How to Become an Airbnb Superhost

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Becoming an Airbnb Superhost isn’t just a ‘badge of honour’ — it can be a real game-changer for hosts looking to maximize their bookings, increase their income, and stand out in a competitive marketplace.

This is because Superhosts are recognized for their ability to consistently provide outstanding experiences for their guests.

But what exactly does it take to reach this coveted status? And is it worth it?

In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps you need to take to help you achieve Superhost status on Airbnb — whether you’re just starting out or have been hosting guests at your holiday home for many years.

What is an Airbnb Superhost?

Airbnb created this program to reward its very best hosts. It defines Superhosts as:
“…the top-rated, most experienced hosts on Airbnb, committed to providing [guests] with outstanding hospitality.”

According to Airbnb, only a quarter of Airbnb hosts are currently Superhosts. Anyone can become one too; from an individual offering a private room to an Airbnber who manages multiple holiday lets.

The accolade reflects the level of service a guest can expect. If a host is awarded one, a distinctive orange and red badge will be displayed on the property’s listing.

The benefits of being an Airbnb Superhost

Achieving Airbnb Superhost status unlocks multiple benefits and rewards, including the following:

• Boosted earning potential: the typical Superhost earns 64% more revenue compared to regular hosts. (Airbnb)
• Increased visibility in searches: Superhosts tend to be featured more often and more prominently in search results.
• Strengthened brand: the reputation of your holiday let business can benefit greatly from the credibility Superhost status can bring; leading more potential guests to trust your offering and make that booking.
• Higher booking rates: holding a Superhost status can lead to better occupancy rates due to its ability to attract more potential guests who will consider your holiday let as a serious booking option.
• Exclusive Airbnb perks/rewards: this can include priority access to new Airbnb features, service discounts, and better levels of customer support from Airbnb.
• Access to financial bonuses: Superhosts receive a $100 Airbnb travel coupon for each year that they hang on their status. They can also receive invites to Airbnb events.

Plus, if a Superhost refers a new host to Airbnb, they can receive an extra 20% bonus on top of the usual referral bonus.

What’s required to be an Airbnb Superhost

To be granted Superhost status on Airbnb, your holiday let business will need to fulfil four main criteria, which are currently as follows.

• Maintaining a star rating of 4.8 or more.
• Hosting at least 10 guests within a year (or three reservations that total 100 nights).
• Maintaining a 90% response rate to guest messages within 24 hours.
• Keeping your cancellation rate under 1% (except in extenuating circumstances).

Airbnb evaluates all hosts and their performance every quarter, so even if you are not a Superhost yet, you will still have four chances each year to try to qualify for being one.

Steps you can take to help you become an Airbnb Superhost

Provide an exceptional guest experience

We all know that going above and beyond for guests can lead to great reviews and even repeat bookings. Here are some things you can consider doing or proactively put in place to help you deliver a great guest experience.

Always respond to guest messages promptly

As well as the fact that it’s crucial for helping you maintain the ‘90% response rate’ criteria, it’s also just good practice to be communicative with your guests. Slow responses (or non-responses) will frustrate your guests, damage how they feel about their stay with you, and even result in an unfavourable guest review. So, ensure that someone will always be available to respond to any guest questions or concerns; whether that’s through direct communication with you or a holiday let management contact.

Offer some flexibility and convenience whenever possible

Demonstrating that you’re open to being a little flexible on your property’s check-in and check-out times can mean that your guests enjoy more convenience — and most of them will greatly appreciate the extra effort to meet their needs, too. So, wherever possible, try to accommodate guests who need to arrive a bit earlier or leave a bit later.

Likewise, factors such as how easy you make accessing the holiday let on arrival can make a difference. Think about how you can elevate ‘the guest experience’. For instance, you could consider introducing smart locks/a key-safe so that guests can check in by themselves.

Keep your holiday let clean and safe

Safety and cleanliness standards have never been more important in holiday lets; especially since the pandemic. For instance, guests have become more health and hygiene conscious since the pandemic, expecting higher standards of cleanliness everywhere they go to dine or stay.

These standards also impact the experience they have at your property and will influence how they review you and whether they book again.

Provide something unique and memorable for guests

You can add unique touches to your Airbnb to help enhance the guest experience — and they needn’t cost the earth. For example, a small bundle of locally sourced edibles can make a nice welcome gift for guests — or you could leave a handwritten list of your own personal recommendations for what to do, eat, and drink in the local area.

Although small, gestures like these are often remembered warmly and can help set you apart from other holiday let hosts they’ve dealt with in the past.

