If you prefer to stay in an Airbnb over a hotel when traveling, you can earn credit card rewards for each stay you book. While there aren’t any Airbnb-specific credit cards, like there are hotel credit cards, many general travel cards let you earn higher rewards rates for Airbnb stays.
Here are a few of the best travel credit cards that can help you optimize your Airbnb bookings.
X1 Card
The X1 Card has the highest potential rewards rate on Airbnb purchases, and it has no annual fee. The base rewards rate with this card is 2x points per dollar, but there are ways to earn more. You can earn 3x points on all your purchases if you spend at least $1,000 in a month, and you can earn 4x, 5x or 10x points for 30 days for every successful applicant you refer.
After you earn your points, if you redeem them for cash back, they’re only worth 0.7 cents per point. However, with Airbnb and a handful of other major brands, including United Airlines and Hotels.com, you can redeem them for 1 cent per point. This means you can earn up to 10% rewards on your spending to apply toward future Airbnb stays. If you don’t stay at Airbnbs often and can’t take advantage of these brand offers, a different card on this list may make more sense.
Check out the full list of redemption partners and other benefits in our X1 review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 15.50% – 27.75% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 2% of the amount of each transfer.
The X1 Card has the highest potential rewards rate on Airbnb purchases, and it has no annual fee. The base rewards rate with this card is 2x points per dollar, but there are ways to earn more. You can earn 3x points on all your purchases if you spend at least $1,000 in a month, and you can earn 4x, 5x or 10x points for 30 days for every successful applicant you refer.
After you earn your points, if you redeem them for cash back, they’re only worth 0.7 cents per point. However, with Airbnb and a handful of other major brands, including United Airlines and Hotels.com, you can redeem them for 1 cent per point. This means you can earn up to 10% rewards on your spending to apply toward future Airbnb stays. If you don’t stay at Airbnbs often and can’t take advantage of these brand offers, a different card on this list may make more sense.
Check out the full list of redemption partners and other benefits in our X1 review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 15.50% – 27.75% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 2% of the amount of each transfer.
Airbnb stays can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. So if you use this card to book your next Airbnb, the total cost can help you meet the spending threshold ($4,000) to earn this card’s particularly good welcome bonus within the first three months from account opening. You can then use the welcome bonus, 60,000 bonus points, as a $600 statement credit toward your next Airbnb vacation -- or as $750 to book supplementary trip accommodations through Chase Travel℠, Chase’s travel booking portal, for your daily excursions and car rentals.
Plus, you’ll get a 2x rewards rate on all your travel purchases with this card, and that includes Airbnb bookings.
For more information about this travel credit card, see our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.49% – 28.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Airbnb stays can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. So if you use this card to book your next Airbnb, the total cost can help you meet the spending threshold ($4,000) to earn this card’s particularly good welcome bonus within the first three months from account opening. You can then use the welcome bonus, 60,000 bonus points, as a $600 statement credit toward your next Airbnb vacation -- or as $750 to book supplementary trip accommodations through Chase Travel℠, Chase’s travel booking portal, for your daily excursions and car rentals.
Plus, you’ll get a 2x rewards rate on all your travel purchases with this card, and that includes Airbnb bookings.
For more information about this travel credit card, see our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.49% – 28.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is the only card on this list that offers an introductory APR, which gives you more time to pay for your trip over time without incurring interest charges. Just make sure you can cover the minimum payment on time each month and pay off the balance in full by the end of the promotional period.
The Active Cash is also best if you don’t want to think about rewards categories and strategizing around your Airbnb booking. You get a competitive flat rewards rate of 2% on Airbnb and other purchases, along with a decent welcome bonus -- $200 cash rewards welcome bonus after spending $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. That’s pretty nice for a credit card with no annual fee.
For more details, check out our full Wells Fargo Active Cash review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- Regular APR
- 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- up to 5%, min: $5
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is the only card on this list that offers an introductory APR, which gives you more time to pay for your trip over time without incurring interest charges. Just make sure you can cover the minimum payment on time each month and pay off the balance in full by the end of the promotional period.
The Active Cash is also best if you don’t want to think about rewards categories and strategizing around your Airbnb booking. You get a competitive flat rewards rate of 2% on Airbnb and other purchases, along with a decent welcome bonus -- $200 cash rewards welcome bonus after spending $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. That’s pretty nice for a credit card with no annual fee.
For more details, check out our full Wells Fargo Active Cash review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- Regular APR
- 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- up to 5%, min: $5
All information about the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Instead of earning rewards to front the cost of your Airbnb rental, you can also use a card to pay for your Airbnb stay that will net you the best rewards on airfare and other traveling costs to your Airbnb destination. The American Express® Green Card earns you 3x points on travel purchases -- including vacation rentals such as Airbnbs -- and can be redeemed at 1 cent per point when you book flights through American Express Travel.
This is essentially a 3% return on Airbnb purchases toward eligible flights, a rewards rate equivalent to general travel purchases with the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, yet without spending as much on the annual fee. If you prefer the wide applicability of a general statement credit, the Green Card’s 0.6 cents per point statement credit redemption rate isn’t worthwhile. Instead, try the Wells Fargo Active Cash card.
Read More: How Much Are Amex Membership Rewards Points Worth?
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
All information about the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Instead of earning rewards to front the cost of your Airbnb rental, you can also use a card to pay for your Airbnb stay that will net you the best rewards on airfare and other traveling costs to your Airbnb destination. The American Express® Green Card earns you 3x points on travel purchases -- including vacation rentals such as Airbnbs -- and can be redeemed at 1 cent per point when you book flights through American Express Travel.
