TLDR: A quiet Airbnb update is starting to impact booking behavior, especially for listings where cleaning fees have slowly crept up over time.
In April 2025, Airbnb Made a Small Change
That’s Having a Big Impact on Conversion
Guests now see total price, not just rental revenue, when browsing properties.
For years, some operators leaned on small increases in cleaning fees to protect margin. The guest still saw the final price at checkout, and most would book anyway.
But that behavior is changing. With this UI update, guests are seeing the full price upfront and it’s influencing how they choose.
Why It Matters Now
Markets Aren’t Supply Constrained Anymore
Guests have options. With more inventory available, they’re comparing listings and prices more critically.Price Transparency Now Comes First
Guests no longer “discover” the cleaning fee at the end. They see it alongside the nightly rate—and it plays directly into their decision-making.
When two listings look similar, the one with the lower total price gets booked.
What We’re Seeing at Smart Rate Management
Right after the change, we updated all client reporting from rental revenue only to total revenue.
The results were immediate. Some properties had nightly rates that looked fine—but once we included fees, total ADR was 15% or more above market.
Those listings were booking slower.
What to Do About It
1. Identify listings where total revenue dropped last month
2. Review cleaning fees—have they crept up over time?
3. Compare total ADR (rental + fees) to market ADR
4. As a rule of thumb, keep cleaning fees markup around 10% of the total cleaning fee
These small course corrections can inform a Strategy change that restores booking momentum.
Missed Blog #1?
Guests aren’t competing for availability anymore. You are.
In Blog #1 we explored why the industry’s biggest shift is no longer about demand,
it’s about supply.
And four forces that will define the next era of STR success:
Bookings, P&L, Growth, and AI.
Check it out!