What is Airbnb Superhost Status and How You Can Become One

Anyone can list their vacation rental property on Airbnb and create a successful business, but becoming an Airbnb Superhost sets you apart from the crowd and solidifies your position as a top Airbnb host. 

This highly sought-after badge gives you great credibility with travelers, as well as other business benefits. But, how do you achieve this award and become one of the top-rated hosts on Airbnb? 

We’ll break down everything you need to know about the Airbnb Superhost recognition program so you too can be on your way to joining the best hosts in the business. 


What is a Superhost on Airbnb?

Superhost is a special category on Airbnb that is only awarded to the most experienced, hospitable and highest-rated hosts on the platform. If you qualify for this category, you will receive a special distinctive orange badge on your listing and on your profile that will give you higher visibility and earning potential, as well as exclusive rewards from Airbnb. 

Airbnb Superhost Listing

It’s important to note that the Superhost badge only distinguishes the best hosts, not the best listings. However, Airbnb does have a recognition program for those with the highest quality listings called Airbnb Plus

Benefits of being an Airbnb Superhost

Having the Airbnb Superhost badge displayed on your profile and listings gives you many opportunities and perks you wouldn’t otherwise have. It takes a bit of work to become a Superhost, but it’s well worth the effort. 

Attract more guests

Since only the best hosts can parade their Superhost status, it makes sense that displaying the badge builds faster trust with guests. Every guest has had a bad experience with hosts, from being nonresponsive to rude interactions. If you are in the Superhost category, it almost guarantees guests that their experience with you as a host will be enjoyable and memorable. 

Guests will automatically know that you are experienced and provide outstanding hospitality. In fact, some Airbnb guests even filter their search results to only see listings with an Airbnb Superhost badge attached to them. Guests come looking for Superhosts, so it’s an easy way to bring more users and bookings to your listing. 

Earn extra money

With the booking increase that comes from being a Superhost, it’s safe to say you can expect some additional revenue along the way. 

Earn extra money

Even though being a Superhost doesn’t automatically make you more money, it sets you on the right path to do so. In comparison to normal hosts on Airbnb, Superhosts have an 81% higher occupancy rate, which brings in as much as 60% more daily revenue. 

Get access to exclusive rewards

Every host needs some time off each year, so let Airbnb help cover the costs of your stay. Airbnb rewards its Superhosts with a $100 Airbnb coupon for every year that they keep their Superhost status. 

Airbnb Superhosts also get 20% more referral bonus every time they refer someone to sign up to be a host. That’s the possibility of even more money in your pocket. 

Receive dedicated support and special recognition

Being a Superhost means you get priority support from Airbnb every time you call or email them for help. This ensures that you can provide better support and service for your guests. 

Receive extra support

Airbnb also sends regular emails talking about Superhosts, so you can gain recognition for being a part of this unique group of hosts. As a Superhost, you’ll also get access to new product releases and notifications of Airbnb events. Be informed about everything happening in Airbnb to keep your listing up to date and optimized. 

How to become a Superhost on Airbnb

Becoming a part of this elite group on Airbnb is fairly easy. Airbnb has created four categories in areas of exceptional performance that all Superhosts must meet. They will check performance in these categories every three months. In order to gain the title of Superhost, you must meet these expectations for a whole year. 

Obtain a 4.8+ overall rating

Superhosts must have and keep a 4.8 or higher average rating. This is based on reviews left from guests over the past year. Superhosts are expected to be exceptional in service and hospitality and having such a high review score proves it. 

10+ stays

Airbnb hosts have to run a fairly successful business in order to gain the Superhost status. This means they are expected to have at least 10 stays at their listing in the past year, or, in the case of long-term rentals, 100 nights over at least 3 completed stays. This proves that guests can feel confident staying with an experienced host. 

Relaxed guests

Less than 1% cancellation rate

Superhosts must not cancel on their guests, so the standard for them is to cancel less than 1% of the time. This means that Superhosts can cancel 0 times with fewer than 100 reservations per year, ensuring peace of mind for guests. 

Of course, this does not include extenuating circumstances such as natural disasters, government travel restrictions, military activity and an officially declared state of emergency. 

90% response rate

Communication is key in running a successful short term rental business, so that’s why Superhosts need to respond to 90% of new messages within 24 hours. This includes questions, concerns, or requests to book messages. Superhosts must be highly attentive to their guests. 

How to claim your Superhost badge

To join the Superhost program and claim your Superhost badge, all you have to do is meet the above requirements for an extended period of time. That’s right; no forms or paperwork are required to start receiving Superhost benefits. The whole process is completely automated and taken care of by Airbnb. 

Receive Airbnb Superhost badge

Airbnb evaluates the set criteria every three months to determine if a host earns or gets to keep their Superhost status. If all four criteria are not met, their status will be revoked with the possibility of earning it back in the future. 

FAQs about the Airbnb Superhost status

Now that we’ve talked about Airbnb Superhost, there are surely some questions you have had along the way. Let’s take time now to answer some commonly asked questions about becoming an Airbnb Superhost.  

How many reviews are needed to become a Superhost on Airbnb?

To become a Superhost on Airbnb, you need to have at least a 4.8 overall rating based on your reviews. That being said, the number of reviews you have on Airbnb doesn’t matter as much as the quality of reviews. 

Hosts must maintain very close to a 5-star rating to make the Superhost cutoff. It’s a lot easier to keep the 4.8+ rating average if you have a lot of reviews because one bad review won’t drop your overall score too much. It’s always recommended to get as many reviews as possible to gain customer trust, so even though having many reviews isn’t a Superhost requirement, it’s best to collect as many reviews as you can. 

What if you need to cancel because of an emergency?

Superhosts need to have less than a 1% cancellation rate, so that raises the question of what happens if you absolutely need to cancel due to an emergency? 

If an emergency comes up, the first thing you should do is check to see if it is listed on Airbnb’s list of extenuating circumstances. If it is listed there, you will not be penalized for canceling on your guests and your Superhost status won’t be affected. Be aware that you might need to file a claim with Airbnb for extenuating circumstances. 

Cancel reservation

Any other reason for canceling that isn’t listed, will not be written off and will affect your Superhost status. 

For how long do you need to be a host to become a Superhost?

There is no set period that you need to be a host to become a Superhost. All you have to do is meet the requirements within the three-month assessment period. If you do that, then you earn the Superhost status. 

When Airbnb checks every three months, they review your performance over a year span to get an overview of your performance as a host. 

Should you become a Superhost on Airbnb?

Becoming a Superhost on Airbnb requires a great deal of time and effort, so you may wonder if being a Superhost is worth it. In the end, it is entirely up to you, but there are a lot of benefits to being an Airbnb Superhost as we discussed earlier. Some perks include an increase in bookings, attracting more guests, access to exclusive rewards and the chance to increase your profit. 

Overall, having the Superhost badge displayed on your Airbnb profile will only help you with your vacation rental business. Guests can see that you are a proven and dedicated host who is among the best of the best. If you are willing to put in the effort, it is definitely worth becoming an Airbnb Superhost.

Disclaimer: Lodgify is an Airbnb Preferred Software Partner. This post, including any claims or statements within, is solely from Lodgify and is not endorsed by, directly affiliated with, authorized, or sponsored by Airbnb in any way.


What do you think about this article?

Rate this post
Show Comments (0)

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ready to take more direct bookings?

No set up fees, no credit card details, no obligation. Try Lodgify free for 7 days.