Airbnb raises 2026 outlook as revenue jumps 19%

Airbnb ↘ 3.54% posted its fastest revenue growth in three years for the third quarter and raised its full-year forecast for the third time. CEO Brian Chesky said the company is back in "growth mode," Bloomberg reported. Revenue rose about 19% to $4.87 billion in the quarter ended September 30, and diluted earnings per share came in at $3.16, up from $2.21 a year earlier, according to Reuters. Shares climbed in extended trading on Thursday, November 5.bloomberg.com+1

The board also approved a new buyback of up to $12 billion of Airbnb's Class A stock, Reuters reported. Airbnb released the results after the market closed in a shareholder letter.reuters.com+1

Beating forecasts

The revenue figure beat the highest analyst estimate compiled by Bloomberg. Nights and experiences booked and earnings per share also came in above estimates, which Bloomberg tied to steady travel demand and features added over the past year, such as deferred payments and more flexible cancellation policies. In August, Airbnb had guided third-quarter revenue to between $4.69 billion and $4.77 billion, or growth of 15% to 17%. Analysts had expected earnings of about $2.85 per share.finance.yahoo.com+2

Nights and seats booked worldwide, a measure that counts both stays and service bookings, rose 16% to 155 million. Bookings grew at a low-double-digit rate in North America and in the mid-teens in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.reuters.com

Raised outlook

Airbnb now expects 2026 revenue to grow in the "high teens." Its earlier forecast was growth of "at least mid-teens". For the fourth quarter, it projected revenue of $3.22 billion to $3.28 billion.seekingalpha.com+1

The company said underlying global travel demand remains healthy, though it is closely watching developments in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It also said customer support cost per booking fell more than 17% from a year earlier. About 40% of support issues were resolved without a human agent, up from one-third in the second quarter.reuters.com

A cautious industry

Airbnb's raised forecast stands apart from much of the travel industry. Hilton ↘ 1.83%, Marriott ↘ 1.79%, Expedia ↘ 13.74% and Booking Holdings ↘ 1.32% have been cautious about the fourth quarter. They have pointed to higher airfares linked to the Iran war and to unrest in parts of Europe, Reuters noted. Airbnb is also pushing further into hotels. It said about 35% of guests whose first Airbnb booking is a hotel come back to book a home.reuters.com