The host agreed to a full refund — why didn't the ~14% service fee come back?
It depends on how the refund was processed. Airbnb says that when a guest cancels, the service fee is refunded only if the cancellation is within the free-cancellation period. When a host sends back more than the policy requires after that, it is a discretionary refund, and Airbnb's help pages don't say whether the service fee comes back in that case. Start by checking which line item is missing in your refund details.
What to do now
- Open the refund details for the reservation in Trips (on desktop: Account settings > Payments & payouts) and check how much of the nightly price, fees and taxes came back
- Work out whether the missing amount is the service fee, a coupon discount, or a refund still processing. Timing differs by payment method
- Ask the host how they refunded you (cancelling the reservation or sending money through the Resolution Center)
- If you can't tell whether the fee should be refunded, contact Airbnb support with the refund details screen
The service fee refund depends on when you cancelled and how the money came back. Cancelled within the free-cancellation period: the fee is refundable. Money the host sent back afterwards at their discretion is a different route, and Airbnb's help pages don't confirm whether the fee comes with it.
On a single-fee reservation, you may not have paid a separate service fee at all.
Who owns the resolution
Airbnb's system calculates the refund of the nightly price and fees from the reservation's refund policy and when you cancelled. Extra refunds outside the policy are at the host's discretion, and Airbnb does not get involved in or guarantee them.
Evidence to prepare
- Refund details screen (nightly price, fees and taxes listed separately)
- The price breakdown or receipt from when you paid
- The host's message saying how they refunded you
Turn this answer into a question about your case
Give another AI the facts it needs—not just “what should I do?”
I need practical help with a Airbnb issue. The policy question: The host agreed to a full refund — why didn't the ~14% service fee come back? Useful context I found: It depends on how the refund was processed. Airbnb says that when a guest cancels, the service fee is refunded only if the cancellation is within the free-cancellation period. When a host sends back more than the policy requires after that, it is a discretionary refund, and Airbnb's help pages don't say whether the service fee comes back in that case. Start by checking which line item is missing in your refund details. My specific situation: [Describe what happened, including dates and messages shown] The outcome I want: [Refund, verification, appeal, account recovery, explanation, etc.] Important constraints: [Country, deadline, booking/account status, documents already submitted, budget, or other limits] Please: 1. Identify any missing facts you need before reaching a conclusion. 2. Separate platform policy, local law, and your own inference. 3. Give me the safest next steps in priority order. 4. Use current official sources where possible and flag anything that may have changed. 5. Draft a concise message I can paste to customer support. 6. Do not invent account access, guarantees, refund rights, or legal conclusions.
Why this policy exists
Airbnb charges fees in one of two ways depending on the reservation. With the split fee, the guest pays a service fee of 14.1–16.5% of the booking subtotal. With the single (host-only) fee, the host pays it, so there may be no separate guest service fee on your receipt.
Your price breakdown or receipt shows which applied. On cancellation, the nightly price is refunded according to the host's refund policy; the service fee is refunded only when you cancel within the free-cancellation period (some policies, such as the South Korea Strict policy, set their own fee terms); coupons are not refunded.
Money a host sends outside the policy through the Resolution Center is at their discretion, and Airbnb does not get involved in or guarantee it. So even if the host returns the full nightly price, you can receive less than you paid. The gap may be the service fee, a coupon discount, or a refund still in progress, and the refund details and your payment method's refund timing tell you which.
- What gets refunded when a reservation is cancelled — Airbnb Help Center
- Airbnb service fees — Airbnb Help Center
- When you'll get your refund — Airbnb Help Center
- Major Disruptive Events Policy (discretionary refunds not guaranteed) — Airbnb Help Center
Last verified against the sources above on 2026-10-09. Policy and deadlines can change -- use the official support link below for the current rule.
Need to act on your account?
AMS explains the rule but cannot access your account, issue a refund or change a platform decision.