If a guest sends you an inquiry—a question, or any kind of message other than a reservation request—via Contact Host, you'll need to respond to the inquiry within 24 hours to maintain your response rate.

While Airbnb hosts are not legally "forced" to respond to every message, their visibility and success on the platform are heavily tied to their Response Rate. Airbnb tracks how quickly and consistently a host responds to new inquiries and booking requests within a 24-hour window. If a host consistently ignores messages, their listing will drop in the search rankings, and they may lose their "Superhost" status. In cases where a booking is already confirmed, hosts have a much higher obligation to communicate. If a host fails to provide check-in instructions or goes completely silent before your arrival, Airbnb considers this a major violation of their "Host Reliability" standards. In such scenarios, the guest can contact Airbnb Support, who will attempt to reach the host. If the host remains unresponsive, Airbnb will typically cancel the reservation, provide a full refund, and help the guest find alternative accommodation. For "Instant Book" listings, the host doesn't need to respond to the initial booking, but they are still expected to be available for logistical questions. Ultimately, while they can't be made to talk, failing to do so usually results in financial penalties and the eventual removal of their listing.