How to Get Refunds on Airbnb: A Step-by-Step Guide

You found a problem with your Airbnb stay, or your plans changed, and you want your money back. To get a refund on Airbnb, report the problem within 72 hours of finding it, message the host first, and ask Airbnb to step in if the host says no or doesn’t reply.

Airbnb refunds go to your original payment method, and timing depends on how you paid.

We’re Homevy, a hospitality-first vacation rental company in Dubai that hosts guests on Airbnb and holds Airbnb Superhost status.

Shall we?

TL;DR: How to Get a Refund on Airbnb

1. Report a problem within 72 hours of finding it, with photos and videos as proof.
2. Ask the host first through the Resolution Center, within 60 days of checkout.
3. If the host says no, Airbnb can step in, so answer any mediation request within 1 hour.
4. Stays under 28 nights get a 24-hour cancellation period, and after that the host’s cancellation policy applies.
5. Check your booking’s cancellation policy, because the full refund cutoff runs from 24 hours to 30 days before check-in.
6. Refunds to PayPal or Airbnb gift credit arrive in about 24 hours, while card refunds, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, can take up to 15 business days.
7. Airbnb won’t refund damage your own group causes, and illness or flight cancellations aren’t covered either.
8. Booked direct with Homevy? The terms on your booking page apply, and Homevy holds a 4.9-star average across platforms.

Airbnb Refund Policy: How Does It Work?

Three Airbnb policies decide whether you get money back, and the one that applies depends on what went wrong:

• The Rebooking and Refund Policy covers problems with the home.
• The cancellation policy covers what happens when you cancel.
• The Major Disruptive Events Policy covers large-scale events.

1. Airbnb’s Rebooking and Refund Policy

Airbnb’s Rebooking and Refund Policy, in its current version from 6 February 2025, covers problems with the home itself, which Airbnb calls Reservation Issues:

• The host cancels before check-in.
• The host fails to give you access to the home.
• The home isn’t reasonably clean and sanitary.
• The home has safety or health hazards.
• The home is significantly different from the listing, such as a “private pool” that’s shared.

Report a Reservation Issue within 72 hours of finding it. When the Rebooking and Refund Policy applies, it takes precedence over the reservation’s cancellation policy.

Airbnb may turn your payment into travel credit so you can rebook quickly, but you can always ask for a refund to your original payment method instead.

2. Airbnb’s Cancellation Policies

Every standard Airbnb cancellation policy for stays under 28 nights has a 24-hour cancellation period. You get a full refund for up to 24 hours after the reservation is confirmed, as long as it was confirmed at least 7 days before check-in.

Before you cancel, open Menu > Trips > Your stay > Cancel reservation to see your refund breakdown. The amount can change as check-in gets closer.

A. Shorter Stays (27 Nights or Less)

Hosts choose one of four standard policies for these stays; Strict and Super strict are only open to hosts Airbnb invites.

Source: Airbnb help, checked October 2026.

B. Longer Stays (28 Nights or More)

These stays follow long-term policies. Under long-term Firm, you get a full refund until 30 days before check-in; after that, the host is paid 100% for all nights spent, plus 30 additional nights.

Long-term Strict gives a full refund when you cancel within 48 hours of booking and at least 28 days before check-in.

3. Airbnb’s Major Disruptive Events Policy

Airbnb’s Major Disruptive Events Policy covers five kinds of large-scale event:

• Declared public health emergencies and epidemics are covered.
• Government travel restrictions are covered.
• Military actions and other hostilities are covered.
• Prolonged outages of essential utilities are covered.
• Unforeseeable natural disasters and severe weather events are covered.

For reservations the policy doesn’t cover, any refund outside the cancellation policy is at the host’s discretion.

How Do You Get a Refund on Airbnb (5-Step Guide)

Getting a refund on Airbnb takes five steps, starting with your host and moving to Airbnb only if the host can’t fix the problem.

