An empty weekend a month from now is not necessarily a reason to offer a discount. And a Tuesday left vacant between two bookings may not need a lower rate either. If the property has a two-night minimum stay, that particular Tuesday cannot even be booked on its own.
That is the key to Airbnb pricing. Before changing the rate, look at what is preventing the booking. Is the property too expensive compared with similar listings in the area? Do guests usually book closer to arrival? Or are your calendar settings preventing the type of stay they are searching for? Based on AirDNA’s recommendations, here are ten common mistakes and practical ways to fix them.
When to change your price
1. You charge the same rate for every night. A Wednesday in November and a Saturday in August do not necessarily attract the same level of demand. Start with the differences you see in your own bookings by day of the week and season. However, do not assume that weekdays should always be cheaper. If they book easily, there is no reason to discount them out of habit.
2. You offer a discount before checking when your market books. If most guests book ten days before arrival, an empty date a month away is not necessarily a bad sign. But if similar properties have already been booked for the same dates, you may need to reconsider your rate sooner. Use the booking window — how far in advance guests typically book — to decide when a discount actually makes sense.
3. You price a major event like an ordinary weekend. Add public holidays, concerts and events that could bring visitors to your area to your calendar well in advance. Before raising the rate or requiring a longer stay, look at how quickly comparable properties are booking and which specific nights are seeing demand. Not every event necessarily boosts demand across an entire three-day period.
4. You copy discount percentages from other markets. A 30% discount after peak season may make sense in a highly seasonal destination and be unnecessary in a market where demand remains strong. Base the transition from one period to another on bookings and rates at comparable properties in your area, rather than on a general rule.
When price is not the problem
5. You keep the same minimum stay all year. If you require three nights during a period when guests are mainly searching for two-night stays, lowering the price will not make your property available in those searches. Adjust your minimum stay to demand in each period and check whether shorter bookings make financial sense, particularly after cleaning and turnover costs.
6. You use the same discount to solve different problems. For a single vacant night between two bookings, first consider making it available on its own, provided that it makes financial sense. For a length-of-stay discount, ask whether you are actually encouraging the guest to stay longer or simply charging less for nights they would have booked anyway. And before activating a last-minute offer, check whether you have actually passed the point at which your guests usually book.
7. You compare your property with the wrong listings. A one-bedroom apartment for four guests does not necessarily compete with a studio just because they are on the same street. Choose properties with a similar location, capacity and amenities, and compare the total cost for the same dates and length of stay. Also remember that the price you see on an available listing is the asking price, not necessarily the rate at which a booking was made.
How to tell whether your Airbnb pricing is working
8. You measure success only by occupancy. Out of 30 available nights, 24 booked nights at €75 generate €1,800. Twenty nights at €100 generate €2,000, despite the lower occupancy. This difference is reflected in revenue per available night (RevPAR): around €67 in the second scenario, compared with €60 in the first. To understand what you actually earn, also factor in platform fees and operating expenses.
9. You charge a higher rate without giving guests a reason to pay it. Before pricing above a comparable property, consider what justifies the difference: a better location, amenities that matter to your target guests or consistently strong reviews. If guests repeatedly raise the same complaint about cleanliness or check-in, fix the problem first. A discount does not improve the guest experience.
10. You change prices manually without a strategy — or automate without limits. For a single property, regularly reviewing the calendar may be enough. If you manage several properties, a dynamic pricing tool can reduce the workload. However, set a minimum rate based on your costs and the margin you need, and review high-demand dates separately. The tool makes the adjustments; you decide what makes financial sense.
The most useful approach is to start with a specific gap in your calendar. First, check whether it can actually be booked under your current rules. Then see whether the market has already started filling up, and only after that decide whether the price needs to change. This way, you avoid offering a discount for a problem that a discount cannot solve.
