Airbnb logo displayed on a smartphone in front of a listings webpage. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Timon)
Travelers booking Airbnb stays—which can be cheaper or more expensive than hotels depending on the destination—this holiday season can expect to pay a premium for their cozy accommodations.
However, some U.S. cities are seeing a higher increase in the average nightly rate than others ahead of the busy end-of-year travel period.
A new study by Upgraded Points analyzed Airbnb's nightly prices, comparing overall rates to those during the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, to determine which cities are experiencing the biggest spikes in cost.
While there are increases across the board, some cities offer more relief than others, with premium increases ranging from 3 percent to 139.8 percent. That figure jumps to as high as 199 percent when broken down by individual holidays.
The average holiday increase still comes in at a whopping 64 percent, Upgraded Points found. Nonetheless, that's a welcome figure compared to these five cities.
US Cities With the Highest Holiday Premiums for an Airbnb Stay
- Madison, Wisconsin—139.8 percent
- Fort Myers, Florida—139 percent
- Las Vegas, Nevada—121.4 percent
- Tampa, Florida—113.2 percent
- San Jose, California—108.1 percent
Aerial view of Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo Credit: marchello74/Adobe)
For those travelers who don't want to feel burned by booking amid a price spike, there are some options to choose from this holiday season, with many California cities checking in at the other end of the spectrum.
Nonetheless, many of these destinations are already quite popular and therefore had a higher average nightly rate to begin with.
US Cities With the Lowest Holiday Premiums for an Airbnb Stay
- Los Angeles, California—3 percent
- Bakersfield, California—28.3 percent
- San Diego, California—28.6 percent
- Washington, D.C.—30.2 percent
- San Francisco, California—34.9 percent
At least five cities are experiencing Airbnb nightly rate jumps of more than 100 percent for the upcoming week of Thanksgiving.
US Cities With the Highest Premiums During Thanksgiving
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana—199 percent
- Madison, Wisconsin—163.2 percent
- Columbus, Ohio—117.5 percent
- Fort Myers, Florida—108.81 percent
- Grand Rapids, Michigan—107.81 percent
Florida and Hawaii are popular among Christmas travelers, who can expect to shell out a little more for a sun-kissed getaway this holiday season.
US Cities With the Highest Premiums During Christmas
Couple heading to the beach in Fort Myers. (Photo Credit: Fort Myers - Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods)
- Fort Myers, Florida—146.5 percent
- Madison, Wisconsin—139.2 percent
- Sarasota, Florida—113.4 percent
- Las Vegas, Nevada—113.14 percent
- Honolulu, Hawaii—112.05 percent
When it comes to ringing in the New Year, lively party destinations like the Florida Gulf Coast and Las Vegas will cost Airbnb guests a little extra.
US Cities With the Highest Premiums During New Year's
- Fort Myers, Florida—161.6 percent
- Las Vegas, Nevada—153.3 percent
- Tampa, Florida—134.8 percent
- San Jose, California—127.34 percent
- Sarasota, Florida—121.82 percent
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