Personalisation is key

Adding a personalised touch for incoming guests can make all the difference. Here’s a great way you can put this into practice — if a special purpose for the stay (birthday, anniversary, etc.) is noted on the booking, you could consider leaving some chocolates for those guests to discover on their arrival.

Not only will it instantly delight them, but it can also increase the chances of receiving a glowing Airbnb review.

Tips to help you maintain your Superhost status

Think about what you can do proactively to ensure that your guests will have their best possible stay with you.

Provide your guests with helpful information about the essentials

For instance, simple things like making sure that you’ve provided clear information about connecting to the Wi-Fi, using appliances like the TV and oven, and adjusting the central heating can make all the difference to whether a guest has a smooth, relaxing stay at your property or not.

Check and update your listing every so often

This is just good practice, but it helps to keep your listing content fresh and accurate for potential and booking guests alike. It sets the precedent for what guests can expect for their money, and of course, helps you to avoid negative reviews.

Don’t forget to make any necessary updates or adjustments to your listing based on seasonal factors too. (Fireplaces, hot tub, swimming pool, etc.)

Try to avoid cancellations as much as possible

Even a small flurry of cancellations can damage your chances of either becoming a Superhost or keeping your status as one.

Sometimes bookings must be cancelled for reasons beyond your control, but there are some things you can do to help prevent it from happening. For example, you can make sure that your booking policy sets clear terms and conditions.

Consider setting up automated email communications

The communications you send out to incoming guests can often be the same from booking to booking. Think about how you can save yourself time whilst also ensuring that bookers get the information they need, when they need it.

You could set up automated emails that acknowledge a booking, one which delivers the itinerary a few days before a guest’s arrival date, and even a ‘thank you’ email for the day after your guests have departed.

By automating at least some of the admin, you can allow yourself more time to deal with incoming queries and other holiday property management tasks.

Handle any negative feedback in a professional, positive manner

You can help avoid any dips in your review ratings by dealing with negative feedback constructively. Your response to guest reviews is an opportunity to show potential guests how important customer satisfaction is to you — and that you care.

Keep delivering great service to your guests

Being a Superhost is not a one-off achievement; you need to keep delivering a great guest experience and ticking all the boxes to retain that mantle.

Encourage your guests to leave you reviews on Airbnb

Be proactive about requesting reviews and feedback from your guests. The fewer reviews you accumulate, the more critical it becomes to gaining five stars from your guests. According to data from AIRDNA, 70% of Superhosts have 20 reviews or more, while nearly 60% of non-Superhosts have fewer than 20 reviews.

And remember… you can actively monitor how you’re performing as a Superhost

You can track how well you’re performing against Superhost requirements at any time by checking the Superhost section of your Airbnb account, and then looking in ‘Performance’.

Airbnb Superhost: frequently asked questions

“Do I need to apply to Airbnb to be a Superhost?”

Airbnb say that, as long as you meet the requirements by the assessment date, you’ll automatically become a Superhost. So, there’s no need to make a formal application.

Airbnb also keep hosts updated about their host ‘status’ at the end of each assessment period, and if you become a Superhost, your Superhost badge will show up on your listing up to a week later.

“Can I lose my Superhost status?”

Once you achieve a Superhost badge, that’s not the end of the story! Airbnb will continue to evaluate and assess your Superhost status periodically to ensure that your holiday let still qualifies for the accolade.

You can lose your status if you fail to meet any of the original criteria we’ve covered above. So, for example, if you have managed to keep your cancellation rate very low, you’ve completed more than 10 bookings and your overall rating is still above 4.8 stars, but your response rate to customers has become much slower over time, you could be deemed as ineligible as a Superhost.

“What happens if I lose my Superhost status?”

If you do lose your Airbnb Superhost badge, you’ll be able to try again for the next quarter where your performance as a host will be assessed again by Airbnb.

“Can co-hosts become Superhosts?”

No, Airbnb co-hosts cannot become Superhosts. Only the primary host of a holiday let listing is eligible.

To wrap up…

Becoming an Airbnb Superhost takes work, but if you achieve this status, the rewards and benefits it unlocks can make the difference between a holiday let business that ticks along and one which truly thrives. Remember these key points:

• Providing an excellent guest experience is everything.
• Be a responsive host, and automate communications to save time (when it makes sense to do so).
• Keep your listing/s updated, honest, and accurate.
• Surpass expectations and strive for excellence: cleanliness, comfort, and personalisation — it all matters.

The above behaviours will help you meet Airbnb’s four main criteria; giving you the best possible chance of becoming (and remaining) a Superhost.

Some useful reading:
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/e/superhost
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/829
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/resources/hosting-homes/t/superhost-26