Step 1: Spot the Problem

Airbnb gives you 72 hours from finding a problem to report it, so take photos or videos the moment you see it. If you can, ask the host to confirm the condition in writing in Airbnb messages too.

Homevy Tip: photograph and film every room before you unpack, with your phone’s timestamp on, and keep the files in one album. If something’s broken or missing later, you can show how the home looked on arrival.

Step 2: Reach Out to the Host

Photo by Edwin Nava

Message the host in the Airbnb app first. Airbnb gives you three ways to ask:

• You can ask the host to fix the issue.
• You can request a partial refund and get part of your money back.
• You can request to cancel for a full refund.

Once you and the host agree an amount, request money from your host in the Resolution Center:

1. Click Resolution Center, then Request money
2. Select your reservation
3. Choose the reason that fits your situation
4. Upload attachments such as your photos (optional)
5. Enter the refund amount and add a note
6. Click Confirm, then Request

You have up to 60 days after checkout to submit a request in Airbnb’s Resolution Center. A message like this works:

Hi, the bedroom air conditioning isn’t working; photos attached. Could you fix it today, or agree to a partial refund for the nights affected?

Step 3: File a Complaint with Airbnb

If the host doesn’t reply or says no, ask Airbnb for help, with the same evidence you sent the host.

A dedicated Airbnb team member reviews what you and the host provide and makes the final decision, asking questions first if needed.

Step 4: Follow Up with Airbnb Support

For mediation requests, Airbnb gives you only 1 hour to respond, so keep notifications on once your case is open.

Keep every message with your host in the Airbnb thread so reviewers see the whole conversation.

Step 5: Wait for a Resolution and Prepare for Alternatives

Airbnb usually responds within 72 hours, sometimes longer. If Airbnb agrees with you, expect one of these:

• You get a refund to your original payment method.
• Airbnb gives you rebooking help to find another place to stay.
• You get travel credit you can put towards a new booking.

Refunds go to the payment method you booked with, even a split payment. How long an Airbnb refund takes depends on how you paid.

How Long Does an Airbnb Refund Take?

Airbnb starts your refund as soon as the booking is cancelled, but the money reaches you on your bank’s timeline. For most payment methods, that’s 24 hours to 15 business days; Airbnb says some methods and regions take longer.

Source: Airbnb help article 1967, checked October 2026.

If your refund seems late, Airbnb gives you these tools:

• Track your refund under Trips > your reservation > Track refund.
• The Acquirer Reference Number (ARN) is what your bank uses to trace the refund.
• If the time in the table has passed, contact your bank.
• If your card is closed, your bank locates the refund, and Airbnb can give you a reference number.

Homevy Tip: if you’d need a refund fast, pay with PayPal when you book: Airbnb returns PayPal refunds in 24 hours, against up to 15 business days for most cards.

When you cancel, Airbnb may offer credits instead of a refund to your original payment method. Once the refund is issued, that choice can’t be reversed, so decide before you confirm.

What Airbnb’s Refund Policy Doesn’t Cover

Airbnb’s refund policy doesn’t cover every reason a guest wants money back. These fall outside it:

• Anything you or your group cause, pets included, isn’t covered.
• A change of plans for personal reasons falls under the host’s cancellation policy, which sets what Airbnb refunds when you cancel, and anything more is the host’s call.
• Unexpected illness or injury isn’t a Major Disruptive Event.
• Cancelled flights and transport strikes aren’t covered.
• Weather common enough to be foreseeable isn’t covered.
• Experiences and services have their own policy, separate from homes.

If you damage the home, the host can ask you to pay through the Resolution Center. If you don’t, Airbnb’s AirCover for Hosts, which includes $3 million in Host damage protection, reimburses the host for certain damage.

If you host as well, pick from the vacation rental cancellation policies that suit your bookings, and know the penalties behind Airbnb host cancellations.

What to Do If Your Airbnb Refund Is Denied?

