Airbnb Cancellation Policy for Hosts: How Each Option Works in 2026

Airbnb offers four standard cancellation policies for stays of 27 nights or fewer: Flexible, Moderate, Limited, and Firm. Stays of 28 nights or more follow separate long-term policies. Airbnb retired the Strict policy for new listings in October 2025 and added Limited, every standard policy now includes a 24-hour grace period, and hosts can add a non-refundable rate and set different policies for different dates.

If you are becoming an Airbnb host, your cancellation policy is one of the first settings that shapes your income. The sections below explain how each policy pays you, what changed, and how to choose, and a guide to building a cancellation policy covers the strategy across platforms.

Airbnb cancellation policies at a glance

These apply to reservations of 27 or fewer consecutive nights. Airbnb's own guidance is to start with the most flexible policy your business can support.

Standard policies in detail

Flexible

Guests can cancel up to 24 hours before check-in for a full refund, and you are not paid. If they cancel less than 24 hours before check-in and never check in, you are paid for the first night. If they cancel after check-in, you are paid for each night they stay plus one additional night.

Airbnb says it may suit you if it is low season and you want to attract guests with flexible plans, if you are confident your space will be rebooked, or if you are in a competitive location and are not worried about late cancellations.

Moderate

Guests can cancel up to 5 days before check-in for a full refund. After that, you are paid for each night they stay, plus one additional night and 50% of all unspent nights. Airbnb says it suits hosts who want to discourage last-minute cancellations, prefer some time to rebook, or want to attract business travelers who need refundable reservations.

Limited

Limited is the newest option. Guests can cancel up to 14 days before check-in for a full refund. If they cancel between 7 and 14 days out, you are paid 50% for all nights, and if they cancel less than 7 days before check-in, you are paid 100% for all nights. It suits hosts who can handle a cancellation with at least two weeks' notice and want to stay attractive to guests who value some flexibility.

Firm

Guests can cancel up to 30 days before check-in for a full refund. Between 7 and 30 days out, you are paid 50% for all nights, and less than 7 days out, you are paid 100%. It suits hosts who need at least 30 days' notice to rebook, or whose space is in demand year-round.

For example, take a 5-night stay at $100 a night, which is $500 before the cleaning fee and taxes. Under Firm, a guest who cancels 20 days before check-in gets a partial refund and you are paid 50% of the nights, or $250. The same cancellation under Limited or Moderate would have been a full refund, because 20 days out is still within the full-refund window of both.

Strict has been retired

Airbnb retired the Strict policy for new listings in October 2025, and existing Strict listings were scheduled to move to Firm on September 15, 2026. Any guide that lists Strict as a standard option for short stays is out of date. The older invite-only Super Strict policies are also not part of Airbnb's current list of standard policies.

Rules that apply to every standard policy

• A 24-hour grace period. Guests receive a full refund if they cancel within 24 hours of booking and at least 7 days before check-in, whichever policy you choose.
• A non-refundable option. You can offer guests a stricter policy at a discount, typically about 10% off your base price. If a guest who picks it cancels, you keep your entire payout for all nights booked. Airbnb attaches conditions to this option, so check them in your host account.
• Cleaning fees. They are fully refunded during the free-cancellation period. After that, the cleaning fee counts as part of the nightly price, and any refund follows your policy.
• Search visibility. Airbnb highlights listings in search when their free-cancellation period runs longer than 48 hours after booking, and it says 44% of guests list free cancellation among their top needs.

Long-term policies (28 nights or more)

Monthly stays follow their own policies, and your long-term policy applies instead of your standard policy:

• Firm: guests can cancel up to 30 days before check-in for a full refund. After that, you are paid 100% for the nights spent plus 30 additional nights, or for all remaining nights if fewer than 30 remain.
• Strict: guests get a full refund only if they cancel within 48 hours of booking and at least 28 days before check-in. After that, you are paid 100% for the nights spent plus 30 additional nights.

