Airbnb Now Lets US Travellers 'Book Now, Pay Later' — With AI Already Handling Half of All Customer Queries

Airbnb is reshaping the way American travellers book and manage their stays with the launch of a 'Reserve Now, Pay Later' feature — alongside a significant expansion of artificial intelligence in customer support.

The company states that its AI system is already handling half of all US customer service requests, thereby freeing up human agents for more complex cases.

Flexibility on the Fly: Airbnb's New Payment Option

The 'Reserve Now, Pay Later ' option allows US customers to secure a property without paying immediately, provided it has either a flexible or moderate cancellation policy.

• Flexible policy: Full refund up to 24 hours before check-in.
• Moderate policy: No-fee cancellation up to five days before check-in.

This initiative builds on earlier instalment schemes. In 2018, Airbnb introduced a split payment model, allowing users to pay 20% or 50% with the remainder due later. In 2023, it partnered with Klarna to offer four instalments over six weeks.

In a recent blog post, Airbnb clarified that full payment for the reservation is due before the free cancellation period ends. Airbnb will send a reminder to users to ensure they pay by the deadline.

Book Your Dream Stay, Pay for It Later

The company is no stranger to offering flexible payment options. In 2018, it introduced a 'Pay part now, part later' product that let users pay either 20% or 50% upfront, with the rest due later. A more recent example is from 2023, when Airbnb partnered with Klarna, allowing users to pay for their stays in four instalments spread out over six weeks.

Based on a survey it conducted with Focaldata, Airbnb found that 55% of respondents favoured having a flexible payment option when booking a stay. The survey also showed that 42% of people reported missing out on a property while trying to sort out payment details with their travel companions.

Building on its focus to improve the user experience, Airbnb is also expanding its use of artificial intelligence to enhance customer service.

Meeting Your New Host: AI Takes on Customer Service

During a Q1 2025 earnings call, CEO Brian Chesky announced that Airbnb began deploying an AI customer service agent in April. This new system is designed to handle a greater number of customer inquiries independently, thereby reducing the need for human assistance.

The company's strategy involved rolling out the AI agent to all users in the United States by the end of May. At the time, half of all US users had access to it.

'We believe this is the best AI-supported customer travel agent in travel,' Chesky said. 'It's already led to a 15% reduction in people needing to contact live human agents, and it's going to get significantly more personalised and agentic over the years to come.'

Chesky's Vision: An AI-Powered End-to-End Experience

Airbnb's primary focus is on refining its core service to be more user-friendly, affordable, and dependable. According to Chesky, a positive user experience is central to achieving this goal.

The company is leveraging AI to build a strong end-to-end experience, which will enable travellers to book their entire trip through Airbnb and resolve their customer service issues easily.

'We're focused on customer service and solving the most difficult problems for customers and working backwards towards travel inspiration,' Chesky said.

'We're going to bring more AI into the application, so that [with] Airbnb, you can solve your problems with great self-solve through AI customer service agents,' the top executive added.

These new features aim to make the platform more accessible and easier to use, allowing travellers to book their ideal stay and resolve issues with greater ease.

The Bigger Picture

From flexible payment options to AI-powered service, Airbnb's latest moves aim to boost convenience, secure bookings faster, and enhance customer satisfaction.

For spontaneous travellers, the ability to reserve without paying upfront could mean the difference between grabbing a dream stay and missing out — while AI ensures help is always just a tap away.