To allow guests to seamlessly integrate their lifestyle and party needs upon check-in, Airbnb is reportedly testing [a new technology/mechanism].A new serviceThis will allow guests to order groceries and food directly through the Instacart service platform, and the landlord will collect and pack them before the guests arrive.
According to a Bloomberg News report, the biggest highlight of this integrated service is the "pre-check-in" preparation. While guests could already use delivery apps during their stay, the new feature allows them to place orders as early as three weeks before arrival.
Landlords who collect and return items will receive a subsidy of $25 per transaction.
This means that if guests are renting a place to host a barbecue or holiday party, the necessary ingredients, snacks, and drinks may already be neatly arranged in the refrigerator or cupboard when they arrive, saving them the time of going to the supermarket or waiting for delivery after checking in.
Of course, this extra tidying up work will fall to the host. But to encourage hosts to cooperate, Airbnb will provide a subsidy of $25 (about NT$810) for each completed order, provided that the host properly puts away the received groceries before the guest arrives.
Pilot programs will be launched in January next year, targeting popular vacation destinations.
This pilot program is scheduled to officially launch on January 5, 2026, and will undergo a three-month testing period to observe market response. The initial phase will target "selected landlords" in popular tourist destinations in the United States, such as Phoenix, Orlando, and Los Angeles.
This is Airbnb’s second attempt to optimize the accommodation experience through cross-industry alliances, following its partnership with ChargePoint last year to offer hosts discounts on electric vehicle charging station installations.
