Airbnb
Flagged · AvoidReversed its pledge to drop West Bank settlement listings, hid cleaning fees until checkout, and broke its carbon monoxide detector promise as guests died.
Last updated October 5, 2026
Reasons to avoid
Issues span:ConsumerUrban ImpactHuman Rights
Listings tied to rising city rents
A 2020 study found that a 1% increase in Airbnb listings was associated with one-fifth of rent growth in U.S. cities, as commercial hosts convert long-term housing into short-term rentals. New York City passed a strict registration law in 2023 specifically designed to stop landlords from converting residential apartments into tourist accommodations.Commercial hosts turned apartments into hotels
New York City's Local Law 18, which took effect in September 2023, required all Airbnb hosts to register with the city and live in the property during guest stays. The law was specifically designed to stop commercial operators who had converted thousands of residential apartments into unregistered short-term hotels.Cleaning fees appeared only at checkout
The FTC finalized a rule in December 2024 requiring Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms to disclose total booking costs upfront, after more than 60,000 consumer complaints about cleaning fees and service charges that appeared only at the end of checkout. The agency said the practice made it nearly impossible for consumers to compare prices accurately.Black guests accepted at lower rates
Airbnb's own Project Lighthouse data, released in 2022, found that guests perceived to be Black were accepted for bookings at a 91.4% rate compared to 94.1% for guests perceived to be white. The company acknowledged the disparity had persisted despite six years of anti-discrimination efforts.Priced Barcelona residents out of housing
Barcelona announced in June 2024 that it will ban all 10,101 licensed short-term rental apartments by 2028 and return them to the long-term housing market. The city's mayor cited rents rising 68% over the past decade as residents were priced out by landlords converting homes to Airbnb listings.19 guests died from carbon monoxide
An NBC News investigation found that at least 19 Airbnb guests died from carbon monoxide poisoning over 10 years, despite a 2014 public promise by the company to require hosts to confirm that detectors were installed. As of 2023, Airbnb had still not made carbon monoxide detectors mandatory.Reversed pledge to remove settlement listings
A Guardian investigation published in February 2025 found 350 Airbnb listings in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Airbnb reversed a 2018 pledge to remove these listings after legal pressure from settler hosts, and has since refused to disclose how much of its profits it has donated to offset the activity.
Ethical alternatives
Lodging
Vacation Rental Co-ops
Ethical vacation rental platform that shares profits with local communities.
📍 Local Business
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Home Exchange
Swap homes with travelers - no money changes hands, no displacement.
♻️ Sustainable👥 Community Driven
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Regenerative Travel
A curated collection of independently owned hotels and lodges vetted for their environmental and community impact.
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Kind Traveler
A hotel booking platform that requires a charitable donation to a local nonprofit with every stay, partnered with independently owned hotels.
Visit →Common questions
- Is Airbnb ethical?
- Research found a 1% increase in Airbnb listings was associated with one-fifth of rent growth in U.S. cities, and Barcelona cited 68% rent increases over a decade when announcing a ban on all 10,101 licensed short-term rentals. An NBC News investigation also found at least 19 Airbnb guests died from carbon monoxide poisoning over 10 years, despite a 2014 pledge to require detectors.
- Why are people boycotting Airbnb?
- The most common reasons are housing displacement and rent inflation caused by landlords converting residential apartments to tourist accommodations. Hidden fees exposed only at checkout triggered over 60,000 consumer complaints and an FTC rule, and Airbnb has listed properties inside illegal Israeli settlements despite a prior pledge to remove them.
- What are the best ethical alternatives to Airbnb?
- Fairbnb is a cooperative where 50% of fees fund local community projects. For affordable social stays, Hostels via Hostelworld don't displace residents. Home Exchange lets you swap homes with other travelers with no money changing hands and no displacement at all.
Know of a documented reason we're missing?