Does Airbnb Superhost Status Matter?

What is “Superhost” Status on Airbnb?

In 2009, Airbnb launched its “Superhost” program to help travelers identify hosts who are the best in the business. At the time, lots of horror stories were circulating from guests who checked into homes that weren’t up to par. The Superhost program was established to provide reassurance to travelers during the booking process.

How Do I Become a Superhost?

To maintain Superhost status, Airbnb hosts must meet the following requirements:

• Must not cancel more than 1% of confirmed bookings
• Must host a minimum of 10 trips or 3 reservations, totaling over 100 days
• Maintains a 90% response rate to inquiries
• Have an overall rating of 4.8 stars or higher

Read: Elevate Your Vacation Rental Property with These 7 Safety Hacks

What are the Benefits of Being a Superhost?

Visibility is hands-down the biggest advantage that Superhosts have over other Airbnb hosts. Superhosts are much more likely to appear in search results, and their properties are often featured in Airbnb’s email newsletters to customers. This huge uptick in visibility often means more bookings and higher revenue. Travelers also use the Superhost filter when booking a home, meaning that their search results yield only Superhosts.

In addition to the huge benefit of visibility, Superhosts also enjoy perks like a yearly $100 travel coupon for use on Airbnb, bonus referral income, and dedicated and personalized support from Airbnb to quickly resolve any issues.

What are the Stats on Airbnb Superhosts?

Courtesy of Hospitable

• Only 19.4% of hosts achieve Superhost status.
• 80% of Airbnb hosts receive a 4.5+ star rating.
• 57% of Airbnb hosts have failed to achieve Superhost status because they didn’t meet the 10+ minimum stays.
• 9.8% of Airbnb hosts failed to achieve Superhost status because they didn’t meet the 4.8+ star review average.
• Superhosts receive an average value star rating of 4.9, while standard hosts average 4.6 stars.
• The average occupancy rate for a Superhost is 47%
• The average occupancy rate for a standard host is 27%
• Superhosts earn, on average, 60% more revenue per day than standard hosts.

Is it Important to Maintain Superhost Status?

Fast forward to 2022 – despite Airbnb’s recent algorithm change, the platform continues to prioritize Superhosts in their search results.

While it is a challenge to maintain this Superhost status, it is critical for hosts, homeowners, and property managers to succeed.

Read: Details Matter! 9 Luxury Kitchen Essentials to Add to Your Vacation Rental Property Today

Can a Property Manager Help me Achieve and Maintain Superhost Status?

As a homeowner who partners with a property management company, you have a role to play in this success as well. Your property manager should clearly lay out in your service agreement that canceling bookings will affect not only the placement of your property but all of the properties under their management. When you open your calendar and take bookings, it’s crucial to communicate with your property management company if you ever intend to sell the home or move back in, and give them notice in order to avoid cancellations.

Read: Ask Yourself These 9 Questions Before Hiring Property Management for Your Short-Term Rental

When looking to choose a property management company, be sure to find one that is not only responsive and meets all of your needs, but prioritizes maintaining its Superhost status.

At Open Air Homes, we cover all of our bases – we list properties on VRBO, Zillow, and our own platform in addition to Airbnb. We proudly maintain Superhost status and work tirelessly to ensure that issues are quickly addressed, and our homes receive glowing reviews.

Are you looking for a property management company to elevate your listing and optimize it for Month+ bookings?

Learn how to monetize your home here.