Airbnb to donate 10 cents per stay to fund free emergency housing, including for Hawaiʻi disasters

Airbnb and its nonprofit, Airbnb.org, have together provided more than 110,000 nights of free emergency housing in Hawaiʻi since 2020, the company said in a news release. That includes stays during Kona lows, Hurricane Lowell, Tropical Storm Lala and flooding on Oʻahu in 2026, and after the Maui wildfires in 2023.

Airbnb announced a new funding model that sets aside part of its revenue from each booking for Airbnb.org. The company said it will donate 10 cents per stay. It said the arrangement is expected to provide $500 million to the nonprofit over five years.

Airbnb said the money puts Airbnb.org on a path to provide 1 million nights of free housing a year. The nonprofit has provided more than 1.6 million nights to more than 250,000 people worldwide since Airbnb founded it in 2020, according to the company.

“Every time someone books a home on Airbnb, they’ll help someone else find a place to stay when they need it most,” Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky said in the news release.

The company said the donations will not raise what guests pay or reduce host payouts, and neither guests nor hosts need to take any action. Airbnb will not donate for stays canceled before check-in or for bookings of experiences or services, according to the release. Details are available on the Airbnb.org website.

Airbnb.org works with local nonprofits and government partners to identify people who need housing, the release said. It then gives them credits to book an Airbnb. Guests stay for free, and hosts are paid for the stay. Hosts can also offer discounted stays or donate part of their earnings.

Airbnb said it covers the nonprofit’s operating costs so that all public donations go toward housing. The company said it makes no money from Airbnb.org stays.

Airbnb said the nonprofit’s workload has grown quickly. Airbnb.org has provided temporary housing for more than 200 disasters this year, compared with eight in 2023, according to the company. About 60% of its US check-ins in 2026 happened within 24 hours of booking, the company said.

The additional funding will also let Airbnb.org expand beyond disaster response, the company said. It plans to add support for families traveling for medical care, survivors of domestic violence and exploitation, and veterans facing serious illness or intensive treatment. Airbnb said it is working with partners that include Children’s Miracle Network, Peace House in Utah and Fisher House Foundation.