Is Airbnb quietly testing its own loyalty program?

Some hosts are now seeing an offer:

Provide a 20% discount, and Airbnb will boost your visibility and promote your listing to “top rated guests.”

But here’s what makes this different.

“Top rated guests” aren’t defined by how much they spend — they’re defined by behavior. Guests with 4.8+ ratings and multiple completed stays.

In this episode, we unpack:

• Why this looks like pay-to-play ranking

• How it differs from Booking.com’s Genius or Expedia’s OneKey

• Why Airbnb’s two-way review system gives it unique behavioral data

• Whether this is a short-term experiment — or the beginning of real loyalty infrastructure

• What this means for hosts funding the discount

If you manage short-term rentals, this could reshape how visibility, guest targeting, and pricing strategy work in 2026.

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