| Purpose | Connect Airbnb listings to Cloudbeds PMS through the Airbnb API and configure the integration. |
| Best for | Property owners, general managers, and property administrators responsible for distribution. |
| Use this when | You are setting up a full Airbnb API connection and need to authorize, map, and configure listings. |
| Requirements | An active, listed Airbnb listing; access to the listing owner account with a profile photo; matching room configurations, currency, and property time zone. |
| Expected result | Airbnb is authorized, listings are mapped, room settings are completed, and rates and availability can be verified. |
| Limitations | Smart Pricing is not supported; Instant Booking is enabled automatically; some Airbnb listing types have limited availability synchronization. |
Use this guide to connect your Airbnb listings to Cloudbeds PMS using the Airbnb API. You will authorize the Airbnb listing owner account, map listings to accommodations, review room settings, and verify the connection.
If you use a third-party channel manager and only need selected guest communication tools, follow the custom connection guidance linked below instead.
Before you connect Airbnb API
Before starting the connection, review the following requirements and limitations to prevent synchronization issues.
Connection requirements
- Your listing status must be "Listed" in Airbnb. Synchronization will not work if the listing is inactive or unlisted.
- Room configurations, currency settings, and default property time zone must match between Cloudbeds PMS and Airbnb.
- Before beginning the standard full connection process:
- For a full connection through Cloudbeds PMS: Make sure Airbnb is not connected to another channel manager. In Airbnb, go to Account > Privacy & Sharing > Connected Apps and click Remove Access if needed.
- For a custom connection through a third-party channel manager: If you use SiteMinder, iHotelier, SynXis, or another provider and only need specific Cloudbeds guest communication tools, follow Guest Messaging & Reviews for Airbnb and Expedia with Third-Party Channel Managers.
- Recreate existing Airbnb availability blocks in Cloudbeds PMS before connecting. Manual Airbnb blocks are removed when the connection starts.
Important limitations
- Smart Pricing is not supported through the API connection.
- Instant Booking is automatically enabled after connecting.
- Airbnb cannot update availability for these listing types: car, condohotel, dorm, in_law, other, parkingspace, pousada, timeshare, vacation_home, and van house. Cloudbeds PMS can receive bookings, but functionality is limited.
Additional resources
- See the Airbnb Onboarding Guide for onboarding help.
- Review the Airbnb API FAQ for additional connection details.
Connect Airbnb API to Cloudbeds PMS
Follow the four steps below to authorize your Airbnb account, map your listings, configure room settings, and review base rate adjustments.
Start by enabling the Airbnb API channel in Cloudbeds PMS and authorizing access to your Airbnb listing owner account.
Before authorizing your account
- Log in as the Airbnb listing owner. Co-hosts and hosting teams cannot connect the channel.
- The main host account must have a profile photo before authorizing a connectivity provider.
- If you are unsure who the primary host is, see What is a primary host?
- Go to Account
> Settings
> Distribution
.
- Open the Discover tab, search for Airbnb API, and select the channel card.
- Click Enable Channel.
- Under Connection Type, select your preferred connection type.
Not sure which connection to choose?
Selecting the correct connection type helps ensure that guest data flows according to your needs. See Guest Messaging & Reviews with Third-Party Channel Managers for guidance.
-
Read the setup guide, disable any browser pop-up blockers, and click AUTHORIZE.
If you have multiple Airbnb accounts, we recommend opening Airbnb.com in another browser tab and logging out before beginning authorization.
Authorize Cloudbeds to manage your Airbnb listings
- Log in using the Airbnb listing owner's credentials, not a co-host account.
A pop-up titled Authorize Your Airbnb (API) Account will appear. Make sure your browser allows pop-ups.
If authorization errors occur, log out of all Airbnb accounts in your browsers and try again.
- Accept Airbnb's Terms and Conditions.
- Click Allow to authorize Cloudbeds PMS.
A confirmation message should appear after successful authorization.
Confirm the connection
After you authorize the account, the Cloudbeds PMS interface updates:
- The channel status changes to Ready for Mapping.
- Your unique User ID (Airbnb Hotel ID) appears in the Channel Login section.
To change the Airbnb account linked to Cloudbeds or update your credentials, click Reauthorize. This opens the authorization window so you can sign in with another Airbnb account.
After authorization, map your Cloudbeds accommodations or room types to the corresponding Airbnb listings.
- Map room types in Cloudbeds PMS to their corresponding Airbnb listings.
Use one-to-one mapping only. Do not map one room type to multiple listings or the reverse.
