Hidden Airbnb Perks of Featured Cards
Airbnb spending with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is automatically categorized as “travel,” which means you earn 2 points per dollar spent. However, when these points are transferred through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, they can be worth up to twice as much at chains like Hyatt instead of Airbnb.
With the Capital One Venture X card, you earn a flat 2% in points on Airbnb bookings, but the real value comes when these points are transferred to programs like Air France Flying Blue and used for business flights: An Airbnb night can indirectly turn into a transcontinental flight.
The Amex Green Card does not offer bonuses on Airbnb spending directly, but you can earn 3X Membership Rewards points by purchasing Airbnb Gift Cards. Although this method appears to be an unofficial perk, it has become a popular tactic among users.
Tricks for Maximizing Airbnb Payments with Cards
Some cards don't directly match Airbnb under the “travel” category, which can reduce point earnings. However, this varies by card. For example, the Citi Premier card typically classifies Airbnb spending as travel and earns 3X points; but the same Citi card used for Vrbo spending is categorized as “services” and limited to 1X points.
If you pay for your Airbnb reservation with Apple Pay or PayPal, your card's bonus category designation may be disabled. Entering your card information directly is the only way to guarantee earning points.
Gift Card Strategies: The Back Door to Bonuses
Some users purchase Airbnb gift cards with cards that offer high points in the supermarket shopping category (e.g., Amex Gold – 4X) and indirectly earn points on these purchases. Especially in the US, cards purchased at chains like Whole Foods or Safeway yield higher points than the travel category when used for actual Airbnb payments.
Some credit card users can earn over 1,000 Membership Rewards points or a 5%-10% discount code in exchange for a $500 Airbnb Gift Card purchased during promotional periods at major supermarket chains. This can be significantly more advantageous than booking directly through Airbnb.
Card-Specific Campaigns: Don't Miss Out
Offers such as “$20 cash back on Airbnb purchases over $100” available through Amex Offers during certain periods provide real savings even on points-based cards without a cashback feature. These offers are not automatically activated and most users miss out on this advantage without even realizing it.
Systems such as Chase Offers sometimes launch regional campaigns. For example, limited-time offers such as “1,500 bonus points for $150 spent on Airbnb” are only available in California and only those who regularly check their bank app can take advantage of them.
The unexpected enemy of Airbnb spending: card categories
Some travel-focused cards, like the Barclays Arrival Plus, may not include Airbnb in the “travel” category but instead classify it as “services” or “online shopping.” This can prevent cardholders from earning the points they expect. Many people who book reservations relying on the card's travel benefits are surprised by this.
Some low-annual-fee or student-focused cards, such as Discover cards, earn almost no bonus points on Airbnb spending. However, if Discover selects the “online shopping” category under its periodic 5% cashback promotions, Airbnb may qualify—though this is only valid for a few weeks each year.
Regional Differences in Earnings: Same Card, Different Rewards
There can be classification differences between Airbnb spending in the US and spending in Europe for some cards. For example, Airbnb payments made outside the US are classified as “international transactions” by some banks and may incur a transaction fee of up to 3%. However, the same transaction made with cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve has no such fee and earns 3X points.
Making an Airbnb reservation in a different currency (e.g., Euro or GBP) can affect the points system offered by the card. Some Amex cardholders have reported earning fewer points or incurring transaction fees on non-USD transactions.
Airbnb x Credit Card: Loyalty Program Compatibility Issue
Airbnb's lack of its own loyalty program limits credit card users' strategies for earning extra points/miles. For example, credit cards that are compatible with Marriott, Hilton, or Hyatt loyalty programs allow users to earn extra points through direct bookings, but this kind of synergy is not possible with Airbnb.
However, some users are filling this gap by using alternative platforms such as Marriott Bonvoy Homes & Villas or Vrbo instead of Airbnb, thereby maintaining the quality of their accommodation while still earning points.
Airbnb Business Travel and Card Benefits Intersect
After Airbnb launched Airbnb for Work, a platform for business travel, some cards began classifying these expenses as corporate “business travel.” American Express Business Platinum cardholders, in particular, can earn 5X Membership Rewards points on these bookings and also benefit from Travel Concierge services, resulting in significantly higher value.
Business cards offer much higher spending limits and spending-based bonus structures than personal cards, making it possible to exceed 100,000 points annually with Airbnb payments made under business travel. These points can be converted into multiple business flights within Europe.
