Airbnb
Case Study: Host Cancellation

Industry: Travel
Team: Solo

Role: Research, Ideation, Interaction Design
Timeline: February - May 2025

This case study reimagines Airbnb’s cancellation flow to reduce guest stress and improve recovery after a host cancels. It offers personalized rebooking options, flexible filters, and a user-centered experience that puts guests back in control.

Disclaimer

This project was completed before Airbnb’s 2025 app redesign. While their visual system has evolved, this case study explores a still relevant UX challenge, which is the lack of user control and clarity during last minute cancellations. My goal was to create a thoughtful recovery process designed with the user in mind to reduce stress and build trust.

BackgroundWhen a host cancels, introducing curated backup stays reduce stress and provide clarity in a frustrating situation. Not only will guests be satisfied, but Airbnb’s reputation as a dependable and user-first platform within the travel industry will shine through.

Problem

It’s a common experience for guests to have their reservations cancelled by their hosts right before their stay with no other backup plans.

Insight

What if users could choose an alternative stay after their reservation unexpectedly cancels?

Solution

Create a feature that helps guests choose the best alternative stay based on their preferences after their host has cancelled on them.

Research

Out of 100 most recent reviews in the App Store, 15% of users expressed their concerns regarding host cancellations.

Reviewers shared their frustrations about poor communication from hosts, unclear policies, and unhelpful customer service when trying to resolve problems.

If a host cancels a reservation, Airbnb imposes certain consequences depending on the timing and circumstances of the cancellation.

According to Airbnb‘s host cancellation policy, the host is charged a fee unless the cancellation is due to a major disruptive event or a reason beyond their control. Additionally, the host’s calendar is blocked for the affected dates to prevent them from rebooking the listing.

While this policy holds hosts accountable, guests are left with limited support. Canceled guests typically receive a refund within a few days, but the platform offers little to no guidance in helping them find a new place to stay.

Information about host-initiated cancellations is also difficult to find within the app.

In addition, important elements, such as refund timelines, lack visual emphasis. Minor language issues, such as redundant phrasing like “before,” also affect overall readability.

User reviews reflect these issues, frequently mentioning poor communication from hosts, vague policies, and unhelpful customer support when trying to resolve cancellations.

Competitive Analysis

I analyzed several of Airbnb’s major competitors to understand how they handle host cancellations.

Similar to Airbnb, platforms like Vrbo’s cancellation policy state that hosts may be held responsible if they initiate a cancellation, double-book, mislead a traveler, or pressure the traveler to cancel. Hosts are typically charged a fee based on the timing of the cancellation.

Overall, most platforms hold hosts accountable in similar ways, but offer little to no support for guests when a cancellation occurs. The lack of clear, helpful options for rebooking shows a large gap in the experience and presents an opportunity for improvement.

Experience Principles

Familarity

Users are drawn towards familiar places they’ve already looked at when they don’t have much time to look through other options.

Speed

In time-sensitive situations, users heavily rely on fast responses to confirm or adjust their reservations without the added stress.

User Control

Users want control over where and when their reservation will be.

Hybrid Booking Model

Introducing a Hybrid Booking Model, with Instant Bookings and Approval Required Bookings, where guests can have full control over their next stay.

Instant Booking: Immediately book a backup stay with a host who allows it.

Approval Required Booking: Users can try booking with a host who requires approval. If it's declined, an instant booking backup stay will be ready as a fallback.

The result is a hybrid model that can balance speed and control, but can cause friction. The app’s instant-book alternatives after denials help reduce this friction and build trust.

User Flow

Key Features

Usability TestingTo evaluate how users navigate and feel about the rebooking options, I tested with 5 participants, aged 25-56, who had previously booked stays on Airbnb or similar platforms. Participants were asked to complete a flow where their original stay was canceled and they needed to rebook an alternative. Usability testing showed that:

80% of users were able to complete the rebooking flow without assistance.

80% of users responded positively to seeing their favorited listings first.

60% of users found the alternative stay suggestions relevant and helpful.

Expected Effect

If implemented, it could:

Improve rebooking rates by offering timely alternatives.
Strengthen user confidence and loyalty.
Decrease customer support volume related to cancellations.

Usability testing and competitive research showed there’s real potential to improve both the user experience and business results.

ConclusionBy offering personalized rebooking options like favorited stays and giving hosts more flexibility with instant booking, the experience feels more supportive and less chaotic for both sides. It not only builds trust but also helps Airbnb avoid losing bookings and keeps guests coming back.

ReflectionThis project taught me how important it is to design for recovery, giving users more control and support when something frustrating, like a cancellation, happens. I aimed to make the experience feel more personal and reassuring, rather than just another generic error message.

It also helped me deepen my thinking around trust, small interaction details, and how to make stressful moments feel more manageable through UX.

If I had more time, I would:

Test the flow with a broader, more diverse group of users.

Run an A/B test to compare it with Airbnb’s current flow and measure rebooking rates.

Explore edge cases, like users with who have no favorites.

Index

Brochu Walker

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