The four Airbnb Superhost requirements, when Airbnb checks them, what the badge gets you, and the math on protecting your 4.8 rating.
Updated November 2026. Written by the STR Market team. Requirements checked against Airbnb's Superhost help page on November 3, 2026.
Superhost is the most recognizable badge on Airbnb. It is also pretty simple on paper: four numbers, checked four times a year, with no application. What trips hosts up is the way those numbers work in practice, especially the rating and the timing of the assessment.
Here is what you need, when it is measured and how to keep it once you have it.
Airbnb assesses hosts every three months, looking back over the past 12 months across all the listings on your account. Each assessment is a 7-day period that starts on one of these dates:
| Assessment starts | What Airbnb looks at |
|---|---|
| January 1 | The past 12 months |
| April 1 | The past 12 months |
| July 1 | The past 12 months |
| October 1 | The past 12 months |
A few rules are worth knowing:
Airbnb can also suspend or withhold status for high review removal rates or high host-initiated cancellation rates.
Superhost is based on being the listing owner. Airbnb says co-hosts aren't evaluated based on that role, though a person who is a co-host elsewhere can qualify based on a home listing they own. If you plan to build a co-hosting business, see what co-hosts and managers charge.
One disappointing review costs more than most hosts expect, because you need a run of five-star stays to recover. Assuming you are sitting right at the line:
| A guest leaves | Five-star stays needed to average back to 4.8 |
|---|---|
| 4 stars | 4 |
| 3 stars | 9 |
| 2 stars | 14 |
| 1 star | 19 |
Reservation count matters for your cancellation rate as well. Below 1% means one host cancellation requires more than 100 reservations in the period to stay under the limit, so for most small hosts a single avoidable cancellation can cost the badge for that assessment.
Most low ratings come from a gap between what guests expected and what they found, or from a cleanliness miss. Be precise in your listing, tighten your turnover process and fix small things before guests have to ask.
Turn on notifications and set up templates for common questions. Hosts with more than a few listings often use guest communication software or an AI guest messaging tool to make sure nothing sits unanswered overnight. Airbnb says declining a reservation request doesn't affect your status, but you do still need to accept or decline within 24 hours.
Sync every calendar so you never double book. If you list on more than one platform, a property management system or channel manager is the usual fix. Have a backup cleaner, and keep a short list of local repair pros for emergencies. You can find them in our services directory.
New listings often reach 10 stays fastest with shorter minimum stays and competitive pricing while they build reviews. If you host longer stays, the alternative is 3 reservations totaling at least 100 nights. Read what to do if your rental isn't getting bookings if you are stuck.
Airbnb describes the benefits as a badge on your listings and profile, added visibility and access to exclusive rewards. It doesn't guarantee more bookings or a specific search boost, so treat the badge as a useful trust signal, not a growth plan. Rewards can change, so check your own account for the current list.
These are different things. Superhost is about you as a host across your account. Guest Favorite is a label on individual listings, based on Airbnb's own criteria around ratings and reviews. You can have one without the other, and it is worth tracking both.
Airbnb's requirement is based on reservations rather than a set number of reviews: at least 10 reservations, or 3 reservations totaling at least 100 nights. Your overall rating must be 4.8 or higher.
Assessments start on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1. The next one after this update starts on January 1, 2027.
No. Airbnb reviews eligible hosts automatically, so there is nothing to apply for.
You lose the badge until you meet the criteria at a later quarterly assessment. Your existing reviews and listings stay in place.
Source: Airbnb Superhost help page.
