I cannot use my CA phone number when I am traveling and Airbnb won't send verification code to add my virtual phone number that I do have access to

[Andri7]

What's the solution?

I use a virtual number normally when I travel overseas and it allows me to verify my logins to banks, amazon etc. But not Airbnb. 🙂

When I leave Canada in a few days and especially when there are 2-3 guests on the reservation (only the one who booked can message me via the Airbnb app, not the 2nd or 3rd guest) how can my guests communicate with me?

[Joan2709 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Andri7 

You may have more than one phone number on your Airbnb account. However, for security reasons, Airbnb will only allow you to login/verify on one phone number. You can always login using one of the other options just fine (email, Apple, Google, Facebook). Try logging in with your email instead.

If logging in isn't the issue, and you want to use the other phone number when traveling outside the US as your verified number, you would have to make that number your your primary number when traveling by editing your profile and putting your California number as secondary. Then do a verification on the virtural number. When back in the US, you would need to do the reverse and make your CA number the primary and the virtual number secondary. Airbnb simply will not allow you to use 2 different phone numbers for verification purposes. 

Hope that helps! Let us know if logging in with your email instead of your phone number works for you.

[Andri7]

Yes, that is correct. I don't think I'll have issues logging in though.

I can see issues when a guest is there and they're not the 1st guest on the reservation (so they can't use the app to communicate with me unless they're business travelers) and they text me a question. Without my current CA phone number that I will no longer have when I leave the country, I won't receive that communication.

[Joan2709]

@Andri7 Would you not be able to swap the 2 numbers as I mentioned. Put the virtual number you use when outside the US as your primary (1st) number on your account. Put your CA number second. Then complete the verification process with your virtual number. Once that is complete, any guest can reach you on the virtural number when you are traveling.

When home, just undo what you did and put your CA number primary and verify it. Put your virtual number second. 

Wouldn't that work for you? 🤔

[Andri7]

Airbnb fire not verify my virtual number. The verification code doesn’t come. 

If I spend a few days to a few months in different countries it makes sense to use one virtual number but they won’t accept it. 

Curious how other hosts who travel a lot deal with this.

[Helen744]

@Andri7 It is unusual for 'other guests ' to need to communicate with the host as they can do so via the main guest , as third party bookings are not allowed , so only the main guest should be communicating , unless of course you are doing 'business bookings'. Most people I suggest use a co host who is actually in position not only to take bookings but to assist the guests in real time. The co host could then keep you up to date without too much hassle.... H