Airbnb Is Changing Its Fee Structure — Here Is What Owners Need to Know
In late 2025, Airbnb announced a significant shift in how it charges fees on bookings. The platform is moving toward a host-only fee model in more markets, which means the service fee that was previously split between hosts and guests is increasingly being absorbed entirely by the host side. For many cabin owners in Broken Bow and Hochatown, this change has raised questions about its impact on their bottom line.
What Is Actually Changing?
Under the traditional split-fee model, Airbnb charged guests roughly 14% and hosts about 3% of the booking total. Under the new host-only model, hosts pay a flat commission of approximately 15%, while guests see a cleaner, lower total price. The idea is that more transparent guest pricing leads to more bookings — but the math only works if the volume increase offsets the higher host fee.
How This Affects Broken Bow Cabin Owners
For owners managing their own properties, the transition can feel like a sudden hit to margins. An extra 12% fee on every booking adds up quickly, especially during slower shoulder seasons when every dollar counts. Owners who are not adjusting their pricing to account for the new fee structure risk leaving money on the table — or worse, operating at a loss during low-occupancy months.
How Frontier Is Helping Owners Navigate This
At Frontier Property Management, we have been proactively adjusting our owners' pricing strategies to account for the fee shift. Here is what we are doing:
- Rate recalibration: We have adjusted base rates and minimum nightly prices across all platforms to ensure owner net revenue stays consistent despite the higher Airbnb commission.
- Multi-platform diversification: We do not rely solely on Airbnb. By listing on Vrbo, Booking.com, and our direct booking website, we reduce dependence on any single platform and their fee changes.
- Direct booking growth: Our direct booking site (rentwithfrontier.com) charges no platform commission at all. We are investing in SEO, Google Ads, and repeat-guest marketing to drive more bookings through this channel.
- Transparent reporting: Every monthly owner statement clearly shows platform fees, so you always know exactly what you are paying and where your revenue is coming from.
The Bottom Line
Platform fee changes are a reality of the short-term rental industry. The owners who weather them best are the ones with diversified booking channels, data-driven pricing, and a management partner who stays ahead of the curve. That is exactly what Frontier delivers. If you are concerned about how Airbnb's fee changes are affecting your cabin's performance, reach out to us. We are happy to run a free revenue analysis for your property.
