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US: Short-term rental listings with minimum stays of three to four nights are generating significantly higher revenues than properties allowing one-night bookings, according to new research from Hospitable and IntelliHost.
The report, based on data from more than 4.1 million Airbnb listings and 342,000 reservations, suggests booking behaviour and revenue strategies are shifting across the STR sector in 2026.
According to the findings, one-bedroom listings with a four-night minimum stay generated median annual revenues of $32,060, compared with $23,822 for listings allowing single-night stays, an increase of almost 35 per cent. Four-bedroom homes allowing four-night minimums earned 41 per cent more revenue than comparable one-night stay properties.
The report also found that long-term stays booked well in advance carried some of the highest cancellation risk, with 30-plus-night reservations booked two to three months ahead recording cancellation rates close to 32 per cent.
Meanwhile, despite strong visibility in Airbnb search results, overall search-to-booking conversion rates remained between 1.2 per cent and 2.4 per cent throughout the year, suggesting hosts are increasingly competing on trust, responsiveness and booking experience rather than visibility alone.
The data also pointed to changing seasonal demand patterns, with March 2026 VRBO search demand rising 74 per cent year-on-year while demand for July and August declined sharply.
Pierre-Camille Hamana, CEO and founder of Hospitable, said operators increasingly need to compete on responsiveness, trust and guest confidence rather than visibility alone.
Highlights
- STR listings with 3–4 night minimum stays earned up to 34 per cent more revenue than one-night stay listings
- Four-bedroom homes with four-night minimums generated 41 per cent higher revenue
- Long-term bookings made months in advance recorded cancellation rates close to 32 per cent
- Airbnb search-to-booking conversion rates remained below 2.5 per cent
- March 2026 VRBO search demand rose sharply while summer demand declined
