Airbnb plans to add a 2% fee for cross-currency bookings if you pay using a currency other than the one the host has set for the listing.
The fee is set to go into effect on April 1 and will be charged on top of all other service fees associated with bookings made on or after that day, the vacation rental properties company said in an update on its website.
Airbnb also said that its terms of service have been updated, effective immediately for all first time users and on March 28 for existing users.
Types of Airbnb fees
Here's a break down of the types of fees you may be charged:
- Nightly price: The rate set by the host for staying at their property.
- Airbnb service fee: A charge for 24/7 customer service.
- Cleaning fee: Some hosts will charge this to cover the cost of cleaning the property after your stay.
- Extra guest fee: Some hosts will charge a fee for each additional guest beyond a specified number.
- Pet fee: Some hosts allow pets to stay at their properties for an additional fee that may be separate from cleaning fees.
- Security deposit: Hosts that manage their listings with a specific software may set a security deposit, which will be communicated during the booking process. You can learn more about Airbnb security deposits here.
- Valued Added Tax (VAT, JCT and GST): This is charged to guests in certain countries. You can learn more about VAT here.
- Local taxes: This is charged based on the location of the host’s listing. You can learn more about local taxes here.
The new 2% fee announcement follows Airbnb's launch in late 2022 of a "display total pricing" feature, which allows users to see a full price breakdown of costs before booking.
The feature was introduced amid a raft of complaints about hidden service fees and tasks that customers were expected to do before checking out. Last June, the company was one of several that President Joe Biden recognized for eliminating junk fees and increasing pricing transparency for customers.
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