Airbnb posts higher quarterly revenue on global travel demand, World Cup boost
Quarterly revenue stood at US$3.61 billion, up from US$3.1 billion a year earlier
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VACATION rental company Airbnb beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter revenue on Thursday (Aug 6), helped by strong global demand for travel and a boost from first time users during the Fifa World Cup hosted in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Travel companies, including online agencies Expedia and Booking, have benefited from the recently concluded World Cup.
Airbnb noted that its North American bookings during the second quarter recorded the highest growth in almost three years. Shares of the San Francisco-based company rose 8.35 per cent in extended trading.
“We’ve delivered some of the strongest results in years,” said Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky on an earnings call. “More new guests are trying Airbnb than we’ve seen in years.”
Globally, nights and seats booked, a metric that includes both room stays and service bookings, rose 10 per cent to 148.3 million in the quarter. In North America, which made up over 40 per cent of its revenue in 2025, quarterly bookings rose by a “high-single-digit” percentage.
The World Cup and growth in markets such as Brazil and India have helped the company partially offset pressure from the Iran war, which has hurt long-haul international travel through flight re-routings and higher jet fuel costs. Airbnb said it has observed a steady recovery of demand in the Middle East.
Since last May, the company has broadened its platform to include services such as private chefs and car rentals, and thousands of boutique hotels, signifying a continued move beyond its original rental focus.
Investors and analysts have closely watched its expansion efforts, as the shift moves it toward a more conventional online travel agency, potentially putting it in competition with heavyweights such as Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor.
Airbnb’s hotel nights booked grew nearly three times faster than homes, though they still represent only a single-digit percentage of total nights booked, it said.
The company expects 2026 revenue to improve “at least mid teens”, compared with a range of “low to mid teens” forecast earlier.
It posted earnings per share of US$1.37 for the quarter ended Jun 30, compared with US$1.03 a year ago.
Quarterly revenue was US$3.61 billion, up from US$3.1 billion a year earlier. Analysts, on average, estimated revenue of US$3.57 billion and earnings per share of US$1.25, according to data compiled by LSEG. REUTERS
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