Boost Bookings with Airbnb Rewards

Customers love a good deal. Loyalty schemes appeal as they are synonymous with saving money and earning points that can be exchanged for rewards. Businesses offer loyalty schemes to encourage brand loyalty and forge relationships with their customers. Many big brands run loyalty programs, but Airbnb has chosen not to.

Today we’ll explore why they don’t offer a scheme and we’ll look at other ways customers can earn and redeem points when they book an Airbnb.

 Why doesn’t Airbnb offer a reward scheme?

Over the years there have been rumblings about Airbnb starting up a loyalty scheme but the company decided not to throw its hat into the ring. There are plenty of hotel loyalty programs and Airbnb customers would appreciate a vacation rental loyalty scheme.

However, Airbnb has decided against redeeming points and this decision doesn’t seem to have affected their popularity. Airbnb has enjoyed unprecedented growth over the years, has turned over huge profits, and remains ahead of competitors.

Can guests still earn and redeem points without an Airbnb reward scheme?

The cost of living keeps increasing, and people are keen to save money where they can. Rental properties can be pricy and a lack of loyalty schemes can be off-putting. However, there are several options for savvy travelers who are keen to earn and redeem points or get cash back and gain rewards when they book vacation rentals.

We’re talking credit cards, air miles, gift cards, Expedia’s loyalty program, etc. Some are simple, but others may take a bit more effort. So, let’s take a look…

Credit Card Points and Credit Card Rewards

Some large, well-known hotel chains boast their own branded credit cards, offering consumers the opportunity to earn credit card points. Airbnb does not have its own loyalty program or credit card but thankfully, there are plenty of credit cards available that offer travel rewards. These cards allow consumers to earn points towards and redeem points, and rewards can be exchanged for Airbnb stays.

Choose a credit card that partners with Airbnb and you can build up points and miles over time. A trip away to stay in an Airbnb is classified as a travel purchase, and some credit cards earn rewards offer better deals than others.

Customers can explore the options by looking at the number of points they can earn, whether there’s a cash-back option, and if there are any other travel benefits (such as discount insurance). Here are a few options to get you started:

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

If you’ve earned Capital One miles you can look forward to 1 cent per mile. You can use your Capital One business or personal card e.g. the Capital One Spark Miles. There’s also the Capital One Venture Credit Card which earns x2 miles on Airbnb purchases.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card

Customers can enjoy a $300 annual travel credit against travel purchases and also get to book with Chase Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel travel partners. Customers booking Airbnb stays can enjoy a bonus category of 3x points on travel. Booking directly via Chase Ultimate Rewards provides an additional 50% so it’s worth a look.

American Express Credit Card

The American Express Green Card provides users with 3 points for every dollar they spend on travel, and this applies to restaurants too.

Wells Fargo Autograph Credit Card

With 3 points per dollar on travel, gas restaurants, etc the Wells Fargo card also offers 20,000 bonus points after a spend of $1000.

Ink Business Credit Card

Great for small business owners, the Ink Business Preferred credit card offers 3x points on travel.

Citi Double Cash Card

Cash-back lovers will appreciate the Citi Double Cash Card. The card offers 2% cash back on purchases and you’ll get 1% when you purchase followed by another 1% on paying. There’s no cap on earnings and you’ll be able to get a discount on your Airbnb trip.

Credit Cards Benefit Hosts Too

Reward credit cards are great news for hosts too. If consumers can earn points while they spend and can redeem points against Airbnb stays they are more likely to book trips. More trips mean more bookings, which equals higher profits for hardworking hosts.

While plenty of credit cards pitch rewards programs that benefit Airbnb guests, you can also gain if you’re a property manager. Look for cards that will help decrease your overhead spend and operating costs. Cards with cash-back rewards on your purchases make for a great deal.

Air Miles rewards

Customers can earn airline miles too. Lots of renowned airliners get together with hotels to offer rewards and bonus points, one or two that also partner with Airbnb. If you take a closer look at your favorite airline and frequent flyer program to make sure you’re not missing out.

When you’re ready to book you can do so through the airline booking platform. Enter your frequent flyer number and simply reserve your preferred Airbnb.

United Mileage Plus

Customers can collect miles and then use the app to purchase Airbnb gift cards. You can spend between $25 and $500 on the card and use it to treat yourself or a loved one to a well-deserved trip away.

Nippon Airways

The mileage club provides travelers with points and miles too – 1 mile for every 200 Japanese yen (approx. $1.34) Airbnb spend. Those booking an Airbnb for the first time also benefit from a $20 Airbnb voucher.

British Airways

If you head to the British Airways website, you’ll find you can book your Airbnb while earning points and miles. You simply enter your membership number and whether you want to “Book accommodation with Airbnb” or “Book an Airbnb experience,”

Customers receive 2 Avios for every $1 spent. New customers are well looked after by the company as they are offered a bonus of 6 Avios for joining. If you book an Airbnb Experience, you’ll be even better off as you can get 3 Avios for every $1 you spend on an Airbnb Experience.

Incorporating iGMS into your property management strategy can significantly enhance your operational efficiency. It automates essential tasks such as guest communication, scheduling cleanings, and managing bookings across multiple platforms. Start optimizing your rental operations today and see the difference it makes in your daily workflow and overall customer satisfaction.

