@Ashlee117
The short answer is....It depends...😊
Airbnb says the more "availability" you have (more dates available on your calendar), the more likely you will appear in a guest search and therefore improve your search results rank.
How Search Results Work
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/39
- "Availability. The more dates a listing is available, the more likely it is compatible with a guest’s plans—so adding availability may improve the visibility of a listing. Similarly, the more flexibility a Host offers around how long guests can stay, the more likely the listing will work with the guest’s plans and show up in search results."
New Hosts
For new Hosts, I usually suggest to my clients a whole strategy on maximizing the boost you get from Airbnb the first 4wks or so. The goal is to get at least 3-5 bookings in that period with good reviews. That usually means only having your calendar open for 1-3 months. New Hosts are usually giving a 20% discount to encourage bookings and you don't want someone booking a holiday at the discounted rate because you had your calendar open for 2yrs.
Property Size
Larger properties (10+ guests) in seasonal locations usually get booked further out as larger groups book further in advance and generally want to book the summer or holidays. I recommend these Hosts keep their calendars open for 1yr plus.
Established Listings - Moderate Size
If you are past the "New" listing period and have those all important 3-5 bookings, then most moderately sized properties have their calendars at 9months-1year open. As mentioned, large properties have calendars open for longer.
Cautions
Be sure you understand that if you choose anything other than "unavailable by default", the rolling calendar automatically opens up dates on your calendar. Some Hosts think dates are blocked (say for personal use), only to have them automatically open as the calendar moves forward. Other Hosts have found that even though they blocked dates, they mysteriously open without their knowledge. You also can't block dates outside your availability window unless using professional tools and the multicalendar. Be advised that if you are listed on multiple platforms, Airbnb only syncs 1yr of your calendar. If you receive a booking outside that window on another platform, it won't sync to Airbnb and you risk a double booking.
Unavailable By Default
I generally advise my clients with only one, or a few properties to choose "unavailable by default". This allows them to ensure prices are correct before they manually open up dates. Once they are sure their prices are correct, I advise them to keep 9months-1yr open. If it's a large property (10+ guests), then usually 18months.
