How to Redeem Airbnb Gift Card: Step-by-Step Guide for Travel Credit

Airbnb gift cards are an excellent gift for travelers. They give the recipient spending credit to use at their convenience. Plus, it saves the giver the hassle of having to plan out their trip, book flights, get a hotel, and select the dates to travel.

Although, for first-time users, it can be unclear how to redeem the gift card. Users may have questions like where to enter the code, if the balance is automatically applied, where they can use it, and why the card isn’t working.

This guide will explain how to redeem Airbnb gift card credit, the gift card booking process, regional rules that apply, and solutions for non-working codes.

Description of What an Airbnb Gift Card Is

An Airbnb Gift Card allows users to preload an account with spendable credit. Once the card is redeemed, the credit is considered Airbnb gift credit and can only be used for eligible reservations.

This makes it a perfect gift for unplanned travel. Users have the freedom to book a weekend getaway, a cabin in the woods, an apartment in the city, or a beach vacation. There is no specific trip that they have to book in mind.

Airbnb gift cards are available for purchase online or in participating store locations. Once the gift card is purchased and then redeemed by the user, the card never expires. The user will be able to keep the balance on their gift card as long as it remains in their Airbnb account.

How to Redeem Airbnb Gift Card Credit

In short: sign in to your account, head over to the gift card redemption section, plug in the code or PIN, and voilà. You now have the balance available in your account.

Most importantly, each card must fulfill the specific requirements for the country or region in order for it to be successfully redeemed. Most cards have country restrictions, and that is why people often run into issues.

Here is a guideline that provides clarity.

Step 1: Sign Into the Desired Airbnb Account

Begin by logging into the account that you wish to have the credits.

Be mindful that once the credits are added, they become non-transferable and remain tied to the account. It is strongly not recommended to redeem a card on a group account, inactive account, or on someone else’s account unless it is the account intended for the booking.

If you are gifting an Airbnb Gift Card online, it is best to send the code to the recipient so they can redeem it on their account. This will ensure that the Airbnb travel credit is allocated to their account.

Step 2: Visit the Airbnb Gift Card Redemption Page

Your next step is to visit the webpage for redeeming gift cards for Airbnb. On this webpage, you will input the gift card PIN, which will also state that redeeming the gift card is subject to gift card terms from Airbnb.

For desktops, Airbnb states that you can redeem a gift card by going to the gift card redemption webpage, following the instructions, inputting the redemption information, and clicking “Redeem gift card.”

It is possible to try redeeming it through the Airbnb app. However, if something appears to be incorrect or the page is not loading, use a desktop browser.

Step 3: Enter the Airbnb Gift Card Code or PIN Carefully

You should now input the code from your digital Airbnb Gift Card or from a physical card.

This step requires you to be deliberate. Errors can happen because the gift card code is typically lengthy. Look out for typographical mistakes or similar-looking characters, such as the letter O and the number 0, the letter I and the number 1, or the letter B and the number 8. If you received the card through email, a better method is to use copy and paste instead of typing it.

After inputting the code, ensure that there are no extra spaces before or after the code before clicking redeem.

Step 4: Confirm and Add the Balance

After the code is validated, the value will be credited to your Airbnb account.

You can verify your Airbnb gift card balance later in your payment settings on the Airbnb app. Users can learn that to view their account balance and gift cards linked to their accounts, they can go to Menu, Account settings, Payments, and then Airbnb gift credit.

Currently, your Airbnb travel credit is applicable to certain bookings.

Step 5: Redeem Gift Card Credit on an Airbnb Reservation

When booking an eligible stay or experience, funds from gift cards linked to your account will be applied automatically. Airbnb indicates gift card balance is automatically applied when booking an experience or stay.

Your Airbnb Gift Card may mean that you have nothing to pay at checkout if it fully covers the booking.

You can use another accepted payment method to complete the payment if the booking exceeds your gift card balance. Coupons, gift cards, and travel credit can be combined with another payment method if they only cover part of the reservation cost, as noted by Airbnb.

This is especially helpful if you have a smaller card. Even a partial balance can reduce the cost of a weekend trip, holiday rental, or short city stay.

What Can You Use an Airbnb Gift Card For?

Most eligible regions allow you to use an Airbnb Gift Card towards Airbnb bookings. Using gift cards for Airbnb Experiences is possible in a lot of regions, but users in the European Economic Area only have the option of using gift cards for stays.

