Starting today, Airbnb will donate a portion of its revenue from every stay to Airbnb.org, which provides free, temporary housing to people in times of crisis. The new funding model will help provide $500 million USD to Airbnb.org over the next five years, putting the nonprofit on a path to provide 1 million nights of free housing annually. This funding will also allow Airbnb.org to expand its work to support families traveling for medical care, survivors fleeing domestic violence and exploitation, and more.
The idea for Airbnb.org began in 2012 when a host opened her home to people displaced by Hurricane Sandy. Other hosts followed, and in 2020 the effort inspired Airbnb to found Airbnb.org, an independent nonprofit. Since then, Airbnb.org has provided more than 1.6 million nights of free housing to more than 250,000 people around the world.
“Fourteen years ago, after Hurricane Sandy hit, one host opened her home to people who had nowhere else to go. That simple act of generosity grew into Airbnb.org. Since then, we’ve helped provide more than 1.6 million nights of free housing to people in crisis. Now, every time someone books a home on Airbnb, they’ll help someone else find a place to stay when they need it most. That’s Airbnb at its best,” said Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb.
This new funding model will not increase what guests pay or reduce host payouts. Guests and hosts don’t need to opt in or take any action.
Expanding Airbnb.org’s impact
The scale of Airbnb.org’s work is growing rapidly. This year, Airbnb.org has provided free temporary housing in response to more than 200 disasters, compared with just eight in 2023. At the same time, Airbnb.org is expanding beyond disaster response to more situations where free temporary stays can provide comfort and stability. The $500 million in funding from Airbnb and additional donations will help Airbnb.org expand its work to include:
- Families traveling for medical care: By the end of 2026, Airbnb.org will support families travelling for medical care in more than 20 countries, in partnerships with the Leukaemia Foundation of Australia, Instituto Beaba in Brazil, B.C. Friends of Children in Canada, Fundación Xana in Spain, and Children’s Miracle Network in the United States, among others.
- Survivors of domestic violence and exploitation: A new programme will provide free, temporary stays for survivors who have left unsafe situations and are rebuilding, in partnership with Peace House in Utah, among others.
- Veterans in the United States: Airbnb.org is expanding support for veterans facing serious illness or undergoing intensive treatment, in partnership with Fisher House Foundation, Dream Foundation and Operation Healing Forces.
Airbnb.org in Malaysia
When families need a place to stay during a crisis, Airbnb.org helps them find one quickly. In 2026, nearly 60% of Airbnb.org check-ins around the world happened within 24 hours of booking.
Since 2020, Airbnb.org has provided more than 3,300 nights of free emergency housing in Malaysia, including after the Putra Heights gas pipeline explosion in 2025, when Airbnb.org provided nearly 2,700 nights of housing.
“Having to evacuate our home during Hari Raya was an incredibly difficult experience. Through Airbnb.org, my family was able to find a safe and comfortable place to stay while we recovered from the incident. As a host, I wanted to spread the word so that my neighbours could also access the same support. Having experienced the impact first-hand, I am glad that more Malaysians now have the opportunity to participate and bring the same sense of comfort and support to families in need,” says Muhammad Amirul Azhar Mohd Yasin, an Airbnb Superhost who was involved in the Putra Heights incident in 2025.
Airbnb.org is launching its Medical Stays programme in Malaysia through a partnership with the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, helping patients and their families find free housing near treatment. This is designed to help the many people in Malaysia who must travel from their homes to receive specialised treatment.
Prof. Dr Murallitharan Munisamy, Managing Director, National Cancer Society Malaysia said, “For many families, the cost of accommodation, on top of travel and daily expenses, adds to the emotional and financial strain of a cancer diagnosis. Our collaboration with Airbnb.org strengthens our commitment to ensuring cancer patients and their caregivers from across Malaysia have a comfortable place to stay when seeking treatment away from home. By easing this burden, we hope to help more patients access timely treatment and support the caregivers who play such a vital role throughout their journey.”
How Airbnb.org works
Airbnb.org is an independent nonprofit that provides free, temporary housing to people in times of crisis. It works with local nonprofit organizations and government partners to identify people who need support. Airbnb.org then provides credits to help guests to book the Airbnb home that works best for them — whether that means staying near family, bringing pets, accommodating accessibility needs, or simply having enough room for their family.
Guests supported by Airbnb.org stay for free, while hosts are paid for the stay. Hosts can also choose to support Airbnb.org by offering discounted stays or donating a portion of their Airbnb earnings.
Airbnb covers Airbnb.org’s operating costs, allowing 100% of public donations to go directly toward providing free housing. Airbnb makes no money from Airbnb.org stays.
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Airbnb will donate $0.10 USD of its revenue per stay to Airbnb.org to help house people in need. This will not impact what guests pay or hosts receive as payouts. Donations will not be made for stays canceled before check-in, nor for bookings of experiences or services.
