Your booking request sits unanswered, and you don't know whether to wait or look elsewhere
When you send a booking request on Airbnb, the host has 24 hours to accept, decline, or let it expire. If they don't respond within that window, your request automatically expires and you're free to book elsewhere without penalty. You won't be charged, and the host won't see your request anymore—it straightforward disappears from both your inboxes.
The 24-hour clock starts the moment you hit send. Some hosts respond within minutes; others wait until the last few hours. If you're looking at a listing and the host's response rate is below 90 percent, slow replies are already part of their pattern, and you should plan accordingly.
Key Takeaways
- Airbnb booking requests expire automatically after 24 hours if the host doesn't respond, and you won't be charged.
- You can send a message to the host before submitting a booking request to ask about availability, which sometimes gets faster replies than a formal request.
- If a host has a response rate below 90 percent, they are slower than average, and you should book a backup listing or send your request earlier.
- Once your request expires, you can book the same listing again with a new request, or move to a different property.
- Hosts who ignore requests repeatedly may eventually lose their listing privileges, but this doesn't help you find a place to stay.
How the 24-hour window actually works
The timer begins the moment you submit your booking request through Airbnb's system. The host receives a notification—usually by email and in their app—that someone wants to book their place. They have until that same time the next day to take action.
If the host accepts, you're booked and charged when ready. If they decline, you get a notification and your money stays in your account. If they do nothing, the request expires silently. You won't see a message saying "request expired"—you'll straightforward notice the listing is no longer marked as "pending" in your trips.
The 24-hour rule applies to all hosts, regardless of their response history. A host with a 95 percent response rate is held to the same important date as one with a 70 percent rate.
Why hosts don't respond and what it usually means
A host might not respond because they're away from their phone, their notifications are turned off, they're managing multiple listings and missed the alert, or they're straightforward not checking their messages regularly. Some hosts are less engaged with the platform than others, and that's reflected in their response rate—a metric Airbnb displays on every listing.
A single non-response doesn't necessarily mean the host is unreliable. A host on vacation, dealing with a family emergency, or temporarily overwhelmed might miss one request but respond to the next ten. However, if you're looking at a listing where the host's response rate is 75 percent or lower, you should assume slow replies are normal and plan your booking accordingly.
Some hosts also use the "when ready book" feature instead of accepting requests manually. If a listing says "when ready Book," you don't send a request—you book directly and are charged right away. These listings skip the 24-hour waiting period entirely.
Send a message before you submit a booking request
You can message a host before formally requesting to book. Open the listing, scroll to the host's profile section, and click "Contact Host." Write a brief message asking if they're available for your dates and when they typically respond to messages. This doesn't lock you into anything—it's just a conversation.
Some hosts reply to direct messages faster than they reply to booking requests, because messages feel less formal and don't carry the same pressure. A host might respond to a casual "Hi, are you around March 15-18?" within an hour, then take 20 hours to respond to an actual booking request.
If the host replies quickly and confirms availability, you can then submit your booking request with confidence. If they don't reply to your message either, you have your answer: this host is slow to respond, and you should book elsewhere or accept that you might wait the full 24 hours.
What to do while you wait for a response
Don't put all your hope in one listing. While your request is pending, add other properties to your wishlist and be ready to book them if your first choice doesn't come through. Airbnb lets you have multiple pending requests at once, so you can send requests to two or three listings and book whichever host accepts first.
Keep track of when your request was submitted. If it's been 20 hours and you haven't heard back, start looking at backup options. You don't want to wake up on day 24 and realize your request expired while you were asleep and now all the good listings are booked.
If the listing has when ready book enabled, you don't need to wait—you can book it when ready. Check whether the host allows when ready book before you send a request; it's shown near the "Reserve" button.
After your request expires: your next steps
Once 24 hours have passed with no response, your request is gone. You can send a new request to the same listing if you want to try again, but there's no may provide the host will respond the second time. If they ignored you once, they might ignore you again.
Your better move is usually to book a different listing. Search your dates again, sort by response rate (highest first), and look for hosts with 95 percent or higher. These hosts are more likely to respond quickly. You can also filter for when ready book listings and skip the waiting period altogether.
If you really want that specific listing, you can try messaging the host directly and asking why they didn't respond to your request. Sometimes hosts have legitimate reasons—a technical glitch, a notification that didn't come through, or a misunderstanding about their calendar. A direct conversation might get you a booking where a formal request didn't.
How Airbnb holds hosts accountable for non-responses
Airbnb tracks each host's response rate and displays it publicly on their profile. Hosts who consistently ignore requests see their response rate drop, which makes their listings less attractive to guests. A host with a 60 percent response rate will lose bookings to hosts with 95 percent rates.
If a host's response rate falls too low, Airbnb may remove their listing or suspend their account, but this process takes time and repeated violations. It doesn't help you book a place for next month. The system is designed to discourage non-responsive hosts over time, not to solve your when ready problem.
You can also leave a review after your stay mentioning slow communication, which future guests will see. However, if the host never accepts your request, you won't have a stay to review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel my booking request before the 24 hours are up?
Yes. Open your trips, find the pending request, and select "Cancel Request." You won't be charged, and the host won't see your request anymore. This is useful if you find a better listing or decide to book elsewhere while waiting.
Will the host see that I sent a message if I don't submit a booking request?
Yes. A direct message to the host appears in their inbox just like a booking request does. They'll see it as a conversation, not a formal request. Some hosts are more responsive to casual messages than to booking requests.
What if I send a booking request and the host accepts, but then I change my mind?
You can cancel the booking, but cancellation fees depend on the host's cancellation policy. If they have a strict policy, you might lose 50 percent of the booking cost. Check the policy before you submit your request so you know what you're agreeing to.
Does the host get a second chance to respond if my request expires?
No. Once 24 hours pass, the request is deleted from both your accounts. If you want to try booking again, you submit a brand new request, and the host gets another 24 hours to respond. But there's no may provide they'll respond the second time.
Is there a way to contact Airbnb if a host ignores my request?
Airbnb doesn't intervene in individual booking requests. Their system is designed so requests expire automatically, freeing you to book elsewhere. If you have a larger issue with a host—like harassment or a violation of Airbnb's policies—you can report it through the app, but a straightforward non-response isn't something Airbnb will override.