Extra income streams from your Airbnb beyond nightly rates

Category: Pricing & Revenue

By: James Wu

Posted: 2025-12-24T12:31:52.298Z

I'm looking for ways to increase revenue per guest beyond just increasing the nightly rate. I've seen some hosts offer "add-on experiences" and upsells. What additional income streams have worked for you? Anything from selling products to offering services to affiliate partnerships?

Reply by David Okafor:

I've tested a lot of this and here are the ones that actually generate meaningful revenue: **1. Early check-in / Late check-out ($25-50 each)** - Offer via automated message 48 hours before arrival - "Would you like early check-in at 1 PM? Available for $35." - ~30% of guests take early check-in. Pure profit (if you don't have a same-day turnover) - Revenue: $200-400/month **2. Mid-stay cleaning ($75-100)** - For stays 5+ nights, offer a mid-stay clean - "Want fresh towels and a tidy-up on day 4? $75." - ~20% take it. You pay cleaner $50, keep $25, guest is happier - Revenue: $100-200/month **3. Guidebook with affiliate links** - Digital guidebook (Touch Stay or manual) with restaurant/activity recommendations - Include Viator (https://viator.com) affiliate links for tours and experiences - GetYourGuide affiliate links work too - Revenue: $50-150/month in commissions (scales with properties) **4. Welcome basket upsell ($30-45)** - Offer via pre-arrival message: "Add a local wine & cheese welcome basket for $35?" - Cost you $15-18, net $15-20 per basket - ~15% take it - Revenue: $75-150/month **5. Local experience partnership** - Partner with local tour companies, restaurants, or activity providers - They give you a referral commission (10-20%) - You recommend them in your guidebook and check-in message - Revenue varies but $50-200/month for active properties **6. Amazon affiliate storefront** - Create a "My Airbnb Setup" Amazon storefront with everything in your listing - Share it in your house manual and a follow-up message: "Love something in the apartment? Here's where to get it!" - Revenue: $20-50/month per property (small but passive) The early check-in/late check-out is by far the highest-ROI upsell. Zero additional cost, pure profit. For creating professional digital guidebooks with affiliate links, the house manual generator at https://strspecialist.com/tools/house-manual-generator is a great starting point.

Reply by Priya Nair:

I'll add some unconventional ones: **7. Parking space rental (if separate from unit)** - Charge $15-25/day for a garage or reserved lot spot in urban areas - In Nashville/Chicago/Denver, parking is gold - Revenue: $200-400/month **8. Equipment rental** - Beach house: surfboards, kayaks, paddleboards ($25-50/day) - Mountain cabin: snowshoes, sleds, fishing gear ($15-30/day) - City apartment: bikes ($15-20/day) - Revenue: varies by season, $100-300/month **9. Event venue rental (off-peak)** - If your property has a great outdoor space, offer it as a small event venue during non-guest periods - Baby showers, small birthday parties, photo shoots - $200-500 per event - Check local regulations and HOA rules first **10. Branded merchandise** - This is niche but works for unique properties with a brand - Custom mugs, tote bags, stickers with your property logo - Price at $10-15, costs $3-5 to produce via Printify - Revenue: minimal but contributes to brand identity The biggest lesson: don't nickel-and-dime guests on essentials. These should be genuine VALUE-ADDS, not mandatory fees. Guests hate mandatory fees but love optional upgrades. For print-on-demand merchandise for your STR brand, you can explore services like Printify that handle production and shipping.