When you make a request to book and complete your payment, a reservation request is automatically sent to the host, who has 24 hours to accept or decline the request. The status for your reservation will be Pending until the host responds. During this time, you can also contact the host to approve your request.

The time it takes for an Airbnb booking to be confirmed depends on whether the listing uses "Instant Book" or "Request to Book." If a listing has Instant Book enabled, the confirmation is immediate; your payment is processed and you receive your check-in details the moment you click "Book." However, for a Request to Book, the host has a maximum of 24 hours to either accept or decline your request. If the host does not respond within this 24-hour window, the request expires, and you are not charged. Statistics from 2026 show that the vast majority of hosts respond much faster, typically within 12 hours, and more than half of all requests are accepted within just one hour of the host reading them. In some cases, a booking may remain "Pending" if you have not yet completed the Identity Verification process; if this is required, you usually have 12 hours to upload your ID before the reservation is automatically canceled. To avoid waiting, many travelers filter their search to show only "Instant Book" properties for a more seamless experience.