What Is a Superhost on Airbnb? Tips and Benefits of Superhost Status

Airbnb’s Superhost program is the premier status coveted by hosts. They need to meet strict criteria, including maintaining high ratings and high response rates. In exchange, Superhost status can lead to more bookings and higher guest trust.

As Superhosts ourselves, we’ve already noticed how big a difference the badge can make. It helps your listing stand out and gets pushed more to potential guests. So, today, we’re helping you find out how you can achieve Superhost status.

What is an Airbnb Superhost?

First things first, what exactly is a Superhost? An Airbnb Superhost is a top-performing host who consistently delivers exceptional service and hospitality. But it’s more than just a badge. A Superhost is an exemplary, top-rated host who really goes above and beyond in their role. They always do the extra thing to ensure an extraordinary experience for their customers.

It’s essentially a label screaming to guests, “We are reliable and highly rated.” Superhosts provide a level of service that’s truly exceptional, as decided by Airbnb. Many guests actually look for them whenever deciding on where to stay, thinking that they are guaranteed an enjoyable stay.

Criteria for Superhost Status

So, how can a host become a Superhost? Do they need to be exposed to nuclear radiation? Fortunately, not. All they have to do is maintain a high and consistent level of excellence. Here are the main criteria you should meet to obtain Superhost status:

• An overall rating of 4.8 or higher
• A minimum of 10 stays (short-term rentals) or 100 nights over a minimum of 3 stays (long-term rentals) hosted in the past year
• A cancellation rate under 1%, with exceptions for cancellations during major disruptive events or other valid excuses as deemed by Airbnb
• A response rate of 90% or higher within 24 hours

While the bar for becoming a Superhost can be overwhelming, especially for a new Airbnb business owner, it’s definitely achievable. Honestly, most of the work is getting the badge. Once you get Superhost status, all you have to do is maintain it, and as long as you provide the best level of service you can to your guests, you should be covered.

How Long Does The Superhost Status Last?

Technically, once you get the Superhost status, you can hold onto it forever. But, it’s at least good for 3 months. Airbnb evaluates your Superhost status every quarter, taking a look at your performance for the past 12 months to determine your eligibility.

They always review Superhost statuses on fixed dates. Here are the dates you’ll have to be aware of:

• January 1st
• April 1st
• July 1st
• October 1st

As mentioned, they evaluate your performance for the past 12 months and not just the past 3 months covering the quarter. This is done to ensure that you don’t cheat the system and that you always deliver a consistently high level of service.

Tips on How to Achieve Superhost Status

Due to the strict criteria that Airbnb puts on Superhosts, it can be quite difficult to get recognized for it. You’re already halfway there if you do your best to provide a high degree of service to your guests. But here are some of the tips that we personally used to attain our Superhost status to help get you over the edge. With these tips and your dedication to excellence, you should be showing off your new Superhost badge in no time.

Meet Stay Requirements

As a short-term rental, you need to host at least 10 stays over a year to meet the Superhost threshold. Overall, meeting the minimum stay requirements shouldn’t be that hard for you if your rental is located in a decent occupancy area with regular Airbnb traffic.

To attract more bookings, consider amenities that enhance comfort, like high-speed Wi-Fi or a well-stocked kitchen. If you live in a tourist-heavy area, local dining or sightseeing tips can be a plus. These small gestures can boost your occupancy rate, and each booking will help you get closer to Superhost. We also recommend optimizing your listing for improved visibility.

Maintain A High Response Rate

We know how hard it is to keep up with messages and inquiries, especially if you handle a handful of different rentals. At some point, it can be too much. One thing you can do is hire a virtual assistant for your Airbnb that is dedicated to answering messages. This keeps your response rate incredibly high while still keeping that personal touch.

Alternatively, we also recommend checking out guest messaging software. The technology has come a long way, especially those with AI messaging integrations. It ensures an incredibly high response rate, with custom message templates, the ability to set response times, and some even learning from your past conversations to autonomously handle messages.

Keep A Low Cancellation Rate

Reliability is another cornerstone for becoming a Superhost. Airbnb requires you to keep your cancellation rate below 1%. This means you honor your commitments to guests and don't cancel bookings unless it's unavoidable. If something comes up unexpectedly, contact your guests right away and provide solutions or alternatives.

This one can be a bit harder to control since you’ll likely be canceling only during emergencies. However, Airbnb does excuse cancelations due to disruptive events and other specific situations. So, be sure to read about Airbnb’s cancelation policies to find out if it applies to your situation.

Earn Excellent Guest Ratings

Finally, you have to maintain an overall rating of 4.8 or above. We’re sure you already know how important reviews can be. However, they’re even more important if you’re eyeing that Superhost status.

Our advice is to simply do your best. Offer a sparkling clean home, take care of any issues promptly, be lenient when it comes to special guest requests, and just overall provide excellent service. Don’t forget to ask guests to leave reviews, whether directly asking them or including them in your guest check-out message.

Benefits of Being a Superhost

We know how hard it can be to attain and maintain the Superhost status on Airbnb. So, is getting Airbnb Superhost worth it? Well, here are a few of the benefits you get from achieving the badge.

Increased Listing Visibility

Once you reach Superhost status, your listing receives a special badge, which can catch the eye of potential guests. It can be a deciding factor for guests when they are choosing between similar listings, which can skew things in your favor.

Your listing also gets a boost in Airbnb’s search results, which means more views on your property. With higher exposure and properly optimizing your listings, you can easily become a top option. This is particularly useful if your property is located in a highly competitive market. The Superhost badge signals reliability and exceptional service, attracting more bookings.

Can Lead To More Revenue

The data has shown that, on average, you can potentially make up to $17K more revenue as a Superhost. Of course, the value can change depending on your location, competition, etc. But, even if you were to get a fraction of that, it’s still a significant boost to your revenue.

This is because the badge builds trust, and guests are sometimes even willing to pay a premium to ensure quality. Plus, each year you maintain your Superhost status, Airbnb rewards you with a $100 coupon. This can be used towards a stay, effectively giving you a chance to explore other properties and learn from your peers. There's an extra 20% bonus on top of the usual referral bonus when you bring a new host into the Airbnb community.

Credibility Boost

Getting recognized as a Superhost gives your profile a credibility boost. That distinction differentiates you, even if your amenities and rates are similar to other hosts. It may not seem like much, but take a moment to put yourself in a guest’s shoes. Would you rather book a regular host or a Superhost? Having that Superhost status signals a consistent level of excellent quality and service, which becomes a significant factor when booking.

Other Benefits

Aside from everything we’ve mentioned, Superhosts also get the following benefits:

• Priority Support Access
• Early Access to New Features
• Featured in Airbnb’s promotional emails.

Having priority support access makes it easier to handle issues and concerts surrounding the platform. The early access to new features can put you ahead of the curve and get you to test things out before everyone else gets the chance. Finally, being featured in Airbnb’s emails can greatly improve your visibility and even lead to more bookings.

Wrapping Things Up

So, is getting Superhost on Airbnb worth it? If you’re serious about being an Airbnb host and would like to get every edge you can, then yes, definitely. The benefits of achieving and maintaining Superhost status are well worth it. If you think about it, the requirements are just part of another day’s work as an Airbnb host.

If you’re considering starting out your own Airbnb rental or just looking for a new addition to your portfolio, we suggest checking out our BNBCalc property analysis tool to give you an insight into properties on your radar. It can help you make data-driven decisions based on what active rentals are already earning, allowing you to get an idea of not only revenue but also expenses and paint a fuller picture of your potential investment.