The Airbnb Online Experiences - Airbnb Inc. bets on scalable digital hosting

The Airbnb Online Experiences open with a jazz guitarist streaming from his small Lisbon living room, fingers sliding across the fretboard while guests follow along from their sofas worldwide. The product name stands for hundreds of live-hosted digital activities inside the Airbnb platform.

From physical tours to online sessions

Airbnb Online Experiences extend the classic accommodation marketplace into bookable virtual events that run via Zoom-style video calls embedded in Airbnb’s interface. Hosts offer small-group sessions ranging from pasta workshops to meditation, typically lasting 60 to 90 minutes.

Many experiences are capped at around ten guests to keep the atmosphere personal and interactive, with participants talking directly to hosts and other travelers. Tom Hayes, Director of Experiences at Airbnb, has repeatedly framed the segment as a way to keep travel inspiration alive even when people stay at home.

Booking flow and host economics

Customers find Airbnb Online Experiences inside the "Experiences" tab or via a dedicated landing page, filtering by interest, language, date and price. Booking works much like a stay: users pick a slot, pay through Airbnb, then receive a link for joining the session.

Many online experiences list prices starting around 9 to 25 US dollars per person, with some premium offerings going substantially higher for niche topics or celebrity hosts. Airbnb charges a service fee to hosts on each booking, taking a percentage cut that contributes to marketplace revenue.

Tech stack and user experience

Technically, Airbnb Online Experiences rely on third-party video infrastructure, most commonly Zoom, integrated into Airbnb’s scheduling and messaging tools. Guests see dates in their local time zone and can add events to their calendars directly, which reduces friction compared with standalone video workshops.

The interface leans on familiar Airbnb design patterns: large photography, ratings and reviews, and clear host bios. Airbnb highlights accessible details such as required equipment, difficulty level and language, helping users understand if a class like "Sourdough bread baking" fits their kitchen and skill level.

Risk management and quality controls

Airbnb applies similar quality levers to Online Experiences as to its in-person tours, including review systems, policies on safety and inclusion, and tools for reporting issues. Hosts must submit their concepts and content for approval before listing, which keeps the catalog aligned with Airbnb’s brand standards.

In public comments, CEO Brian Chesky has described Experiences as part of "the entire trip," suggesting that curated online formats reflect the platform’s broader push beyond accommodation. That narrative matters for understanding how Online Experiences sit strategically next to Stays and traditional travel services.

Investor context and the Airbnb share

For investors, Airbnb Online Experiences are a smaller slice than the core Stays segment but add a diversifying revenue stream that does not depend on physical travel capacity. The format scales with demand: hosts can theoretically reach global audiences from a single room, without extra inventory.

On Nasdaq, Airbnb Inc. stock (ISIN US0090661010) trades in US dollars and reacts primarily to booking trends and guidance around the broader marketplace, into which Experiences revenue is bundled.