As with most rewards programs, it’s always advisable to check out the terms and conditions. One of the terms stipulates customers must have cookies enabled (this enables British Airways to track your purchase). Any points earned will be given to you within sixty days.

Delta Airways

You can also utilize the partnership between Airbnb and Delta Air Lines to reap benefits. If you visit the Delta Airbnb website page you can find your perfect Airbnb vacation and earn miles, to be specific Delta SkyMiles. You’ll get 1 SkyMile for every $1 spent on your Airbnb. (This is for worldwide travel, but you’ll need to check if your stay qualifies).

Delta also asks that cookies remain enabled (they need to track your purchase too) and you need to make sure the name on your SkyMiles account is the same as the name on your Airbnb reservation. Any point and miles will make their way to your account within eight weeks.

Qantas Airline

Those who fly frequently can also benefit from Qantas points. The airline offers 1 Qantas Point for every $1 AUD you spend on your Airbnb bookings. You have to book via the Qantas Airbnb page to secure the deal and you’ll need a Qantas frequent flyer number (enter this before making your booking).

Qantas is an Australian company, but they do allow customers to use other currencies aside from Australian dollars. Qantas will kindly work out the exchange rate and you’ll receive any points from your booking within eight weeks. Qantas operates the same policy as Delta, whereby the name on your reservation must match the name on your Qantas flyer account.

Air Miles Benefit Hosts Too

Guests love a good deal, if they can earn points for staying in your Airbnb they’ll be more inclined to book. Customer satisfaction and plenty of bookings lead to increased profit.

 Reward & Airbnb gift cards

Customers can earn more points by using cards with bonus spending categories featuring Airbnb gift cards. Some cards offer bonus rewards when purchases are made from a particular type of store such as grocery stores or office supplies.

You’ll find some cards have fixed categories. For instance, the American Express Gold Card can be used to accrue points from grocery stores. You’ll get 4 Amex membership reward points for every dollar spent at grocery stores (and you can spend up to $25,000 annually).

The Ink Business Credit Card is another example of a card that can be used to earn bonus points at specific stores. This time we’re talking office supply stores, rather than grocery stores. So, if you’re topping up on office supplies you can nab yourself 5 points for every dollar you spend.

There’s also the Chase Freedom Flex card that offers bonuses for visiting certain stores at certain times. The bonus categories rotate so customers will need to keep their eyes open to get a good deal. The Chase ultimate rewards portal is worth checking out too as Chase Ultimate Rewards are popular and flexible.

Chase points value when booking through the portal

In Chase’s travel portal, the Chase Ultimate Rewards® points value depends entirely on which card you have — or rather, which card is associated with the points you’re using (if you have several cards).

Target Circle Credit Card is worth a look too as customers get a 5% discount on eligible purchases (inclusive of gift cards). You can also buy Airbnb gift cards at Target so if you’re looking to spend $200 on a gift card you’ll save 5% and only spend $190.

Discounts and bonus savings

Everyone likes a rewards program that provides a discount and helps you to save more money than expected. Sometimes you can use your credit card to gain reward points and save money too by buying from vendors offering discounted gift cards. It’s always a good idea to check the small print but there are some great deals to be had.

We’ve mentioned the United MileagePlus card but you might be able to get even bigger rewards (double points) by buying an Airbnb gift card via their app (known as the United MileagePlus app). Use the app for gift card purchases and you’ll get 2 United Mileage Plus miles for each dollar spent on Airbnb gift cards. Check out other deals too, there are often extra bonuses to be snapped up.

You can even combine methods to boost your points and miles. For example, you could use a travel rewards credit card to buy an Airbnb gift card. You can then use the gift card to buy a flight direct from one of the sites offering airline reward miles such as British Airways or Delta.

How to Create Rewards for Your Customers 

Customers appreciate loyalty schemes, and the big industry players such as Hilton Hotel’s have been luring back valued guests time and time again by providing points. No matter how big or small your business, whether you own one rental or several, you can run a loyalty program too. You can offer customers points for booking their rental, signing up for emails, making a repeat booking, or getting a friend to book your rental too.

Customers can use points to gain goodies, such as a discount on their next stay, or an extra night free. Other perks could include a complimentary bottle of wine on arrival or a late check out next time they stay.  Offering a loyalty program will boost brand loyalty, but make sure you promote your scheme and people know about it, this will give your guests a reason to come back for more.

Rewards equal happy customers and more bookings

Airbnb rewards can propel potential guests to book a vacation rental and helps people feel they are getting a good deal. Customers can build up points and miles via rewards credit cards and Airbnb gift cards. People can then redeem rewards and enjoy a discounted Airbnb stay.

You can boost customer satisfaction and bookings further by running an efficient business. This means streamlining operations and making sure you stay on top of your vacation rental booking calendar, always ensuring first-class guest communication, monitoring profit and costs, and staying abreast of housekeeping and maintenance.

Streamline and automate your business with vacation rental software. Why not give iGMS a try? With a free 14-day trial you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Save time and money, and give your rental business a welcome boost.