Some companies require their employees to use the company's rewards cards instead of personal credit cards for Airbnb bookings. The reason is that spending tracking is automated with these cards, and the company can accumulate points in a single loyalty program for all expenses. This results in Airbnb expenses during business travel earning points for the company pool rather than the individual user.
Annual Fee = Return on Investment? Not Always
High-annual-fee cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve ($550) may offer 3X points on Airbnb spending, but someone who uses the card exclusively for Airbnb may struggle to recoup the annual fee. Especially for users with no other travel or restaurant spending, this card may not deliver the expected value.
On the other hand, the Capital One Venture X, despite having a similar 2X or 5X point structure, is easier to offset compared to cards with the same annual fee because it offers a $300 travel credit in the first year. This credit can be used for Airbnb, effectively making the card nearly free in the first year.
The Amex Platinum card does not offer direct high points for Airbnb spending, but those who book through the Fine Hotels & Resorts network can get breakfast, late checkout, and an additional $100 credit at prices similar to Airbnb. As a result, some users are starting to prefer Amex's own hotel network over Airbnb, making it easier to offset the card's annual fee.
Are Cashback Cards or Points Cards More Advantageous?
Some cards, such as Wells Fargo Active Cash, offer a flat 2% cashback and do not distinguish between categories such as Airbnb. This is ideal for users who do not want to deal with complicated point transfers because they get a net $10 cashback on a $500 reservation.
However, points earned from the same spending on points-based cards like Amex Green or Chase Sapphire Preferred can reach a flight value of $30–$50 with proper transfers and promotions. This demonstrates that points can provide 3–5 times more value than cashback cards when used correctly.
So while cashback may seem simple, risk-free, and immediately valuable, the potential gains are much higher for users who master the points system. However, this strategy is a bit like “those who know how to fly can go higher”; it can create confusion for those who don't.
The Secret to Getting the Highest Cashback: The Dual Card Strategy
Many experienced users use a combination of two cards instead of a single card for Airbnb payments. For example:
Earn 4X points by purchasing an Airbnb Gift Card from a supermarket with Amex Gold
Then make the reservation with this card and get a $20 refund through Chase Offers
Such combinations provide an effective return of over 5–10% per reservation. Moreover, these tactics are generally fully compliant with credit card company terms of use, so they fall under “gray area” optimization rather than “gray area” tactics.
Some users pay with a points-earning card, then get a refund and pay again with a different cashback card to earn both points and cash back. While this tactic only works on certain platforms and during specific time frames, it's on the radar of users looking to maximize their earnings.
Real User Stories: Followers Win
On Reddit's popular card forums, many users report that after spending $1,000 on Airbnb with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, they received 2,000 points, while another user who made the same booking through the Capital One portal earned 5,000 points. The difference isn't just the card—it's where the booking was made.
Another user, instead of paying directly with Amex Green, first purchases an Airbnb Gift Card from Amazon, timed to coincide with Amazon Prime Day for a 10% discount, and then makes the reservation with that card. The result: a 12% better deal compared to those who paid directly.
How Does the Card Strategy Change for Long-Term Airbnb Stays?
Airbnb applies a different pricing and tax structure for stays of 28 days or more, classified as “long-term stays.” In these longer stays, cleaning fees decrease, and tax rates may also drop in some states. However, note that from a credit card perspective, this expenditure is processed as a single large transaction, which may cause some card limits or fraud control systems to reject the reservation.
Cards like Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards, which offer high cashback for long stays, may not support Airbnb directly, but splitting the payment into multiple transactions could allow you to earn a 3% bonus. However, this tactic isn't always possible due to Airbnb's policies; it only works if the host has enabled a weekly payment plan for the reservation.
Points earned by Capital One Venture card users after long stays can often be converted into round-trip European airline tickets. Examples of a 30-day stay indirectly yielding $700–800 in business flight savings are frequently shared on Reddit.
Alternative Platform to Airbnb: Comparison with Card Benefits
Marriott Homes & Villas is a serious alternative to Airbnb for Marriott Bonvoy cardholders, as it offers points and elite night credits. This platform gives an additional 1,000 bonus points per night when booked with cards such as Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant.
Vrbo is categorized as an “online purchase” rather than “travel” by some cards, which limits point earnings. However, the Capital One Venture card offers 2X points without distinguishing between such platforms. Therefore, using Vrbo instead of Airbnb can result in significant differences depending on the card.
