Families find value, more space when traveling on Airbnb 

Key Takeaways

  • Families can get an Airbnb with two bedrooms and two bathrooms for approximately the price of one hotel room at a major chain.
  • Family travel on Airbnb was up 60% in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic.
  • Pools, beachfront and skiing are the top categories for family travel on Airbnb.
Two kids practice acrobatics with a mom laughing behind them in a brightly lit bedroom.

Key Takeaways

  • Families can get an Airbnb with two bedrooms and two bathrooms for approximately the price of one hotel room at a major chain.
  • Family travel on Airbnb was up 60% in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic.
  • Pools, beachfront and skiing are the top categories for family travel on Airbnb.

After a multi-hour flight with two kids, waiting for their luggage and a rental car line, the last thing most families want to deal with is long check-in lines, crowded lobbies, living out of a suitcase for a week due to lack of space, large additional costs for an adjoining room for the kids, and hundreds of dollars in room service and dining out. 

Picture this instead: A guest approaches the door to their beachfront Airbnb listing and enter the code. As the door swings open, they see a beautifully appointed family room with an adjoining full kitchen, turn the corner to the room with the bunk beds where the kids will have their own space, and peek outside to the ocean-view porch where they and their partner will enjoy a glass of wine after the kids go to bed in their own room. These are just some of the many reasons why families enjoy using Airbnb for travel. 

Family travel* is booming on Airbnb. Globally, family travel on our platform is up 60 percent in 2022 compared to before the pandemic in 2019, with over 15 million check-ins in nearly 90,000 destinations1. Many of those families likely booked Airbnb listings because of the value and space they received compared to what hotel rooms offer. 

  • More space for the money: Families can get an Airbnb with two bedrooms and two bathrooms for approximately the price of one hotel room at a major chain2.
  • Spreading out: One-quarter of Airbnb listings have three bedrooms or more. 
    • More than 1 million listings have cribs for small children. 
  • Kitchens: Nearly 90% of Airbnb listings have kitchens. 
  • Pets: More than 5 million pets traveled on Airbnb listings in 2022.  
  • Families use Airbnb for all lengths of stay: In 2022, more than half of families stayed between two and six nights, while nearly half stayed for a week or longer.
  • Better sleep: According to a recent survey, 66.9% of recent travelers get at least seven hours of sleep in a vacation rental, compared to 65.8% at home and 53.8% in a hotel or motel3.

Family travel trends on Airbnb

Where they go: In 2022, families used Airbnb to travel all over the world, with every region represented in the top 10 family travel destinations: 

  • Paris, France 
  • London, United Kingdom
  • Melbourne, Australia 
  • New York City, NY, United States
  • Rome, Italy 
  • San Diego, CA, United States
  • Sydney, Australia
  • Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Cornwall, United Kingdom 

These destinations illustrate that Airbnb is a great option for families even when traveling to a big city. 

Types of listings: Airbnb offers families the option to travel near and far with beautiful views that aren’t shared by hundreds or thousands of other people at the same time. In 2022, families used Airbnb for the ability to swim, ski and hike. The top-booked Categories for family travel last year include4

Families can find affordable destinations all over the world on Airbnb 

Even though global economic uncertainty remains high, the forecast for family travel spending remains strong. According to the 2022 U.S. Family Travel Survey, most families (53 percent) plan to spend more on domestic travel in the next year, and 49 percent expect to spend more on international travel. However, for families looking to spend less, Airbnb gives families access to affordable listings and locations. Here are some popular destinations for families where Airbnb listings averaged less than $50 per night per person in 20225

Additionally, fall and winter were the most affordable times for families to book an Airbnb listing last year, with October, November and December all averaging less than $50 per person per night globally. 

Hosts on Airbnb benefit from family travel 

As the cost of living continues to rise, the popularity of family travel creates meaningful earning opportunities for those considering hosting on Airbnb. In fact, Hosts made over $14 billion from bookings with families last year6

At Airbnb, we’ve made it easier than ever before to become a Host. Last year, during the 2022 Winter Release, we launched Airbnb Setup, which provides new Hosts with the options to match for free with a Superhost for one-to-one guidance, host an experienced guest as your first guest, and receive one-tap access to a specially trained team of Community Support agents. Since November, twice as many prospective Hosts are matching with Superhosts in their area and receiving personalized guidance as they navigate the process of becoming first-time Hosts.

Those interested in joining our Host community to start earning meaningful additional income can visit https://www.airbnb.com/host/homes.

*Defined as an Airbnb booking that includes at least one child or infant

1According to internal Airbnb data looking at family travel, defined as a check-in with at least one child, between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2022.

2Comparing Airbnb’s Q4 ADR for two bedroom, two bathroom listings to an average ADR for Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton based on publicly. available Q4 financial reporting.

3According to a survey by Sleep Foundation.

4According to internal Airbnb data looking at family travel, defined as a check-in with at least one child, between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2022.

5According to internal Airbnb data for destinations that had 5,000 minimum guest nights booked for families in 2022.

6According to internal Airbnb data looking at Host income based on guests booking with families for stays that occurred between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2022.