Airbnb’s New No-Upfront Payment Option: Reserve Now, Pay Later

Some Airbnb guests in the U.S. can now book domestic stays without having to pay anything up-front. Airbnb calls the feature Reserve Now, Pay Later.

Hosts set their own cancellation policies. When a host’s policy is flexible — meaning guests can cancel up to 24 hours before the stay begins — their payments aren’t due until "shortly before" the free-cancellation period ends, Airbnb announced Thursday.

Other U.S. guests who reserve an apartment or home with a moderate cancellation policy, which is cancellable for a full refund until five days before the stay, would only have to pay a little earlier than five days before arrival.

In one example Airbnb provided, though, the payment was due nine days before the stay.

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