A good way to think about it is that it is best to use the card for accommodation first and then see if experiences are eligible in your area.

There are many different types of Airbnb trips you can use the gift card credit towards, such as:

• apartments in the city
• houses by the beach
• cabins
• villas
• family holiday houses
• short getaways
• longer stays

Airbnb will show you a payment breakdown before you submit your reservation, so keep in mind to check the total and make sure the gift card amount applies before confirming your booking.

Airbnb Gift Card Region Rules

Many buyers tend to overlook regional restrictions.

Due to Airbnb’s country-specific gift card policies, you may only be able to buy an Airbnb Gift Card for someone in the same country or region as you. The person you are buying the gift card for may also need to have a payment method in that country.

Every country has a slightly different gift card policy. For instance, the USA gift card is generally for people who use Airbnb in the USA. The same applies to Canada, as stated in Canada’s gift card policies. This also applies to the UK, where people usually need to be in the UK and have a payment method from the UK to use the gift card.

There are also different policies for Europe. Those who live in the listed countries may only purchase or use gift cards according to the payment and residence rules for their country.

Before buying an Airbnb Gift Card, check to see if the region of the card matches the recipient’s Airbnb account region, place of residence, and payment method.

What To Do If The Airbnb Gift Card Does Not Work

If the code to your gift card is not working, here are a couple of things that could be going wrong.

The Region of the Card Is Not Matching

Gift cards bought for one country will not work for an Airbnb account based in a different country. This is the most common issue.

Example: People who live in Canada typically need a Canada-compatible card and payment method issued from Canada. If they get a card from a different region, the redemption could fail, or the balance wouldn’t apply.

Always ensure you have selected the appropriate regional version when purchasing a travel gift card.

Payment Method Is Not Eligible

Airbnb can require a local payment method from the correct country or region, even if the code you have is valid. An error will pop up if your card region and payment method are misaligned.

Before trying again, ensure your payment method is added or updated.

Invalid Code Entry

An incorrect character in the Airbnb gift card code is enough to ensure it doesn’t work. Review the code in its entirety, remove extra spacing, and attempt redemption again.

If you have a digital gift card, it is recommended that you directly copy the code from the email. If the code continues to fail, try to redeem it from a desktop browser instead of using the app.

Gift Card Has Already Been Redeemed

An Airbnb gift card balance is tied to the specific account it has been added to. If the system indicates that the card has already been redeemed, check to see if you’ve added it to another account.

This can occur if the individual has multiple Airbnb logins. This is also possible if they sign in with Apple, Google, Facebook, or email at different points in time.

Booking Ineligible

After confirming a reservation, you cannot change the payment method. Not all balances, credits, and payment options apply to all types of charges or changes to reservations. Per the company’s guidelines, these also apply to Airbnbs.

To use an Airbnb Gift Card, make sure to redeem it before confirming your booking.

A Payment or Currency Problem

The problem may not be with the gift card itself. About payment issues, Airbnb states that due to currency restrictions pertaining to one’s country of residence or method of payment, payment problems can occur.

If you are having trouble checking out, consider using the suggested currency, a different payment method, or verify the country in your Airbnb account.

Guidelines for Purchasing Airbnb Gift Cards

When buying an Airbnb Gift Card online, there are a few things you should consider beforehand.

Ensure the recipient lives in a supported country or region, and make sure to select the corresponding regional card. Confirm the existence of an Airbnb account with a local payment method in that region, and provide the code to the correct email. It is recommended that they redeem the card prior to booking.

For online shoppers, a digital Airbnb Gift Card is ideal because it can be sent instantly, allowing the recipient to use it whenever they’re ready to travel.

It also serves as a great gift option. You won’t need to know when or where the recipient intends to travel, or what type of accommodation they prefer. That’s entirely up to them.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to learn how to redeem Airbnb gift card codes once you understand how the codes and gift card balance work.

Make sure you’re signed in to the correct Airbnb account. You should then go to the code redemption page and enter the code. The gift card balance is located in the payment settings. When you reserve an eligible trip, the gift card credit balance will be applied automatically.

You should always keep region matching in mind. The gift card, the recipient’s location, and the payment method need to match. Once you get that right, an Airbnb Gift Card becomes the ideal way to provide someone travel credit for their next trip.