Modifying a reservation as a Host

Life happens, and sometimes you just can’t host as planned. Past reservations can’t be changed, but to edit a confirmed or active one, send your guest a trip change request proposing your new dates, price, or number of guests. You can even suggest they stay in a different place, if you have more than one.

Send your guest a trip change request

If you can’t host your guest at the place they booked, but can accommodate them at a different one, you’ll need to ask if it’s okay before sending a trip change request:

• Message your guest about the change and include a link to the proposed listing—be sure to note the cost difference, if there is one
• If they agree, send them a trip change request
• If they don’t agree and no longer want to keep the reservation, you’ll need to cancel it so they can rebook elsewhere

Make sure your changes don't conflict with your listing settings. It’s also helpful to send your guest a message explaining why you’re asking for changes.

How it works

If the guest declines or doesn’t respond, the reservation will remain unchanged. If they accept, it will be updated with your new details. Your guest can also send you an alteration request (shortening their trip or adding nights). Find out more about responding to a guest’s trip change request and declining a trip change request.

If the price changes, they’ll be charged or refunded as necessary. If their payment is not submitted successfully within 48 hours, the change will be automatically declined and the reservation will revert to its original state.

If the dates change, your listing’s cancellation policy will apply to your new dates.

Keep in mind that you can only send one request to a guest at a time. Made a mistake? You can’t modify it after sending, but you’re able to cancel it and send a new one by repeating the steps above.

Once changes have been made, any later changes must go through the process outlined above as a new request.

Other details

Here are a few other things to keep in mind when making a change request:

• In case you want to change listings, the new listing must be on the same admin Host account (a listing on a co-Host account won’t work)
• There are no overlapping bookings, even for past dates if the alteration is made mid-reservation
• You can’t make changes if the guest’s check-out date is in the past
• Once a reservation has started, the guest can’t change the number of guests
  • If your guest does need to add more guests to their reservation, use the Resolution Center to process any additional payments you and the guest have agreed on

• If you’ve altered your pricing for the new dates before requesting the change, the new reservation will reflect this pricing, unless the guest booked a special offer—find out more about changing the price of a confirmed or pending reservation
• Changing the reservation dates may affect whether or not your guest is still eligible for a weekly or monthly discounted rate
• Alterations always recalculate the taxes for a reservation to apply the most recent and accurate tax requirements for the listing location

Alteration pricing logic

The pricing of the original reservation will be kept when applicable, meaning that alterations will only have new pricing applied when dates are added to a reservation.

In case of a special offer or pre-approval:

• If there are any date changes, the price will be re-calculated as if canceling and rebooking
• If there are no date changes, the price will remain the same

Longer stays

If a reservation is for 28 nights or more, the longer stay cancellation policy applies.

If you’re a Host and your guest wants to change their reservation, you’ll need to approve it if:

• It’s before the trip, but less than 30 days before the check-in date
• The trip has started, but it’s less than 30 nights before the checkout date
• The guest is changing the check-in date, or extending the reservation

The change may happen automatically if:

• It’s before the trip and the reservation are still more than 30 days away
• The trip has started, but it’s 30 nights or more until the checkout date

If a longer stay is altered to a length of 27 nights or less (short stay), the guest is responsible for the following 30 days of payment after the day of cancellation, or until the end of the reservation if less than 30 days remain.

Once a reservation is altered from long stay to 27 nights or less (short stay), the cancellation policy you have chosen will apply to future alterations or cancellations made to the updated reservation details.