Home rentals booked through Booking.com are classified as “hotels” by some cards, allowing cards like the Hilton Amex Surpass to earn an extra 12X points. In this case, it's possible to earn 20–30% more points compared to Airbnb.
Flexible Points vs. Cash: Which is More Profitable?
Amex Membership Rewards points are worth an average of $0.006 when used directly on Airbnb reservations (i.e., 10,000 points = $60). However, these points can be transferred to airline partners such as Singapore Airlines or ANA and be worth over $200.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points cannot be spent directly on Airbnb, but they are worth $0.0125 when used on the travel portal for hotel or flight purchases. However, since there is no Airbnb-like option on this portal, those who want to use their points directly may see a lower return.
Cashback cards offer a fixed and predictable return: a card that offers 2% cashback on $1,000 spent on Airbnb directly saves $20. However, with the right use of flexible points, this amount can increase to between $40 and $60. The choice depends on the depth of the user's knowledge.
Common Mistakes and Missed Opportunities
Many users notice card campaigns after making their Airbnb reservation. However, these campaigns are only valid if they have been activated in advance. For example, offers such as “spend $150, get $30 back” found on Amex Offers do not work retroactively if they are not active at the time of payment.
Some users think Airbnb falls under the “travel” category, but their card classifies it as “services” and only awards 1X points. This is particularly common with institutions such as Barclays and U.S. Bank. This results in significantly lower point earnings than expected.
For international Airbnb transactions, some cards continue to charge a foreign transaction fee (FTF). This fee can reach up to 3% on cards with low annual fees. This adds an extra cost of $50–$100 to the total reservation cost and is often not noticed at the payment screen.
Airbnb + Credit Card Combinations: Which Pairings Offer the Highest Rewards?
Chase Sapphire Preferred + Airbnb spending: Earn 2X points per $1 spent. However, these points can be redeemed for 25% more value on non-Airbnb purchases through Chase's “Pay Yourself Back” feature. Spending directly on Airbnb and then redeeming a different purchase through this feature creates an indirect 2.5% cashback effect.
Amex Gold + Airbnb Gift Card purchased through a supermarket: Earn 4X points per $1 spent. This method is much more profitable than paying Airbnb directly because Amex Gold does not classify Airbnb as a travel category, but rewards gift cards purchased from supermarkets with 4X points.
Capital One Venture X + Airbnb reservation: While it offers 2X fixed points, the $300 annual travel credit provided by Venture X can be used for Airbnb. This nearly eliminates the card's annual fee. This type of card + platform synergy can provide more value than Airbnb's own promotions.
The Fine Art of Combining Airbnb Promotions with Card Campaigns
Airbnb occasionally offers promotions via email, such as a $50 discount on your first booking. When combined with credit card campaigns, these discounts can create a real value multiplier. For example:
If the “$40 cash back on $200 spent on Airbnb” offer is active through Amex Offers
And you receive a $50 discount from the Airbnb promotion on the same booking
→ A $250 stay could cost just $160, that's a 36% discount!
A common mistake users make is that Airbnb promotions usually come with specific conditions (e.g., new account, specific region, etc.). However, many people go through the hassle of creating a new account and linking a different credit card to get the promotion. This “opportunity optimization” isn't just useful for individual use but also for couples looking to accumulate points together.
Mobile App Bookings: Does the Card Advantage Change?
Some banks classify mobile app purchases differently from web purchases. For example, the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve card gives 3% bonus points on mobile payments. If you pay with Apple Pay through the Airbnb app, this bonus can be activated.
However, there is also a downside: Amex treats some users' Airbnb payments made with Apple Pay as “intermediary transactions” rather than direct card charges, resulting in 0 points in some cases. This shows that paying directly with your card information is still the safest and most profitable method.
Secret Ways to Boost Points on Airbnb Spending
In some loyalty programs, Airbnb spending can be indirectly converted into points with a higher value. For example:
Transfer Chase points to United Miles
Book a flight through the United portal
→ The value of this flight on domestic routes can sometimes reach up to $0.018 per point.
So, 1,000 Chase points earned from a $500 Airbnb spend can be worth up to $18 on the right flight. That's equivalent to a 3.6% return.
Some Amex users use their Membership Rewards points to purchase Airbnb Gift Cards on Amazon. Normally worth $0.007 per point, this method can provide an extra discount of around 10% when combined with special campaigns such as Prime Day.
