Why did I get double booked on Airbnb and Vrbo, and how do I stop it?
Double bookings happen because Airbnb and Vrbo only read each other's calendar links every so often, so both can sell the same nights before either one updates. Import each site's link into the other, keep instant booking on one site only, and check every new booking on one calendar that shows both.
By StayPerk Team · Last checked · Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com details checked against the sources below
Five steps that stop double bookings
- Copy each site's calendar export link. On Airbnb: Calendar, choose the listing, Availability, Connect calendars. On Vrbo: Calendar, Settings, the Availability tab, Calendar sync, Connect calendars, Export calendar.
- Import each link into the other site, so a booking on one blocks the dates on the other. Add Booking.com's link the same way if you list there.
- Keep instant booking on for the site that brings most of your stays and take requests on the other, so the second site can't confirm before the sync catches up.
- Right after any booking, block the same nights by hand on the other site until its calendar shows them.
- Watch each link's sync status. A broken link fails quietly: the calendar simply looks empty, and new bookings stop coming through.
How long you are exposed after each booking
A guest books Friday and Saturday on Vrbo at 9:00. Airbnb reads your Vrbo calendar about every 3 hours, so until around midday Airbnb can still sell those two nights to someone else. The busier the listing, the more likely a second guest books in that window.
| Site | How often it reads other calendars | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | About every 3 hours | Reported by vacation rental software vendors |
| Vrbo | About every 30 minutes | Reported by vacation rental software vendors |
| Booking.com | Automatically, but not in real time; you can also choose Import now | Booking.com's partner help |
| StayPerk booking page | Checks every connected calendar again when a guest asks to book and when you approve | StayPerk |
How often each site reads the calendars you import
Airbnb
- How often it reads other calendars
- About every 3 hours
- Where the figure comes from
- Reported by vacation rental software vendors
Vrbo
- How often it reads other calendars
- About every 30 minutes
- Where the figure comes from
- Reported by vacation rental software vendors
Booking.com
- How often it reads other calendars
- Automatically, but not in real time; you can also choose Import now
- Where the figure comes from
- Booking.com's partner help
StayPerk booking page
- How often it reads other calendars
- Checks every connected calendar again when a guest asks to book and when you approve
- Where the figure comes from
- StayPerk
None of the three sites publishes an exact refresh time, and the timings can change. Booking.com's calendar sync is offered only to some properties, such as those not connected to a channel manager.
If it has already happened
- Keep the booking that was confirmed first, and contact the second guest straight away, before their trip plans harden.
- Contact the second site's support before you cancel and explain that a calendar sync failed. Airbnb's host cancellation policy says it may impose fees and other consequences when a host cancels a confirmed reservation.
- Offer to help the second guest find another place nearby, and refund them in full through the site they booked on.
- Then fix the cause: check that both links are imported and still syncing.
See Airbnb and Vrbo on one calendar
StayPerk's free bookings calendar reads your Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com links, flags two stays on the same nights, and marks a link that is not updated for a day, empty or not working. It lives in your account; the clip shows it working.
What StayPerk does here
StayPerk reads your calendar links, warns you about overlaps and broken links, and lists arrivals and check-outs. It does not block dates on Airbnb or Vrbo for you, and it is not a channel manager: instant two-way blocking needs software connected to each site.
Stays booked on your StayPerk booking page go into a calendar link that you import into Airbnb and Vrbo, so they block those sites the same way.
Frequently asked questions
How often does Airbnb sync an imported calendar?
Vacation rental software vendors report about every 3 hours for Airbnb and about every 30 minutes for Vrbo. Neither site publishes an exact time, so a very recent booking can take a while to appear.
Does iCal sync stop every double booking?
No. It closes the gap to a few hours at most, but two guests can still book the same nights on different sites inside that window. Instant booking on one site only and blocking dates by hand after each booking close it further.
Do I need a channel manager to avoid double bookings?
Not always. With one or two listings and a few bookings a month, linked calendars plus the steps above are usually enough. A channel manager connects to each site directly and blocks dates in near real time, usually for a monthly fee per property.
Still have a question?
Write to us and a person will reply, or look it up in the Help Center.
Sources
- Sync your home host calendar to other websites - Airbnb Help Center
- Host cancellation policy for homes - Airbnb Help Center
- Export your property's reservation calendar - Vrbo Help
- Import a calendar to sync with Vrbo - Vrbo Help
- Syncing your Booking.com calendar to third-party calendars - Booking.com Partner Hub
- All you need to know about a double booking - Booking.com Partner Help
- iCal vs API calendar sync for vacation rentals - RedAwning
- How to avoid double bookings on Airbnb and Vrbo - Hostaway
- Airbnb and Vrbo calendars not syncing. Now I'm double booked - AirHostsForum