Airbnb Gift Card Guide [How It Works, Where To Buy One, FAQ]
Airbnb Gift Cards
An Airbnb gift card can be a great present for a friend or family member who loves to travel. Airbnb gift cards allow the recipient the flexibility to book a stay or experience, and they don’t have an expiration date.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you should know about Airbnb gift cards.
I’ll explain how Airbnb gift cards work, where to buy one, how to redeem/use a gift card, and how to check a card’s balance. Then, I’ll answer frequently asked questions and explain how you can get help with an Airbnb gift card that you already have.
*Agoda.com sells quality, discounted hotel rooms (UP TO $50 OFF!). To see today’s deals on hotels, click here.
Table Of Contents
How Airbnb Gift Cards Work
Airbnb gift cards work on stays and experiences.
Gift cards are sold at airbnb.com/giftcards and through select retailers. They’re available in physical and digital form, and applicable on Airbnb’s website or mobile app. As of July 2024, only individuals in 17 countries can purchase gift cards. These countries are: the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and Brazil.
To read Airbnb’s Gift Card Terms and Conditions, click here.
*Many experienced travelers believe that Vrbo.com is better than Airbnb for apartment and house rentals. To see today’s deals on Vrbo, click here.
Where To Buy An Airbnb Gift Card
The best place to purchase an Airbnb gift card is directly from airbnb.com/giftcards.
You’ll have multiple customization options, including cash value amount, delivery method (email, text, send to yourself), the card’s message, and its form (physical or digital). Digital cards are delivered via email.
*Agoda.com sells quality, discounted hotel rooms (UP TO $50 OFF!). To see today’s deals on hotels, click here.
How To Redeem/Use Your Gift Card
To redeem an Airbnb gift card, visit airbnb.com/gift.
Here, enter the gift card and PIN number, then click “Redeem gift card”. This will activate your card and transfer the card’s value to your Airbnb account. The funds can be applied to a future stay or experience. If the card’s value only covers part of your total booking cost, you can cover the remainder of the booking total with another form of payment.
*Agoda.com sells quality, discounted hotel rooms (UP TO $50 OFF!). To see today’s deals on hotels, click here.
How To Check Your Card’s Balance
To check a gift card’s balance, click your account icon in the upper-right corner, then select “Account” from the drop-down menu. Then, click “Payments and payouts”.
From here, scroll down to the “Airbnb gift credit” section, where you’ll see the existing credit balance in your account and where you can add a gift card.
*Many experienced travelers believe that Vrbo.com is better than Airbnb for apartment and house rentals. To see today’s deals on Vrbo, click here.
Airbnb Gift Card FAQ
Where Else Can I Buy An Airbnb Gift Card?
Apart from buying a gift card directly from Airbnb’s website, there are a few large US-based retailers that also sell them (Safeway, Target, Whole Foods, Kroger, Lowe’s, Staples the sellers listed on Airbnb.com).
There are also other retail chains that sell Airbnb gift cards (Airbnb doesn’t explicitly list these sellers on its site) like CVS and Walmart. It’s also possible to find Airbnb gift cards sold on Amazon (for gift cards sold directly from Airbnb’s Amazon account, click here).
Can I Buy An Airbnb Gift Card With PayPal?
Yes, you can purchase an Airbnb gift card with PayPal through this page. You’ll have fewer customization options on PayPal than if you were to purchase your card directly from Airbnb.com.
Can I Use A Gift Card On An Experience?
Yes, Airbnb gift cards can be applied towards Airbnb Experiences. The Experiences program connects travelers with local guides in their destination. To learn all about Airbnb Experiences, click here.
Can I Refund/Exchange An Airbnb Gift Card?
According to Airbnb, “gift card purchases are non-refundable”. This means you can’t refund or exchange a gift card after you’ve purchased it.
Can I Donate My Gift Card To Someone Else?
It’s not possible to donate or transfer your gift card to someone else after your card has been redeemed.
Do Airbnb Gift Cards Expire?
According to Airbnb, “once a gift card has been added to your Airbnb account, the funds won’t expire”.
Can I Transfer/Sell My Airbnb Gift Card?
According to Airbnb, “redeemed funds cannot be transferred to another Airbnb account”. Airbnb doesn’t provide an avenue for users to sell their gift cards through the site.
On Google, you’ll see common search phrases like:
“Airbnb gift card promo”
“Airbnb gift card for cheap”
“Airbnb gift card free”
“Airbnb gift card 20% off”
However, websites selling discounted Airbnb gift cards are second-hand marketplaces where cards are re-sold at a lower price. If you buy a gift card on one of these sites, it may not work when you try to apply it to an Airbnb booking. You’ll be doing so at your own risk. To read Airbnb’s Gift Card Terms and Conditions (with its policies), click here.
*Agoda.com sells quality, discounted hotel rooms (UP TO $50 OFF!). To see today’s deals on hotels, click here.
Help/Support With Airbnb Gift Cards
If you have an issue with your gift card (card won’t work, declined, lost, loading or limit issues), reach out to Airbnb’s Help Center for support. If your answer is not covered in a content guide, click “Contact Us” at the bottom of the Help Center page. For more on how to contact Airbnb, click here.
*For the 5 things you should bring to an Airbnb stay, click here.
Conclusion
Hopefully you found this guide helpful.
An Airbnb gift card can be a great present for a friend or family member who loves to travel. Gift cards offer the flexibility to book a stay or experience, and don’t limit users by an impending expiration date. To learn more about Airbnb, explore our other guides below.
Enjoy your travels!
Learn More About Airbnb
Introduction To Airbnb
Understand Your Options
Airbnb vs. Hotels Comparison [Atmosphere, Price, Safety, Amenities]
Airbnb vs. VRBO, HomeAway, FlipKey, TurnKey, OVO [Comparison]
Get Started With Airbnb
Know Before You Go
Specific Types Of Bookings
How To Find An Airbnb With A Specific Feature [Or Unique Stay]
How To Find An Airbnb That Allows Pets [Airbnb’s Pet Policy]
How To Find An Airbnb With A Pool, Hot Tub Or Jacuzzi [Step-By-Step]
Can You Throw A Party In An Airbnb Rental? [Party Policy Explained]