A family traveling to Southern California for the upcoming World Cup faced unexpected costs after their Airbnb reservation was effectively upended weeks before their trip. Jason, who booked the trip to celebrate his parents’ 70th birthdays along with five other family members, initially secured a property in La Jolla for $4,300, paying a 50 percent deposit in December. The rental was chosen for its proximity to the ocean, despite being a couple of hours from the Los Angeles stadium where the games are held.
In April, Jason received a message from the host informing him that to maintain the reservation, he needed to cancel and rebook under a new host, with an additional $1,000 fee required — a price that was expected to increase shortly. Jason suspects the price hike was due to demand related to the World Cup, as surrounding accommodations had also become more expensive.
Jason contacted Airbnb seeking assistance under the company’s AirCover policy, which guarantees help in finding comparable accommodations if a reservation falls through. However, Airbnb initially offered only a refund or a coupon valued at about 20 percent of his deposit, approximately $430, an amount far short of the $2,000 gap caused by rising prices. Jason described his interactions with customer service as frustrating, noting that representatives frequently repeated scripted assurances without providing substantive solutions.
Similar issues have affected other travelers attending major events this year. Ross from Albuquerque had a $2,577 reservation for a large Airbnb near a music festival in Sacramento canceled just nine days before arrival. Lesley from Fort Worth lost a $2,479 Airbnb in New Orleans’ French Quarter on the day of Mardi Gras, and Sarah from New York City faced a late cancellation near the University of Michigan’s graduation. In each case, Airbnb offered partial refunds or coupons, but the travelers ended up paying significantly more to secure alternative lodging.
Airbnb acknowledged the incidents and said it had reached out to all parties involved. According to spokesperson Javier Hernandez, Jason was later offered a $5,400 coupon to upgrade to a $10,719 Airbnb and received an additional $1,040 to cover the remaining balance after initial complaints. Ross, Lesley, and Sarah also received refunds and credits that fully compensated or exceeded their extra costs.
Hernandez characterized such host cancellations as “extremely rare” and highlighted measures to discourage hosts from canceling last minute, including fees up to 50 percent of the reservation price and calendar blocks to prevent relisting. He noted none of the problematic hosts rebooked the properties on Airbnb during the contested periods, though they might have rented them privately or on other platforms. Airbnb said it was reviewing the hosts’ conduct for possible enforcement.
Despite these remedial steps, guests said the customer service experience was uneven and often failed to meet expectations. Travel experts caution that both short-term rentals and hotels can engage in last-minute cancellations or price hikes during major events, citing investigations into hotel cancellations around the 2024 solar eclipse and recent World Cup games.
Hernandez advised travelers facing host cancellations within 30 days of check-in to rely on Airbnb’s automated system for coupons and to contact support with additional context for potential further compensation. Yet as the World Cup and other major events draw near, patience and flexibility remain key for travelers navigating accommodations in highly competitive markets.