- Q2 revenue $3.61 billion exceeded $3.57 billion analyst estimates
- Nights and seats booked rose 10 pc to 148.3 million
- North American bookings recorded highest growth in almost three years
- Company expanding into private chefs, car rentals and boutique hotels
- 2026 revenue improvement expected at least mid teens
Airbnb has beaten second-quarter revenue estimates, driven by strong global travel demand and a boost from first-time users during the FIFA World Cup hosted in the US, Canada and Mexico. The San Francisco-based company has reported quarterly revenue of $3.61 billion, up from $3.1 billion a year earlier, exceeding analyst estimates of $3.57 billion according to LSEG data. Shares rose 10.8 pc in extended trading following the earnings release.
Nights and seats booked globally rose 10 pc to 148.3 million in the quarter, with North American bookings recording the highest growth in almost three years. The World Cup and growth in markets including Brazil and India have helped offset pressure from the Iran war, which has hurt long-haul international travel through flight re-routings and higher jet fuel costs. The company has observed a steady recovery of demand in the Middle East since May 2026.
CEO Brian Chesky confirmed the company’s expansion into services including private chefs and car rentals, alongside thousands of boutique hotels, signalling a continued move beyond original rental focus. The company anticipates 2026 revenue improvement of at least mid teens, compared with earlier low to mid teens forecasts. Hotel nights booked grew nearly three times faster than homes, though still representing only a single-digit percentage of total nights booked.
Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, shared: “We’ve delivered some of the strongest results in years. More new guests are trying Airbnb than we’ve seen in years. We have quite a lot of cash, we generate a lot of cash, entrepreneurs would love part of Airbnb and to hold stock, so I think there’s a huge number of opportunities for us.”
