A full calendar vs. a smartly filled calendar

The first mistake many hosts make is aiming for a calendar that’s fully booked three or four months in advance. If your calendar is already packed months ahead, it’s actually a sign that your nightly rates are too low.

The math is simple: it’s better to have 80% occupancy at €140/night than 100% occupancy at €100/night.

Occupancy	Price per night	Monthly revenue
80%	€140	€3,360
100%	€100	€3,000

This means it’s okay not to have 100% occupancy as long as your nightly rates are set correctly. Even better: fewer check-ins also reduce cleaning and laundry costs.

Plus, Airbnb booking patterns show that most reservations are made within 35 days of arrival. A simple strategy is to set higher prices for future months and gradually lower them as the dates approach.

Minimum stays

The total cost of hosting a guest is almost the same whether they stay one night or an entire week. Cleaning, amenities, laundry, check-in, and check-out take the same effort.

By setting a minimum stay requirement, you reduce costs and increase profitability. Of course, it doesn’t make sense to keep the same minimum stay year-round — just like with pricing, you should adapt it to seasonality.

Watch out for special events

Every major city has events that drive up demand: Fashion Week in Paris, the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and so on. These events create spikes in demand that you should reflect in your pricing strategy.

Don’t forget to adjust your minimum stays during these high-demand periods. Since these dates can bring your highest rates of the year, avoid gaps in your calendar by requiring a minimum stay that covers the entire event.

Remember: It’s not just about price

If you want to consistently grow your Airbnb revenue, you need to keep in mind that revenue management isn’t everything. Guests choose a property based on both price and reviews.

To justify premium pricing, you must deliver premium experiences. Great reviews are your best sales tool. Becoming a Superhost or joining Airbnb Plus builds credibility and reassures guests of a quality stay. That trust translates directly into higher willingness to pay.

At the same time, pricing sets expectations. The higher the rate, the higher the guest’s expectations for service and quality. If you want to maximize profits, you must also provide the best possible guest experience.