The Airbnb Online Experiences platform - Airbnb Inc. bets on curated digital hosts

Airbnb Online Experiences platform turns a laptop screen into a cooking school in Tokyo or a meditation class in Lisbon, all hosted live. You hear kitchen knives on cutting boards, see steam rising from a pot, and chat directly with the host on video.

From stays to live experiences

Airbnb Inc. built Online Experiences in 2020 as a digital extension of its in-person Experiences marketplace, letting hosts run interactive sessions over Zoom-style video instead of in a physical location. The company positioned it as a way for local experts to reach guests worldwide when travel was limited.

Chief Executive Officer Brian Chesky described Online Experiences as a way to keep hosts earning and guests connected, even when borders were closed, highlighting virtual cooking, wellness and culture sessions as early pillars. Today, the category spans hundreds of listings ranging from live language lessons to music workshops.

How Airbnb Online Experiences works

On the dedicated Online Experiences page, customers browse a catalog of sessions marked with a small "Online" label, choose a date and time, then join via a video link shared after booking. Every session is live-hosted, typically for small groups, with durations often between 60 and 90 minutes and prices starting at around 10 to 15 US dollars per person.

Airbnb handles booking, payment and basic support, while hosts provide the content and real-time interaction, often asking guests to prepare simple materials such as ingredients or paper and pens before the session. Product director Catherine Powell has emphasized that the interactive, two-way format distinguishes Online Experiences from prerecorded courses and aligns with Airbnb's focus on human connection.

Host economics and formats

For Airbnb Online Experiences, hosts set their own prices and schedules, and Airbnb takes a service fee from the booking, similar to its cut on physical Experiences. Many popular sessions charge between 20 and 40 US dollars per person, with group sizes often capped to maintain direct interaction.

Host profiles show ratings, reviews and languages spoken, giving guests transparency before booking. Data shared by Airbnb around the Experiences category indicates that highly rated experiences, both online and offline, tend to see repeat bookings and word-of-mouth growth, supporting host income and marketplace liquidity.

Categories: cooking, culture, wellness

Airbnb Online Experiences span several core categories, including food and drink, culture and history, wellness, fitness and entertainment, mirroring the taxonomy used for offline Experiences. For example, there are live pasta-making classes from Italian hosts, K-pop dance lessons from Seoul, and mindfulness workshops streaming from Bali.

In a typical cooking experience, a host like chef Y?ko Tanaka in Osaka will guide guests step by step, checking dough texture on camera and pausing when someone's pan looks too hot. Guests can ask questions in real time, and the host adapts the pace based on the group's reactions.

Technology stack behind the sessions

Airbnb Online Experiences rely on integrations with video conferencing technology, using secure links shared only with confirmed participants and tools for hosts to manage attendance. Airbnb's backend handles notifications, reminders and calendar management, reducing administrative burden for hosts.

The platform includes basic safeguards such as content policies, reporting features and host verification processes to address quality and safety, though experiences are not curated editorially in the same way as a TV streaming service. Airbnb applies its overall marketplace trust framework, including reviews and identity checks, to the Online Experiences segment.

Pricing, currency and regional availability

Prices for Airbnb Online Experiences are shown in the user's chosen currency, with the underlying host price denominated in their home currency. Customers in the United States typically see US dollar prices, while those in the eurozone see prices in euros, with Airbnb handling currency conversion at booking.

Online Experiences are available to users in most markets where Airbnb operates, since there is no need for physical travel or local accommodation regulations. However, the catalog reflects host supply, so some language-specific or niche experiences may be concentrated in particular regions.

Comparison to offline Airbnb Experiences

Offline Airbnb Experiences involve guests physically meeting a host at a specific place and time, often with local equipment or venue costs. Online Experiences remove the need for travel and venue, but require a stable internet connection, basic hardware and comfort with video conferencing.

From a product perspective, Airbnb Online Experiences extend the brand beyond stays and local activities into at-home leisure and learning, competing indirectly with platforms offering live online classes. For investors, this digital format can be scaled without the same capital intensity as accommodation.

Performance and strategic role

Airbnb has highlighted Experiences, including Online Experiences, as an important part of its diversification beyond core short-term rentals, contributing to its "Trips" and holistic travel vision. While the company does not break out standalone revenue figures for Online Experiences, Experiences as a whole are reported as a meaningful but smaller component relative to stays.

Brian Chesky has repeatedly framed Experiences as a way to deepen engagement, encouraging users to return to Airbnb for more than accommodation. Online Experiences support this strategy by providing touchpoints even when users are not traveling, potentially increasing lifetime value and brand attachment.

Risks, competition and regulation

Airbnb Online Experiences face competition from specialized online class providers and video-conferencing-native communities, which may offer more advanced tooling for creators. Airbnb's advantage lies in its large user base, familiar brand and integrated host identity ecosystem.

Regulatory risk for Online Experiences is generally lower than for physical stays, as many sessions resemble online tutoring or entertainment. However, Airbnb still must enforce content rules, protect minors and comply with platform obligations in key jurisdictions. Product manager Laura Chambers has pointed to trust and safety investments as core to Experiences' long-term viability.

Context and Airbnb Inc. stock

For retail investors, Airbnb Online Experiences are a relatively asset-light product line that complements the main accommodation marketplace. They help the company address a broader leisure and learning budget while leveraging existing host relationships and consumer demand for interactive digital formats.

Airbnb Inc. stock trades on Nasdaq in US dollars under the ticker ABNB, and the development of Online Experiences sits within the broader narrative of Airbnb's push to grow fee-based services around its marketplace.