This is essentially a 3% return on Airbnb purchases toward eligible flights, a rewards rate equivalent to general travel purchases with the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, yet without spending as much on the annual fee. If you prefer the wide applicability of a general statement credit, the Green Card’s 0.6 cents per point statement credit redemption rate isn’t worthwhile. Instead, try the Wells Fargo Active Cash card.
Read More: How Much Are Amex Membership Rewards Points Worth?
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
If you travel by plane often, you’ll save a lot of time using TSA PreCheck or Global Entry programs, which help you breeze through airport security lines. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card* includes up to a $100 credit for the associated fees for either of these programs. Plus, with this card, you still get a competitive flat rewards rate on Airbnb bookings and all other purchases.
For more information about this card’s perks, see our Capital One Venture Rewards review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
If you travel by plane often, you’ll save a lot of time using TSA PreCheck or Global Entry programs, which help you breeze through airport security lines. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card* includes up to a $100 credit for the associated fees for either of these programs. Plus, with this card, you still get a competitive flat rewards rate on Airbnb bookings and all other purchases.
For more information about this card’s perks, see our Capital One Venture Rewards review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
How to choose the best credit card to book Airbnb stays
Pick the credit card that offers the best combination of benefits for your Airbnb stay and beyond. This may include rewards rates, welcome bonuses, redemption options and card perks like travel insurances, airport amenities or annual travel credits. For example, the X1 card offers a high base-rate that can be increased by spending more annually with the card, plus a higher redemption value for Airbnb purchases.
These common card features may help supplement your Airbnb stay:
Travel Insurance
Some travel credit cards offer travel insurance to help you mitigate financial pressure in case of some unfortunate and unexpected circumstances. Common coverage includes travel accident insurance, trip delay insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and rental car insurance.
Welcome bonuses
Travel cards tend to offer better welcome bonuses than general rewards cards, but also may charge higher annual fees. Still, a sizable welcome bonus could help compensate for a card’s annual fee for a time while also providing extra funds for travel. Just be sure you aren’t spending any differently than you normally would just to unlock a card’s bonus.
Redemption options
Travel credit cards allow cardholders to redeem rewards in many ways. Be sure you’re choosing the one that nets you the greatest value. Some cards will give you a better return for specific travel purchases rather than cash back.
You’ll earn rewards such as cash back, miles or points. The latter two types typically provide greater flexibility, allowing you to transfer your rewards to the card issuer’s travel partners. By taking the extra step of transferring your rewards, you’ll typically see a higher per-point or per-mile value.
Bonus categories
Some credit cards offer rotating bonus categories or special promotional rewards boosts. Other cards offer special rewards promotions if you shop with specific retailers and services through their app. If you choose one of these credit cards, stay on top of the rewards categories for Airbnb or related purchases. Using a travel credit card will classify dollars spent with Airbnb as travel, meaning you’ll earn the greatest rewards for your Airbnb purchases using a travel credit card.
Cash back vs points
Consider a card’s rewards currency when comparing offers. Cash back rewards can typically be redeemed as statement credits or deposited directly into your bank account, while points tend to offer more options when it comes time to redeem, with varying values depending on the route you take. Points may also have a minimum redemption amount.
Annual fee
While a higher annual fee will get you better rewards and perks, make sure you’re able to get enough value from the rewards and perks compared to the cost of the card. Compare your budget to the rewards program to see if you will earn enough to offset the cost of the card on an annual basis while still having rewards left over.
Tips for using a credit card to book an Airbnb
Follow these steps to book a property through Airbnb with your credit card. It’s quite simple.
- Create an Airbnb account.
- Choose the property you want to rent.
- Attach your credit card to your account.
- Pay your Airbnb bill with your attached credit card.
There are a number of different ways you’re able to pay, too. You can use Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB, Discover and debit cards that can be processed as credit cards, plus utilize payment plans if you don’t want to pick up the bill in its entirety right away. There are also digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay. You can also pay via Paypal or with gift cards.
To qualify for payment plans, your stay will have to meet a few criteria. You’ll have to pay with a credit card, book at least 14 days in advance, cost more than $50 and not be staying for work or for more than 28 days. You’ll be charged a portion of the cost at check out and be charged the rest on a date or dates listed therein.
FAQs
Each Airbnb listing has its own designated cancellation policy ranging from “flexible” to “super strict.” More flexible policies allow for a risk-free cancellation closer to the reservation date. Moderate policies may only give you a partial refund as your reservation date gets closer, while the strictest policies require full payment upfront with no refunds. Airbnb cancellation policies are also listed on its website.
You have 24 hours to cancel your booking before your credit card is charged, regardless of the host’s chosen cancellation policy. How much you’ll be charged upfront depends on the listing’s cancellation policy and whether or not you opt for a payment plan. For moderate listings, you may be charged for some of the reservation cost after 24 hours, and the remaining balance will be charged as you get closer to your stay.
For some trips, Airbnb offers a payment plan. There are a few eligibility requirements, but the main ones are that your trip is at least 14 days in the future, is not longer than 28 days (longer reservations will require an upfront charge) and is not for work. You can choose the payment plan option at checkout, and choose between two and 12 equal monthly installments to pay off your booking cost beyond your trip date. Alternatively, the best 0% introductory APR credit cards may offer longer promotional financing terms.
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Our approach to credit card evaluation
CNET reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category of cards, including cash-back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We consider the typical spending behaviors of a range of consumer profiles with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different -- as are the designated functions of different credit cards.
*All information about the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