If Airbnb denies your refund, you still have options, with the bank as the last step:

• Show which covered issue in the Rebooking and Refund Policy your problem matches.
• Send any photos or videos you haven’t shared yet.
• Ask Airbnb to review the case again.
• Ask the host directly, because a host can still send a goodwill refund through the Resolution Center up to 60 days after checkout.
• As a last resort, dispute the charge with your bank and have your documents ready.

Hosts set their own house rules too, and the must-have vacation rental policies on a listing are part of what you agree to when you book.

What Are the Common Mistakes to Avoid Needing an Airbnb Refund?

Photo by: Kaboompics.com

We host guests in Dubai holiday homes, and from the host’s side these are the mistakes that turn into refund requests:

• Guests skip the amenities list, so compare it with the Airbnb essentials guests expect and ask about anything that isn’t listed.
• Guests ignore recent reviews, so read what recent guests say about cleanliness and accuracy, and check the listing has the items behind 5-star Airbnb reviews.
• Guests skip the cancellation policy, so check the tier before you pay.
• Guests book without a message, so ask the host practical questions first and see how they answer.
• Guests miss rooms in the photos, but a full gallery shows each room, like the listing for a one-bedroom Homevy apartment in Dubai Marina.
• Guests skip the arrival details, so confirm check-in instructions before travel day, especially for self check-in on Airbnb.

If something breaks during your stay, tell the host straight away; hosts handle guest damages in an Airbnb property through the Resolution Center.

Staying with us

Homevy offers 24/7 guest support, and the team is just a message away. Our guest communication is human and multilingual, one reason why guests stay with Homevy.

Homevy, the Best Short-Term Rental Management Company in Dubai at the 2026 Arabian Best of the Best Awards, holds a 4.9-star average across platforms and has hosted more than 10,000 guest nights. Browse our holiday homes in Dubai.

FAQs on Airbnb Refunds

1. Can a Guest Cancel an Airbnb Reservation?

Yes. The refund depends on the host’s cancellation policy and when you cancel, unless a covered problem or a Major Disruptive Event applies.

2. Can I Cancel Airbnb and Get a Full Refund?

Yes, within the 24-hour cancellation period on stays under 28 nights, if the booking was confirmed at least 7 days before check-in. After that, the host’s policy sets the deadline.

3. How Do I Get My Money From Airbnb?

Airbnb sends refunds to the payment method you booked with. Check the amount under Cancel reservation before you confirm.

4. Can an Airbnb Host Give You a Refund?

Yes. A host can send money through the Resolution Center, and a refund outside the cancellation policy is at the host’s discretion.

5. What Is Homevy’s Cancellation Policy?

For stays booked directly with us, the standard terms are:

• Cancel 30 or more days before check-in for a full refund.
• Cancel 7 to 30 days before check-in for a 50% refund.
• Cancel under 7 days before check-in and you get no refund.

The terms on your booking page apply; Airbnb and Booking.com bookings follow the platform’s policy. More in our guest FAQs.

6. What Are the Red Flags for Airbnb Guests?

Guests should watch out for five red flags before they book.

• The host takes a long time to answer questions.
• The listing photos are incomplete, and the gallery doesn’t show every room.
• Recent guests flag problems in negative reviews.
• The listing has a strict cancellation policy, so check the tier before you pay.
• The check-in instructions are unclear, with arrival details missing or vague.

7. What Are the Grounds for a Refund on Airbnb?

The grounds are the five Reservation Issues in Airbnb’s Rebooking and Refund Policy, from a host cancelling before check-in to a home that’s significantly different from its listing.

8. Does Homevy Refund the Security Deposit?

Yes. For bookings with us, the refundable AED 500 security deposit is placed on hold, not charged, and refunded once you check out.

Follow These Tips to Claim Your Airbnb Refund

If something’s wrong with your stay, report it to the host inside 72 hours with photos, and ask Airbnb for help if the host says no or doesn’t reply. If you’re cancelling instead, check your refund amount under Cancel reservation before you confirm.

Download the free Airbnb refund checklist (PDF)