How to Sync Airbnb and Booking.com Calendars? Guide in 2023

If you're a first-time host, it's normal to wonder how to sync your Airbnb calendar with Booking? And with HomeAway?

Linking calendars is the first step to avoid embarrassing situations, such as overbooking or... reservation cancellations due to lack of availability. It's one of the biggest concerns for holiday rental management professionals.

Airbnb Calendar Setup

Airbnb offers several calendar availability options for your accommodation. The setup wizard is very intuitive: just answer a few questions about your previous experience renting accommodation or the time you need to prepare for check-in.

This way, Airbnb will suggest the most recommended option for your situation. Remember that you can always modify these options in the future – in fact, it's advisable to do so!

The goal of setting up your Airbnb calendar and syncing it with Booking or HomeAway is to avoid cancellations. As we mentioned at the beginning, cancellations negatively impact your reputation as a host.

Set a minimum advance booking period

This depends on your situation as a host: some people have enough reaction time to accept immediate same-day bookings. Others, on the contrary, need two or three days' notice to prepare the accommodation.

Remember that if you set reservations to be made at least 2 days in advance, you will have more time to prepare for your guests' arrival, but you will lose the possibility of confirming last-minute stays.

Set a maximum advance booking period

This is the inverse of the previous field. You should only mark dates as available when you can host to avoid cancelling reservations or rejecting guests.

Set a minimum and/or maximum number of nights

The shorter the reservations, the more you will have, but you will also have to prepare the accommodation more often.

Syncing your Airbnb calendar with Booking or HomeAway

There are several options for syncing Airbnb and Booking.com calendars, each with its advantages and disadvantages.

Google Calendar and iCal

This is a common and easy-to-use option for calendar synchronization. Both Airbnb and Booking.com support calendar export and import via iCalendar. Basically, you can get the calendar link from one platform and add it to the other. Each time a reservation is made on one of the platforms, it will automatically be reflected on the other through this link.

Advantages:

• Simplicity: Setting up synchronization via iCalendar is relatively simple. You only need to copy and paste links.
• Accessibility: Both platforms support iCalendar, which facilitates integration.
• Free: There are no associated costs as it is a native platform feature.

Disadvantages:

• Non-immediate synchronization: Updates may take time to reflect on the other calendar, which could cause conflicts if reservations are made simultaneously on both platforms.
• Functionality limitations: It does not offer other advanced management functionalities, such as rate updates or message automation.

How is it done?

1. Access your Airbnb account:
2. Go to the "Calendar" section of your property.
3. Get the calendar link:
4. Look for the option to export the calendar in iCalendar format. On Airbnb, you can find it in the Calendar Settings section.
5. Copy the iCalendar link:
6. Select and copy the link provided by Airbnb.
7. Access your Booking.com account:
8. Go to the "Calendar" or "Availability" section.
9. Import the link into Booking.com:
10. Look for the option to import an external calendar and paste the iCalendar link you copied from Airbnb. Save the changes.
11. Verify synchronization:
12. Make a test reservation on one of the platforms and verify that it is automatically reflected in the calendar of the other platform.

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You can repeat the same process to sync Booking and HomeAway calendars with Google Calendar.

Channel Manager

Channel managers are tools specifically designed for property management on multiple platforms. These tools offer automatic synchronization of calendars, rates, and availability between Airbnb, Booking.com, and other holiday rental platforms. Examples of channel managers include MyAllocator, Rentals United, and SiteMinder, among others. These systems allow managing all reservations from a single interface.

Advantages:

• Real-time synchronization: Synchronization is almost instantaneous, significantly reducing the risk of double bookings.
• Centralized management: Allows managing multiple platforms from a single interface.
• Advanced automation: In addition to synchronization, many channel managers offer rate updates, availability, and advanced management functionalities.

Disadvantages:

• Associated cost: Some channel managers may have monthly fees or commissions per reservation.
• Learning curve: Initial setup can be complex and requires time to familiarize yourself with the platform.
• Third-party dependency: If there are technical problems with the channel manager, synchronization could be affected.

How is it done?

