Getting your property listed on Airbnb is a fantastic way to reach new guests! Depending on how your property is set up and how you prefer to manage your pricing, NightsBridge offers two different ways to connect your calendar to your Airbnb account.
Here is a simple, friendly breakdown of the two connection types so you can choose the perfect fit for your business:
Quick Feature Comparison
| Feature | Standard connection | Rate Plan connection |
|---|---|---|
| Booking Modifications | ✔️ Supported - Guests modify on Airbnb; we email you to update your calendar | ❌ Not supported - Guests must cancel and rebook entirely |
| Availability Sync | ✔️ Up to 2 years (if rates are loaded) | ✔️ Standard sync limits |
| Pre-Arrival Messaging | ✔️ Guests can message the host before booking (enquiries/pre-approvals) | ❌ Not supported - guests can't contact the host before booking |
| Discounts with Strikethrough | ✔️ Certain discounts on listings show the strikethrough | ❌ Not displayed on Airbnb listings |
| Back Office Calendar View | ✔️ Familiar Calendar View is maintained | 🔵 Grid view replaces your standard calendar |
| Occupancy-Based Pricing (per person pricing) | 🔵 Limited - Best for unit pricing for 1-2 guests | ✔️ Supported (Best for per-person pricing for 3+ guests) |
| Rate Plans / Non-Refundables | ❌ Not Supported | ✔️ Supported |
Option 1: The Standard Connection (Highly Recommended)
Think of this as your everyday, straightforward link to Airbnb. It is the easiest way to set your daily rate and works beautifully if you generally charge a flat unit price for one or two guests.
Because this is the most compatible setup for Airbnb's future strategy, it comes with wonderful benefits to keep your daily operations running smoothly:
- Flexible guest modifications: If a guest needs to change their dates or the number of people staying, they don’t have to cancel and start all over again. Airbnb allows them to adjust the booking on their side.
- How it works on NightsBridge: We won't automatically alter the booking on your calendar. Instead, we will send you an email immediately to let you know about the modification, and you can quickly adjust the details on your NightsBridge Calendar to match.
- Extended Two-Year Availability: You can capture early planners and repeat guests much further in advance! We sync your availability up to two years (24 months) ahead, as long as you have your rates loaded that far.
- Open communication: Guests can easily message you with enquiries and questions before they officially make a booking.
- Eye-catching discounts: When you set up Long-Stay or Early Bird promotions in NightsBridge, they will automatically display on Airbnb with a visual strikethrough rate to help your listing stand out to eager travelers.
- Standard Airbnb calendar: You get to keep your familiar, easy-to-read calendar layout in your Airbnb back office.
How the Standard Connection handles extra guests (and why it matters)
If you've set up your property to charge different rates depending on how many guests are staying, there is an important rate calulation to know about.
NightsBridge sends Airbnb your rates for one and two guests (essentially, your single and double rates). But when a booking is for three or more guests, Airbnb’s system does something a little unexpected. It searches all the extra-person fees you have set up in NightsBridge, picks the highest single fee, and applies that exact same amount to every extra guest above two, no matter which season or occupancy level it came from.
Let’s look at a quick example of how Airbnb calculates this in real life:
Suppose your room rates on NightsBridge are set up like this:
| Occupancy | Rate |
|---|---|
| 1 guest | R950 |
| 2 guests | R1,300 |
| 3rd guest surcharge | R250 |
| 4th guest surcharge | R200 |
| 5th guest surcharge | R350 |
Because R350 is the highest extra-person fee in your settings, Airbnb will ignore the lower R250 and R200 rates. It will apply that R350 to every single guest from number three onwards.
On Airbnb, your rates would display like this:
| Guest | Airbnb Rate |
|---|---|
| 1 guest | R950 |
| 2 guests | R1,300 |
| 3 guests | R1,650 (R1,300 + R350) |
| 4 guests | R2,000 (R1,300 + R350 + R350) |
| 5 guests | R2,350 (R1,300 + R350 + R350 + R350) |
Because of this calculation, we don't recommend using the Standard Connection if your pricing varies a lot for groups of more than two guests. If your pricing structure depends heavily on getting the exact per-person rates right for larger families or groups, the Rate Plan Connection is definitely your best bet.
Option 2: The Rate Plan Connection (For Advanced Pricing)
This connection is designed for highly tailored pricing strategies. It is ideal if you rely on complex, per-person pricing for groups of three or more guests, or if you need to create specific non-refundable rate plans.
While it offers great pricing flexibility, there are a few operational limitations to keep in mind before choosing this route:
- Rigid bookings: If a guest wants to change their dates, they cannot modify the booking. They will need to cancel and completely rebook from scratch.
- No pre-arrival messages: Guests cannot contact you through the platform before they book.
- Hidden discounts: While you can still offer discounts, you have to create them directly on Airbnb, and they will not display with an eye-catching strikethrough on your public listing.
- Grid view: This connection replaces your normal, familiar calendar view in your Airbnb back office with a grid format.
Which should you choose?
If your property setup allows it, we highly recommend choosing the Standard connection to give both you and your guests the smoothest, most compatible experience!
| Consideration | Standard connection | Rate Plan connection |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & Occupancy | Best for unit pricing with a 1-2 pax occupancy | Best when needing per-person pricing for 3 pax+ |
| Discounts | Discounts on NightsBridge will automatically apply on Airbnb | Discounts need to be created directly on Airbnb as rate plans |