Rental Property Investor · KY · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 537 votes
I booked an AirBnB in about a month. I noticed my credit card was already charged for the amount of the trip even though it's a month away. Can they do that? Doesn't seem right.
Rental Property Investor · Carrollton, TX · Member since 2013 · 750 posts · 538 votes
9y
When we have booked with Airbnb, they have dinged our card early as well.
Just know that the funds are not released to the host until after the first night of your stay. If you need to cancel you should get a refund if done so before your stay (though the exact amount will depend on the hosts settings for refunds).
Rental Property Investor · Carrollton, TX · Member since 2013 · 750 posts · 538 votes
9y
When we have booked with Airbnb, they have dinged our card early as well.
Just know that the funds are not released to the host until after the first night of your stay. If you need to cancel you should get a refund if done so before your stay (though the exact amount will depend on the hosts settings for refunds).
Fresno, CA · Member since 2015 · 145 posts · 59 votes
9y
It is standard for them to charge you at the time of reservation. I think it's the same for any hotel booking hut I could be wrong.
If you choose to cancel for whatever reason you will be reimbursed according to the cancellation policy per the host.
Wholetailer & Architect · San Francisco, CA · Member since 2015 · 544 posts · 298 votes
9y
Hotels have many rooms onsite and usually set prices so that a few are available for last minute bookings so they can afford to have you cancel with 24 hour notice and probably find a replacement so they are ok charging on arrival. Most airbnb hosts only have 1 or 2 places so a last minute cancellation can mean unpaid vacancy.
If airbnb doesn't take the money upfront you could cancel the credit card you booked with then cancel your reservation and they would have no recourse other than banning you from the site. If a host has their refund set to strict airbnb would have to pay the host or risk losing that host to another site.
If you do a multi month booking you will only be charged for the 1st month and the next month about a week before it starts.