Airbnb's 2025 Summer Release
Airbnb's most ambitious—but also riskiest—release to date
Airbnb just shared its 2025 Summer Release, and it’s a big step toward competing directly with hotels. As I noted in my recent earnings breakdown, the company has been preparing to expand beyond the core—that is, alternative accommodations—and this is the first step.
There are three pillars:
Airbnb Services
A fully reimagined Airbnb Experiences
An all-new app that integrates homes, services, and experiences
Airbnb Services
CEO Brian Chesky likes to remind investors that for every Airbnb guest, nine others book hotels. And so getting just one of those nine to book an Airbnb would double the company’s size.
This is how they’re going to try.
A big disadvantage of booking an Airbnb is the lack of perks you’d expect from a hotel: meals delivered to your room, gym access, spa treatments, etc. Now, with Airbnb Services, Airbnb lets you book:
Private chefs
Prepared meals
Full-service catering (for events or group travel)
Photography
Massages
Spa treatments
Hair styling
Makeup
Nails (manicures/pedicures)
Hosts are vetted for reputation, expertise, certifications, licenses, etc. Some are celebrity stylists, Michelin-experienced chefs, and high-end personal trainers.
Importantly, these Services will come to you, whether it be the Airbnb you’re staying at or your actual home—you don’t need to be traveling to book them. Services launched May 13 (yesterday) in 260 cities. Airbnb confirmed more categories and more cities are coming.
If this works, it’s obviously a big deal. The problem Airbnb has to solve, however, is consistency in quality at a large scale. Hotels achieve consistency through control, which is what Airbnb lacks. These are all independent hosts, with different styles, methods, and levels of quality.
Still, it’s an exciting update to the platform.
Airbnb Experiences
Airbnb Experiences originally launched years ago but never really caught on. This time, Airbnb is trying again.
Chesky opened by highlighting how most city tours are still crowded, generic, and forgettable. Airbnb sees a better way, one that is more social, more curated, and better integrated into your trip.
Experiences are now grouped into five categories:
History & culture: landmark tours, museum tours, cultural tours, live performances
Food & drink: food tours, cooking classes, tastings, dining experiences
Nature & outdoors: outdoor experiences, water sports, flying experiences, wildlife experiences
Art & design: gallery tours, art workshops, architecture tours, shopping & fashion
Fitness & wellness: workouts, wellness, beauty
You can see who else is going, where they’re from, and connect via Airbnb’s renewed messaging system.
The company also introduced Airbnb Originals, reminiscent of Airbnb’s “Icons” experiences last year. These are exclusive experiences hosted by creators and celebrities. Originals include:
Pastry-making at French Bastards bakery in Paris
Beach volleyball in Rio with Olympian Carol Solberg
Anime cosplay with Megan Thee Stallion
A day on the “Short n’ Sweet” set with Sabrina Carpenter
Football and BBQ with Patrick Mahomes
Like Icons, I’m sure these will mostly serve as marketing stunts rather than sustainable business lines. But they’ll work. The Icons campaign got over a billion impressions and more than 60 million views on the platform.
Experiences have now launched in 650 cities globally.
All-New App
Airbnb rebuilt its app from the ground up, with a completely new technology stack. That was already known, but now it’s clear why it was necessary.
The redesigned app brings homes, services, and experiences into a unified interface. Everything is in the main menu, and more importantly, in a newly added dynamic itinerary. If you’re staying in an Airbnb, the app can now suggest relevant add-ons—like booking a chef or massage—and automatically slot them into your itinerary.
Other updates include:
A new in-app messaging system for groups on experiences and services
A revamped profile page showing your trips and your connections, the latter almost similar to a social network but for travel
A fully rebuilt host app, with a redesigned calendar, a smoother booking flow, and easier applications for both Services and Experiences
Conclusion
This is the most ambitious—but also riskiest—release to date. Services in particular is an interesting development that can make stays feel as full-service and frictionless as hotels.
The upside is obvious. Converting even one of those nine travelers who still choose hotels would double Airbnb’s addressable market. But the risks are real: inconsistent service quality and potential dilution of the core product. The app, while powerful, may start to feel cluttered and more confusing.
Still, I like the direction. Airbnb clearly learned from its first launch of Experiences, and this version feels more deliberate, more integrated, and more scalable.
You can view the entire Summer Release here.
In case you missed it:
Disclaimer: the information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. I am not a financial advisor, and nothing on this platform should be construed as personalized financial advice. All investment decisions should be made based on your own research.