6 Ways Airbnb Hosts Are Leaving Thousands on the Table—But What You Can Do to Fix It

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Most short-term rental hosts wake up and do the same thing: check occupancy, tweak pricing, and hope the bookings keep rolling in.

Meanwhile, they’re missing six much easier ways to add serious money to their bottom line. We’re talking $10,000, $20,000, even $50,000 in extra annual revenue that’s just sitting there.

I manage over 20 STR units that gross $1 million annually, and I can tell that most short-term rental hosts wake up and do the same thing: check occupancy, tweak pricing, and hope the bookings keep rolling in.

Meanwhile, they’re missing six much easier ways to add serious money to their bottom line. We’re talking $10,000, $20,000, even $50,000 in extra annual revenue that’s just sitting there.

I manage over 20 STR units that gross $1 million annually, and I can tell you the hosts who actually build wealth aren’t just filling calendars. They’re maximizing every guest and stay. 

I just dropped what might be my most useful video yet on the BiggerStays YouTube channel, breaking down all six of these strategies with real numbers and actual examples, from hosts who are using them right now. But if you want the quick version before watching, here’s the breakdown.

1. Sell Experience Packages

Your guests are already celebrating something: a birthday, an anniversary, taking a much-needed vacation. They’re excited, and they’re already in spending mode. So give them an easy way to make it even better.

Experience packages are simple:

Charge around $200 to the guest.

Pay your cleaner $50 to set it up.

Spend $50 on reusable supplies (LED candles, nice signs, serving trays).

Keep $100 in profit.

The key is “reusable items.” I used to run to Party City for balloons that got thrown away after every setup. Then I switched to quality, reusable stuff. Buy it once, use it forever.

Bonus: Guests take tons of photos with the setup and post them on social media. That’s free marketing you didn’t have to pay for.

2. Stop Paying Retail for Furniture

If you’re buying furniture at West Elm or HomeGoods, you’re doing this wrong. I use platforms like Minoan for almost all my properties now. It offers wholesale pricing on everything: linens, furniture, soap, decor, all of it. 

I know a host who furnished two Colorado cabins for $27,000 instead of the $36,500 it would’ve cost retail. That sauna she wanted? $5,000 instead of $10,000.

You’re not just saving money. You can afford better quality with the same budget, which means better reviews and higher nightly rates.

3. Upsell Extra Nights

Someone books Thursday through Sunday. You’ve got Wednesday empty before they arrive, and Monday empty after they leave.

That guest is already packing and driving to your place. There’s a decent chance they’d add another night if you just asked—especially with a small discount.

Most hosts never ask. They just let those nights sit empty. The smarter move:

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Message guests after booking with a discount code for extra nights.

Offer early check-in or late checkout for a fee.

Use automation tools to do this for you automatically.

It’s cheaper to keep a guest longer than deal with constant turnover. And those extra nights add up to thousands per year.

4. Partner With Local Businesses

Your guests are spending money all over town: restaurants, boat rentals, fishing guides, wineries, and tours. Right now, you’re not seeing a dime of it.

Partner with these businesses for referral commissions. Most are happy to give you a promo code or affiliate link because you’re sending them customers.

Build a digital guidebook that includes your partnerships. Once it’s set up, it runs itself. Some hosts make an extra $3,000 to $5,000 per year just from doing this.

5. Make Your Property Shoppable

A guest sits on your couch and thinks, “I love this. I wish I had one at home.” Right now, that thought goes nowhere.

With platforms like Minoan, you get a QR code guests can scan. It pulls up everything in your property that’s available to buy: furniture, linens, coffee makers, and decor. They purchase it, and you earn a commission. You’re basically turning your rental into a showroom that generates passive income on top of your nightly rate.

6. Be Pet-Friendly, and Charge for It

“Pet-friendly” is Airbnb’s most-searched filter. If you’re not allowing pets, your occupancy is suffering.

Yes, pets create extra work. That’s why you charge for them. Here’s how:

$100-$150 flat fee per pet, per stay

Or $25-$50 per pet, per night

I have a friend who made over $100K last year just on pet fees. 

Guests with pets expect to pay extra, and they’re willing to do it. You open your property to a larger group of travelers, boost your occupancy, and make money.

Final Thoughts

These aren’t complicated or require buying another property or renovating. They’re small operational tweaks that take a few hours to set up. 

But here’s the thing: They stack. You’re not choosing one. You’re doing all of them at once.

A few packages here, some pet fees there, extra night upsells, affiliate commissions, and a couple of furniture sales, and suddenly, you’re looking at an extra $20,000+ per year, per property.

Most hosts are leaving this money on the table because they’ve never thought about it. Now you have.