Using Airbnb as a “Rent Payment”: A Risky But Profitable Strategy
Especially in the US, some tenants are agreeing with landlords who offer short-term rental options to pay through the Airbnb platform instead of a formal rental agreement. This is advantageous for the landlord in terms of taxes and allows the tenant to earn points.
With this method:
Monthly $2,000 rent → 4X points earned (e.g., using an Amex Green card for gift cards)
48,000 points can be earned annually
→ These points can be used for two business flights per year.
However, this tactic falls into a gray area and may violate tax or rental regulations in some states. Therefore, it is recommended not to implement this without legal consultation. Nevertheless, this system has gained popularity, especially among freelance digital nomads.
Airbnb Card “Fraud” Detection: Triggered Restrictions
Airbnb is often flagged as a “suspicious transaction” by credit card companies for high-value, international, or long-term reservations. This is particularly common with card providers such as Capital One and Barclays, where transactions are automatically declined.
Instead of trying again after the transaction is declined, the cardholder must contact their bank to approve the transaction. Otherwise, the system will classify subsequent attempts as spam.
Another common error: If the country where the Airbnb expense was made is different from the country where the card is registered, the system sometimes labels this transaction as a “cross-border recurring transaction.” In this case, even though the payment appears to have been received, the reservation may not be confirmed.
→ Recommendation: Notifying your bank before making an Airbnb purchase or temporarily removing transaction limits from your mobile app can prevent this type of problem.
Differences in How Card Companies Classify Airbnb Purchases
Chase typically classifies Airbnb as “Travel – Lodging,” allowing Sapphire cardholders to earn 2X–3X points. However, the same reservation may be labeled as “Vacation Rental” if made in a different region, which can affect point earnings in some cases.
American Express frequently labels Airbnb as “Online Marketplace.” This can reduce point earnings on cards that only offer bonus points for travel (e.g., Amex Platinum). Even high-annual-fee cards from Amex may be limited to 1X points on Airbnb.
Capital One recognizes Airbnb directly as travel and rewards it with 2X points on all Venture cards. More importantly, this spending can be erased with the Travel Eraser feature (e.g., $100 cash back with 10,000 points).
→ These differences can result in the same Airbnb spending being worth up to 200% more with different cards.
Amex vs Chase vs Capital One: Who Wins with Airbnb?
Amex:
Does not offer high points directly to Airbnb.
More points can be earned indirectly through gift cards or grocery shopping.
However, the point transfer value is very high; if used well, it can be converted into business flights.
Chase
Offers high points directly on Airbnb spending with Sapphire cards.
The value of points can be increased with systems such as “Pay Yourself Back.”
Converting Airbnb spending into flights is not possible through the Chase portal, but it can be done through point transfers.
Capital One
Rewards Airbnb spending with both points and the option to wipe them out with travel credit.
Direct use is the simplest and most user-friendly system.
However, the value per point is slightly lower than Amex and Chase (average $0.01).
→ For someone who makes frequent Airbnb reservations but doesn't follow detailed point systems, Capital One Venture X is the simplest and most logical solution.
→ However, for someone who wants to optimize their flights, the Chase Sapphire Preferred + Amex Gold combo offers maximum rewards.
Point Value Comparison: Airbnb Spending or Flights?
10,000 Amex points:
Approximately $60 value on Airbnb spending
Approximately $180 value on a Singapore Airlines business flight
10,000 Chase points:
Approximately $125 value when used directly
Approximately $150 value with Hyatt hotel transfers
10,000 Capital One points:
Directly worth $100 on Airbnb reservations
Maximum value of ~$120 with flight transfers
→ As you can see, in the long run, it is more profitable to redeem points for airline or hotel transfers rather than spending them directly on Airbnb. However, this varies depending on the timing of your spending and the flexibility of your reservations.
How to Complete Credit Card Bonuses with Airbnb Spending?
The most critical detail for new credit card users: reaching the spending threshold to complete the sign-up bonus. Airbnb is an important tool here because:
High-value purchases can be made in a single transaction
Vacation plans can be made in advance, allowing for convenient timing
Even if the spending is canceled later, some card companies may not take back the points (especially in the case of delayed refunds).
For example:
If you need to spend $4,000 in 3 months to earn the Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus
A $1,500 Airbnb reservation alone covers 37% of that
→ Making such large purchases within the second month of the bonus period is important to avoid losing time in case of a refund.
→ Additionally, by tracking promotions, you can earn both the bonus, cashback, and points from a single purchase.