Mapping requirements depend on your Airbnb configuration. Follow the instructions that match your setup:
- If you manage multiple properties under one Cloudbeds login, you may see a warning. You can ignore this warning and continue.
- If one Airbnb account serves multiple Cloudbeds PMS properties, you can connect them as long as each property maps to its own listings to prevent synchronization issues.
If you encounter a mapping error, review Airbnb API Troubleshooting. If the issue persists, contact Cloudbeds Support.
After mapping your listings, Cloudbeds PMS takes you to Room Settings, where you can review and configure pricing, taxes, discounts, and other listing settings.
For detailed information about each available field, see Airbnb API: Room Settings.
- Click Configure next to each room.
- Review the available options for Price, taxes, pricing rules, and discounts. Click View/Edit.
- Review your Price Settings.
If you use Advanced channel rates, you can select which Cloudbeds rate plan feeds Airbnb's standard rate.
- Review the Taxes settings.
- Review the available Pricing rules & discounts.
New Listing promo
If your Airbnb listing is eligible and has fewer than 3 confirmed reservations, you can enable the New Listing promo to apply an automatic 20% discount to the first 3 bookings.
How the New Listing promo works
- The promotion is intended to increase visibility for new listings and is synchronized directly with Airbnb.
- The discount is automatically removed after the third booking or 30 days from launch, whichever occurs first.
High Rated Guest and Mobile Only discounts
In Pricing rules & discounts, two additional Airbnb discounts may appear below New Listing Promo. You can enable or disable each discount independently for each Airbnb room type.
- High Rated Guest Discount: Offers a 15% discount to Airbnb guests with a rating of 4.8 or higher and at least 3 reviews.
- Mobile Only Discount: Offers a 10% discount for bookings made through the Airbnb mobile app.
To configure these discounts, turn the applicable toggle on or off for each room type and save your Room Settings. Your selections are sent to Airbnb along with the other room settings. You can enable either discount, both discounts, or neither.
Important details about Airbnb discounts
- Airbnb determines the discount percentages. They cannot be customized in Cloudbeds PMS.
- Blackout dates and the number of blackout dates used or available are not displayed or editable in Cloudbeds PMS. Existing blackout dates configured in Airbnb are preserved when you save Room Settings.
- Airbnb validates listing requirements when settings are saved. For example, a listing without photos may return the error "Your listing needs photos before it can be turned on". Resolve the listing issue before saving again.
Additional settings
You can also configure Check-out task items to select tasks guests must complete before checking out.
When room setup is successful, the Room Mapping page displays Setup Completed.
If needed, configure a base rate adjustment to modify the rates sent to Airbnb by a percentage or fixed amount.
For details about how adjustments work, see Base Rate Adjustment or How to Send Different Rates to Channels.
Once this step is complete, your listing mapping is finished. You can return to the mapping page at any time to update room mapping, room settings, or base rate adjustments.
On the Room Settings page, verify that your listings are mapped correctly and that no errors or missing settings remain.
After connecting: Verify and manage the integration
Once you have completed the Airbnb API connection, verify that your listings are receiving the correct rates, availability, and settings. Complete the following checks before relying on the integration for new reservations.
- Verify rates and availability. Open your Airbnb listing calendar and simulate a guest booking to confirm the expected rates and availability.
- Review taxes, fees, and commissions. If applicable, add taxes, fees, or commissions to Reservation Source: Airbnb API in Cloudbeds PMS.
- Disable the previous Airbnb iCal connection. If you previously used iCal, follow the instructions to disable Airbnb iCal to prevent conflicting updates.
- Re-import previous iCal reservations. Re-import all reservations that were previously connected through iCal.
- Manage rates, availability, and restrictions in Cloudbeds PMS. After connecting, hosts cannot edit these fields directly in Airbnb because Cloudbeds PMS manages them.
- Avoid changes from co-host accounts. Co-hosts may still see editable fields in Airbnb, but they should not change them. Direct edits may cause rate or availability discrepancies and overbookings.
- Enable Airbnb messaging if applicable. If you use Cloudbeds Guest Experience, follow Cloudbeds Guest Experience Messaging: Everything You Need to Know to configure Airbnb messaging.
After completing these checks, your Airbnb API connection is ready for ongoing use. Continue managing the supported rates, availability, and restrictions in Cloudbeds PMS to keep your listings synchronized.
Next Operational Step
To understand how the connection works after setup, including synchronization behavior and common questions, review the Airbnb API FAQ.
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