How to block future dates?

[Sean1030]

With the updated calendar, I'm now unable to block future dates that are beyond my 3 month window. They are already "blocked" so I'm not able to block them further. Meaning, when the 3 month window opens, the dates I wanted to block will automatically open up. 

I asked super-host support about this, and they said my only option is to use snooze or open up 6 months. Neither of those are good options. Snooze is only 1 time frame. And my family doesn't plan our vacations 6 months in advance so we'll lose dates that we wanted to go to our place. 

I feel like I have to be missing something, I used to be able to block future dates no matter what my booking window was. Has anyone else seen this issue?

[Robert7013]

I am new to Airbnb, and I have the same question! I am totally unfamiliar with how to navigate the app. At this point if someone could let us know, that would be great.

[Helen744]

@Robert7013 Get to know your dash board . Look around because you should be using it every day . Its a job like any other and the dash board , and the regulations are there to guide and help you, read them , learn them and talk to your guests . You will figure it all out eventually and become seasoned hosts... Good Luck.. H

[Mara1363]

Hi

A person waited until the second after a date opened up to book a place we have during the eclipse here in Fredericksburg Texas. We were not planning to be open at all. The guest has not responded to us. If you cancel a guest you automatically loose super host status for 6 months. 
I am going to try this, you can’t  block a date 6 months out or over. You can change the price for those dates to such a ridiculous price so no one will book it and if they do book we will work with that. I know people wait to get the best deal by following rules , this must apply to hosts also.

[Joan2709]

Hi @Mara1363 

@Mike-And-Jane0 found the easiest way to do this is by turning on Pro Tools and using the multicalendar (not the regular calendar) to block future dates. I re-posted their solution below:

Thank you! I think you found the answer for sure! Looks like the ability to block dates past a 3 month window (or any availability; 6mos, 9mos 12mos) are only available if you have Pro Tools turned on and use the multicalendar to block dates past your window (you can't use the standard calendar). I just checked this morning. The standard view calendar does not have that option any longer for any dates past our booking window of 12 months (not sure if it works that way for "all future dates, but not sure many would be using that).

Since all Hosts can use Pro Tools now (used to be only if you had 6 or more listings), that appears to be the solution for everyone now. Even if you only use Pro Tools and the multicalendar to accomplish blocking dates past your window, it would be a real time-saver and definitely worth doing it.

How to Use Pro Tools, Rule Sets & Multicalendar

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Community-Guides/GUIDE-Use-Pro-Tools-to-Set-Calendar-Custom-Pric...

With Pro Tools you have the option to block a future date on your multicalendar. The regular calendar doesn't offer that option if the date is outside your booking window....the multicalendar does.

Hope this helps. Let us know here if it works for you.

[Cody304]

Thank you! This worked perfectly for my wife and me.

[Joan2709]

@Cody304 

Can't remember now, but I think @Mike-And-Jane0 came up with the answer! Glad it worked for you. Thanks Mike! 

[Helen744]

@Sean1030 not sure what your issue is Sean ? you can easily open for six months and block days . If you are worrying about your 'own vacation' then maybe you dont take the responsibility of hosting seriously , or do you believe that 'no one ' books six month ahead ?I can tell you they do.. H

[Sean1030]

Hi Helen, as a fellow super-host, I think we can both agree that we take the responsibility of hosting seriously. A lot of people, myself included, open their vacation homes to guests. 

The problem does not go away with a 6 month window either. What if my wife and I wanted to plan a valentine's vacation for next February? Or a vacation for my kids birthday that is 7 months from now? There is no way to block those off - even at 6 months.

Therefore, we could lose our valentines trip, or lose that birthday weekend, simply because we no longer have the ability to block those dates past the booking window.

[Helen744]

@Sean1030 what you are saying is not clear .Simply wait for those dates to open and block them as they do , you know what they are and if your calendar is already open for six months ahead that should be ample.If you are using IB and feel the calendar is a little 'trigger happy' . Then dont use it , So that realistically speaking people cannot book at all without communicating with you first? , including calendars from other sites , but always remember to synch after accepting bookings as the synching process can take up to 24 hours. . the allocation of your private time is really your business alone.....H

[Sean1030]

Helen,

your solution doesn’t make sense to me. Let’s say we have a 7 day trip (or we need a roof repair, or blocked for a guest via another service, it doesn’t matter)

it will open up the first day, and we have to block it before someone books. Then we have to do that mat again the next day and the next and every morning for 7 days until the whole period is blocked. Do you see how that isn’t a good solution?

in terms of instant book, that’s not good for me or Airbnb. Almost all of our bookings are IB and I know a lot of people (myself included) only book a place that has IB. So turning off IB is also not s great solution. 

so far, cranking the price to 10k a night seems to be my best option. 

[Helen744]

@Sean1030 most people check their dashboard , their calendars and their bookings every day Sean .

[Helen744]

Maybe the solution , since everyone is booking so heavily is to expand , pay a co host and take your personal vacation away from your own place and relax . Some of us work on our Airbnbs at Christmas  and most of the public holidays because that is when people book mostly, then take our down time when we can get it . Valentines Day is generally booked... H

[Helen744]

@Sean1030So you need six months to book for your childs birthday and the same six months , six months in the future to do all your repairs, must be a tricky way to live Sean ... So sorry this is happening to you but simple solutions often work and even slightly more complicated ones , more so than not. Life itself sends us some small difficulties but they do not appear insurmountable .. H

[Joan2709]

Hi @Sean1030 !

I love your cabin!!  Hmmm...not sure I fully understand what you are saying? I have not heard of this "bug" (lots of others though 🙄.) I'm assuming you're using the new software? I am not using it, and I still have the 3month window available, but we are using 12months. Assuming this is a bug with the software, there are several options; not very quick or easy, but options. Some other hosts probably have some other ideas on how to make this work. You could try:

1. Turn off Instant Book (looks like you are using IB right now?)
2. Change your calendar availability to "Unavailable by Default" (this will not effect your current bookings 
3. Then go into your calendar and manually unblock only the dates you want open
4. Turn Instant Book back on

You'll have to decide how you want to handle this going forward, as you'll have to manually unblock future dates until this is resolved, but it does give you control. Screenshot of Calendar availability below.

Hope this works for you. Let us know how it goes!