cities. Examples included chefs, photography, massage and spa treatments.[13]
The platform continued to broaden its travel-related services in 2026, including the addition of car rentals, grocery delivery and airport pickups in supported markets.[14]
Business model
Airbnb primarily earns revenue from service fees associated with transactions completed through its platform. For accommodation bookings, the fees are based on factors including booking value, duration, geography and host type. For experiences and services, Airbnb earns host fees.[1]
Historically, Airbnb used both split-fee and host-only fee structures for accommodation. Under the split-fee model, part of the fee was charged to the host and part to the guest. Airbnb has been transitioning home hosts toward a single host-paid fee structure. In 2026, the company described the standard single fee during this transition as 15.5% in markets being migrated to the model.[16]
For Airbnb Services, the company generally charges hosts a 15% service fee, subject to a minimum in supported currencies, while experience hosts generally pay a 20% service fee.[17]
Scale and operations
Airbnb operates internationally. According to company figures updated in May 2026, the platform had more than 9 million active listings in over 150,000 cities and towns in more than 220 countries and regions.[4] Airbnb also reported more than 5.5 million hosts and more than 2.5 billion cumulative guest arrivals.[4]
In its 2025 annual report, Airbnb said that 533 million nights and seats were booked through the platform during 2025, compared with 492 million in 2024. Gross booking value increased from US$81.784 billion in 2024 to US$91.273 billion in 2025.[1]
Airbnb divides its geographic operating information into North America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; Latin America; and Asia Pacific. In 2025, no single city represented more than 2% of the company's revenue or more than 1% of its active listings, according to its annual report.[1]
Corporate affairs
Leadership
Airbnb was co-founded by Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk. Chesky serves as chief executive officer and chairman of the board. Blecharczyk serves as chief strategy officer and remains a director.[18]
Elinor Mertz has served as chief financial officer since March 2024. She previously held senior finance roles at Airbnb and, before joining the company, worked at Netflix.[18]
Headquarters and workforce
Airbnb's principal executive offices are at 888 Brannan Street in San Francisco, California.[1] The company says that the majority of its employees are able to work remotely under its Live and Work Anywhere policy.[11]
As of 31 December 2025, Airbnb employed approximately 8,200 people. It also reported relying on a network of approximately 13,000 third-party workers, primarily for community-support operations.[1]
Financial performance
Airbnb reported revenue of US$12.241 billion for 2025, an increase of 10% from US$11.102 billion in 2024.[1]
Net income for 2025 was US$2.511 billion, compared with US$2.648 billion in 2024. Airbnb reported adjusted EBITDA of US$4.297 billion and free cash flow of US$4.613 billion for 2025.[1]
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Gross booking value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | US$11.102 billion | US$2.648 billion | US$81.784 billion |
| 2025 | US$12.241 billion | US$2.511 billion | US$91.273 billion |
Regulation and public policy
Because Airbnb facilitates short-term accommodation across many jurisdictions, its business is affected by local, regional, national and supranational regulations. Rules may address matters including host registration, zoning, rental duration, taxation, data reporting and whether entire properties may be rented for short periods.[1]
New York City adopted Local Law 18, its Short-Term Rental Registration Law, requiring short-term-rental hosts to register with the city's Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement. The law also prevents booking platforms such as Airbnb from processing transactions for unregistered rentals. Enforcement of the booking-service requirements began in September 2023.[19]
Airbnb has argued that some restrictions on short-term accommodation are excessively restrictive and has advocated changes to regulations in several markets. Housing advocates and some public authorities, by contrast, have argued that limits on short-term rentals can be necessary to protect long-term housing supply and residential neighborhoods. The extent of Airbnb's effect on housing markets varies by location and remains a subject of economic and public-policy debate.
At the European Union level, Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 established harmonized rules for collecting and sharing data relating to short-term accommodation rental platforms. The regulation applies from 20 May 2026 and includes provisions concerning registration systems and platform reporting of rental activity to public authorities.[20]
Brand
Airbnb introduced the Bélo symbol in July 2014 as part of a major redesign of its visual identity.[4] DesignStudio, which worked on the project, described the symbol as representing the company's concept of belonging and designed it so that it could be recognized across languages and reproduced by hand.[5]
The Airbnb name developed from the original "AirBed & Breakfast" service. The company began using the shortened Airbnb name in 2009 for its service, while its legal corporate name formally changed from AirBed & Breakfast, Inc. to Airbnb, Inc. on 15 November 2010.[4][2]
Did you know about Airbnb?
- Airbnb's first stay took place in 2007 after Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia offered air mattresses in their San Francisco apartment to three visitors attending a design conference.[2]
- Airbnb was incorporated as AirBed & Breakfast, Inc. on 27 June 2008 and formally changed its corporate name to Airbnb, Inc. in November 2010.[2]
- Airbnb's shares were priced at US$68 for its 2020 IPO but opened at US$146 on their first day of Nasdaq trading.[3]
- Airbnb reported more than 2.5 billion guest arrivals and more than 9 million active listings worldwide by May 2026.[4]
- The platform recorded US$91.273 billion in gross booking value during 2025, while Airbnb itself reported US$12.241 billion in annual revenue.[1]
- Airbnb employed approximately 8,200 people at the end of 2025, while also using around 13,000 third-party workers for much of its community-support activity.[1]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Airbnb, Inc., Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 12 February 2026. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Airbnb, Inc., Form S-1 Registration Statement, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 16 November 2020. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Noor Zainab Hussain and Joshua Franklin, Airbnb valuation surges past $100 billion in biggest U.S. IPO of 2020, Reuters via Investing.com, 10 December 2020. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Airbnb, About us, Airbnb Newsroom, updated May 2026. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 DesignStudio, Airbnb: Developing "Belong Anywhere" branding strategy, DesignStudio. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Airbnb, Airbnb Expands Beyond the Home with the Launch of Trips, Airbnb Newsroom, 17 November 2016. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Ingrid Lunden, Airbnb is buying Luxury Retreats for around $200M, TechCrunch, 9 February 2017. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Heather Somerville, Airbnb buys HotelTonight in deeper expansion into hotel-booking business, Reuters via Investing.com, 7 March 2019. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Brian Chesky, A Message from Co-Founder and CEO Brian Chesky, Airbnb Newsroom, 5 May 2020. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Airbnb, Introducing the Airbnb 2021 Winter Release: 50+ upgrades and innovations across our entire service, Airbnb Newsroom, 9 November 2021. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Airbnb, Our design to live and work anywhere and Live and Work Anywhere initiative, Airbnb Newsroom, 28 April 2022. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Airbnb, Airbnb has acquired GamePlanner.AI, Airbnb Newsroom, 14 November 2023. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Airbnb, Airbnb 2025 Summer Release, Airbnb Newsroom, 13 May 2025. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Airbnb, 2026 May Release: Now there’s even more to Airbnb, Airbnb Newsroom, 20 May 2026. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Airbnb, How pricing works for homes, Airbnb Help Center. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Airbnb, Simplifying Airbnb service fees, Airbnb Resource Center, 29 July 2026. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Airbnb, Why does Airbnb charge service fees for services and experiences?, Airbnb Help Center. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Airbnb, Inc., 2026 Proxy Statement, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 24 April 2026. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ New York City Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement, Registration Law, City of New York. Accessed 27 September 2026.
- ↑ European Parliament and Council of the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on data collection and sharing relating to short-term accommodation rental services, EUR-Lex, 11 April 2024. Accessed 27 September 2026.