Airbnb will allocate $500 million to its nonprofit organisation Airbnb.org over the next five years through a new funding model that directs a portion of revenue from every booking towards providing free temporary accommodation to people in crisis.
Announced on October 29, the initiative aims to help Airbnb.org provide one million nights of free housing annually. The funding will also support the organisation’s expansion into areas such as medical travel, assistance for survivors of domestic violence and exploitation, and support for veterans in the United States.
Airbnb said the new model would not increase the amount guests pay or reduce payouts to hosts. Neither guests nor hosts need to opt in to participate.
Airbnb.org provides temporary accommodation to people displaced by disasters and other emergencies. The organisation was established in 2020 after an initiative launched by an Airbnb host in 2012, who opened her home to people displaced by Hurricane Sandy in the US.
Since its establishment, Airbnb.org has provided more than 1.6 million nights of free accommodation to over 250,000 people worldwide, according to the company.
The organisation’s activities have expanded alongside an increase in demand for emergency accommodation. Airbnb said Airbnb.org had provided free temporary housing in response to more than 200 disasters in 2026, compared with eight in 2023.
The new funding model is intended to provide a more consistent source of funding as the organisation expands its operations beyond disaster relief.
Expanding support beyond disaster relief
Airbnb.org plans to extend its housing assistance to families travelling for medical treatment. By the end of 2026, the organisation aims to support such families in more than 20 countries through partnerships with healthcare and charitable organisations.
These include the Leukaemia Foundation of Australia, Instituto Beaba in Brazil, B.C. Friends of Children in Canada, Fundación Xana in Spain and Children’s Miracle Network in the US.
The organisation is also introducing a programme to provide temporary accommodation to survivors of domestic violence and exploitation who have left unsafe situations and are rebuilding their lives. The initiative will work with partner organisations, including Peace House in Utah.
In the US, Airbnb.org will expand assistance for veterans facing serious illnesses or undergoing intensive medical treatment. Its partners in this initiative include Fisher House Foundation, Dream Foundation and Operation Healing Forces.
The expansion reflects the organisation’s broader focus on providing temporary housing to people who need a safe place to stay during difficult circumstances, including those seeking medical care or leaving unsafe living situations.
Funding linked to bookings
Under the new model, Airbnb will contribute a portion of its revenue from every booking to Airbnb.org. The company expects the arrangement, alongside additional donations, to provide $500 million to the nonprofit over five years.
Brian Chesky, Co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, said the initiative builds on the company’s original effort to connect people in need of accommodation with hosts willing to open their homes.
Airbnb did not specify the proportion of revenue that would be allocated from each booking or provide a detailed breakdown of the planned funding across the organisation’s programmes.