For example, take a 60-night booking at $100 a night, which is $6,000. Under the long-term Firm policy, a guest who cancels 10 days before check-in has missed the 30-day window, so you are paid for 30 additional nights, or $3,000.

Date-specific policies

Airbnb now lets hosts set seasonal cancellation policies by date range, so one listing can run Firm on peak dates and Flexible or Moderate in slow weeks. Airbnb applies the policy that matches the guest's check-in date. The feature launched in the United States first, so check whether it is available in your market.

Special cases that override your policy

Your policy does not apply in every situation. Airbnb notes that special cases can apply different cancellation terms, such as its Major Disruptive Events Policy and extenuating circumstances, which can let guests cancel without penalty whatever policy you chose. Separately, Airbnb's Rebooking and Refund Policy can refund a guest who arrives and cannot get in, which is a different loss from a cancellation. Check Airbnb's current terms for the situations that can affect you.

What happens when a host cancels

A guest's policy does not protect you from your own cancellations. If you cancel a confirmed reservation, you receive no payout for it, and Airbnb imposes a cancellation fee with a minimum of $50 USD. For reservations of 28 nights or longer, the fee is calculated as a percentage of the non-refundable portion of the reservation instead of the whole amount. Other consequences can include a blocked calendar for the cancelled dates, loss of Superhost status, and listing or account suspension or removal.

Airbnb may waive fees and other consequences when you cancel for a valid reason outside your control, such as emergency repairs to your home, a serious illness that prevents hosting, or evidence that a guest intends to break a house rule. Be ready to provide proof, and contact Airbnb before you cancel if you think your situation qualifies.

How to choose the right policy

Match your policy to how your calendar behaves:

• Short booking windows and fast rebooking point toward Flexible or Moderate, since a cancellation ten days out is easy to refill.
• Long booking windows and high demand support Limited or Firm, since you have time to rebook and want to protect valuable dates.
• Mixed demand is where date-specific policies help most, with firmer terms on holidays and events and flexible terms in the shoulder season.

A policy that is too strict can cost you bookings, and one that is too loose can leave you with orphan gaps, so review your cancellation rate and booking window regularly. PriceLabs Market Dashboards show how far ahead guests book in your market and how cancellations trend, so you can see where your policy fits.

Say your policy clearly in your listing and your pre-arrival message. A thorough guest screening routine also lowers your cancellation risk before it starts.

How to change your policy

You can update your cancellation policy at any time in your host account, and a change generally applies to new bookings, not to reservations you already hold. Date-specific policies are set from your calendar. If you price dates dynamically, remember that a date's policy stays in place when its rate changes, so review both together.

If you list on more than one channel, the rules differ. Our Airbnb vs Vrbo comparison sets the policies side by side, and the guide to Vrbo's cancellation policies covers its windows.

Frequently asked questions

How many Airbnb cancellation policies are there?

Four standard policies for stays of 27 nights or fewer: Flexible, Moderate, Limited, and Firm. Stays of 28 nights or more use the long-term Firm and Strict policies.

Did Airbnb remove the Strict cancellation policy?

For short stays, yes. Airbnb retired Strict for new listings in October 2025, and existing Strict listings were scheduled to move to Firm on September 15, 2026. A Strict policy still exists for long-term stays.

What is the 24-hour grace period?

Every standard policy lets a guest cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund, as long as check-in is at least 7 days away.

What is the non-refundable option?

An optional discounted rate, typically about 10% off your base price, for guests who accept a stricter policy. If they cancel, you keep your full payout for all nights booked.

Can I charge a cleaning fee when a guest cancels?

Cleaning fees are fully refunded during the free-cancellation period. After that, the cleaning fee counts as part of the nightly price, and any refund follows your policy.

What does it cost if I cancel a guest's reservation?

You receive no payout for that reservation, and Airbnb imposes a cancellation fee with a minimum of $50. Your calendar can be blocked for those dates, and you can lose Superhost status or face suspension. Airbnb may waive fees when the reason is outside your control and you can prove it.

Can I change my cancellation policy?

Yes, at any time. The change generally applies to new bookings, not existing reservations.