Airbnb's new 'Pay Less Up Front' option allows you to spread out the cost of your booking - here's how it works

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Airbnb's new 'Pay Less Up Front' option allows you to spread out the cost of your booking - here's how it works

airbnb

By Mr.Whiskey

Airbnb's new "Pay Less Up Front" feature allows customers booking a total stay of $250 (£181) or more to pay less upfront.

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  • Airbnb has introduced a new payment option called "Pay Less Up Front."
  • It allows guests to pay for part of their trip at the time of booking and the rest closer to the check-in date.
  • To qualify, the total stay must be $250 (£181) or more, and be booked at least 14 days from the check-in date.
  • It is available to guests booking anywhere in the world, with the exception of Brazil, China, and India.

With the "January Blues" supposedly in full swing, many of us will have started thinking about booking a holiday to give ourselves something to look forward to.

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Airbnb provides travellers with a cheaper, more spacious alternative to a standard hotel room. The only downside is that, unlike many hotels, the platform has always made users pay the full cost of their stay right when they make the booking.

Now, the platform has answered traveller's prayers by introducing a new feature which allows guests to spread the cost of a stay over two instalments.

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Airbnb's new Pay Less Up Front option, which launches today, allows guests to pay for part of their trip at the time of booking - a 50% deposit in most cases - and pay the rest closer to the check-in date.

To qualify for this option, the total stay must be $250 (£181) or more, and be booked at least 14 days from the check-in date.

Airbnb told Business Insider that the new feature is currently available to guests booking anywhere in the world, with the exception of Brazil, China, and India.

Here's where you'll see the new payment option when making a booking.

Payment option in desktop and mobile

Airbnb

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The site has already piloted the function, and found that given the option, 40% of their sample chose to pay less up front, and also opted for higher-value bookings. The option also encouraged guests to book with more lead time - in the test, customers made bookings nearly double the time in advance, according to the company.

Airbnb hopes that the new payment feature will benefit hosts, too, as they won't have to miss out on guests who prefer not to pay everything up front.