1. Register with a channel manager:
2. Choose a channel manager like MyAllocator, Rentals United, or SiteMinder and create an account.
3. Link your properties:
4. Add your Airbnb and Booking.com properties to the channel manager platform.
5. Set up synchronization:
6. Follow the steps provided by the channel manager to authorize access to your Airbnb and Booking.com accounts. Set up calendar synchronization and any other necessary configurations.
7. Verify synchronization:
8. Make a test reservation on one of the platforms and verify that it is automatically reflected in the calendar of the other platform within the channel manager.

Sync.Rentals

The free option to sync your Airbnb calendar with Booking is called Sync.Rentals. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Calendar Export option in your Airbnb host account.
2. Copy the Airbnb URL.
3. Register on Sync.Rentals and add that URL to the platform.
4. Copy the Sync.Rentals URL and import it into your Airbnb account.

Property Management Systems (PMS)

Advantages:

• Complete functionalities: They offer a full range of tools for property management, including calendar synchronization, reservation management, guest communication, and more.
• Integral automation: They allow automating much of the management process.
• Technical support: They usually have robust technical support to solve problems quickly.

Disadvantages:

• Higher cost: PMSs usually have higher monthly fees due to their complete functions.
• Learning curve: Like channel managers, it can take time to become familiar with all the functionalities.
• Provider dependency: If the provider experiences technical problems, it can affect the management of all linked properties.

How is it done?

1. Choose a PMS:
2. Select a property management system like Guesty, Tokeet, or Hostaway.
3. Register and add properties:
4. Create an account in the PMS and enter your property information from Airbnb and Booking.com.
5. Set up synchronization:
6. Follow the instructions provided by the PMS to authorize access to your accounts on the holiday rental platforms. Configure calendar synchronization and other functionalities according to your preferences.
7. Verify synchronization:
8. Make a test reservation on one of the platforms and verify that it is automatically reflected in the calendar of the other platform within the property management system.

Optimise the calendar

Once you have synced your Airbnb calendar with Booking and HomeAway, you shouldn't just sit back.

Are you puzzled about how to use minimum night bookings for your holiday apartment? Do you have a holiday apartment with multiple listings and you worry about quickly blocking availability on one when it's booked?

Now it's time to apply these tips to optimize your Airbnb calendar and increase your bookings.

Offer discounts for guests to book more nights

About 50% of Airbnb hosts use the minimum booking option for their holiday apartments' availability. In fact, a two-night minimum is the most popular: that's when, using Airbnb's cleaning fees, you achieve optimal profitability – remember your check-in and check-out costs!

But having a low minimum – like two days – can be detrimental to your Airbnb calendar. Imagine a guest books two nights in the middle of a week (e.g., Tuesday and Wednesday). At that moment, first ask them if they have already booked transport, and if the answer is no, offer them to extend their stay (to Monday or until Thursday, in our example) in exchange for a great discount on those days. You'll be surprised how many guests accept the offer. It's a win-win: happier guests; longer reservation duration, and lower check-in costs for you.

Minimize “sandwich periods” and optimize your Airbnb calendar

Remove minimum stay during that period

Something you can do to optimize your Airbnb calendar when someone has booked in the middle of the week is to remove the minimum stay during that week and accept one-night stays.

Optimize prices

The previous measure is something you can take once you've already had a booking in the middle of the week. However, you can optimize prices to try to minimize sandwich periods. The worst case is having three guests book: one from Monday to Tuesday, another from Tuesday to Thursday, and another for the weekend – you have three check-ins in one week!

You can align the price with your costs to attract guests with full-week bookings. How? By setting different prices for each day. Adjust prices keeping in mind that if someone books the entire week, the average daily price should be the same as when you had the same price per night.

For example: imagine your holiday apartment costs €100 per night and your week runs from Monday to Friday. Then, set Monday and Friday nights at €85, Tuesday and Thursday at €100, and Wednesday at €130. You'll see that the weekly average is €100 – as before – but only for those who book the full week. This aligns with the first tip, which is to offer juicy discounts to your guests if they extend their stay.