Airbnb's New 15.5% Commission: Why Property Owners Shouldn't Panic

Airbnb's new 15.5% commission replaces the previous system where hosts and guests paid separate service fees. Although owners now pay the full commission, adjusting nightly rates can preserve their earnings without significantly changing the total price guests pay. Airbnb is also introducing new rules about what hosts can ask guests to do before checkout.

Airbnb has introduced a major change to how it charges service fees. Under the previous model, property owners typically paid a 3% commission, while guests paid an additional service fee of around 14–16%. Under the new model, Airbnb charges affected property owners a single 15.5% commission, with no separate Airbnb service fee charged to the guest. For property owners in Spain, this means a significant change in how rental prices need to be calculated.

The change has caused outrage among Airbnb hosts, with many believing Airbnb has suddenly increased its commission from 3% to 15.5%. At first glance, that's understandable. For a property generating €30,000 annually through Airbnb, the difference appears to be thousands of euros in lost revenue. Many owners are understandably concerned about their profitability, especially with rising operating costs and increasing competition in the holiday rental market.

But here's what many property owners are misunderstanding: guests were already paying most of that commission. Airbnb has primarily changed how the fee is collected, not necessarily how much the booking costs. Take a simple example: previously, a five-night stay at €100 per night could cost the guest €575 once Airbnb's 15% guest service fee was added, while the owner received €485 after the 3% host fee. Under the new model, the owner can charge €115 per night, the guest still pays €575, and the owner receives approximately €486 after Airbnb's 15.5% commission. Almost identical results for everyone involved. The biggest difference is how the price is presented.

Airbnb is also changing what hosts can require guests to do before checkout, and this has sparked another wave of complaints. Under the updated policy applying to bookings made from November 20, 2026, hosts generally cannot require guests to wash and put away dishes, strip beds, start laundry or take rubbish off the property. They can still ask guests to leave dishes in the sink, place rubbish in designated indoor bins, gather used towels and switch off lights or air conditioning. Personally, we don't see this as such a dramatic change. Guests are guests, after all. They're paying to enjoy their holiday, not to clean the property before leaving. Of course, it's reasonable to expect guests to treat a property with respect, and those who don't risk receiving poor guest reviews, making it harder for them to book accommodation in the future. Normal cleaning should always be part of running a holiday rental business.

So what should you do as a property owner? First, review your Airbnb pricing immediately. To maintain the same earnings, most affected owners will need to increase their existing nightly rates by approximately 14–15%. Review your cleaning fees, discounts and pricing across other booking platforms as well. At the same time, make sure your checkout instructions are simple, reasonable and aligned with Airbnb's new rules. Most importantly, don't confuse a higher advertised nightly rate with a more expensive stay for your guests. When managed correctly, these changes don't have to reduce your profits or make your property less competitive. At Nerja with Sanna, we believe good property management starts with understanding exactly how these changes affect your rental income and your guests' experience.

SourcesAirbnb: Simplifying Airbnb service feesAirbnb: How much does Airbnb charge hosts?Airbnb: Important changes to house rules