Airbnb Is Retiring Super Strict Cancellation Policies: What Bay Area and Seattle Hosts Should Do Before September 15

If your listing still runs on Super Strict 30 or Super Strict 60, mark your calendar. Airbnb is phasing those policies out, and if you do not choose a new one before September 15, the platform will pick one for you. A few of our Bay Area owners have already asked us about this, so let's break down what is actually happening and what you should do about it.

What Is Actually Changing

Back in June, Airbnb stopped letting new listings select Super Strict 30 or Super Strict 60. Existing listings still using one of those policies now have a window, from June 15 through September 15, to switch to a different supported option. If you take no action, Airbnb will automatically move most non Luxe listings over to the Firm policy once that window closes. Firm still gives guests a full refund if they cancel at least 30 days before check in, but it is noticeably looser than what Super Strict offered.

• Flexible: easiest option for guests, full refund up until shortly before check in

• Moderate: full refund if guests cancel about a week out

• Firm: full refund only if canceled at least 30 days before check in. This is the automatic landing spot for most non Luxe listings that do not pick something else

• Strict: still available for hosts who qualify, refund window shrinks fast after booking

• Long Term: applies to stays of 28 nights or longer

Why This Matters More Than It Sounds

A cancellation policy is not just fine print buried in your listing settings. It shapes who books your place and how protected your income really is. Hosts who leaned on Super Strict policies were usually catering to longer stays, high demand weekends, or guests who needed real certainty on their end, think weddings, conferences, or group ski trips. If your calendar gets defaulted to Firm without you choosing it, you could see more late cancellations chip away at your Bay Area or Seattle high season revenue right when you are counting on it most.

What To Do Before September 15

1. Log into your listing settings and check which cancellation policy is currently attached to each listing

2. If it says Super Strict 30 or Super Strict 60, pick a replacement now instead of waiting for the automatic switch

3. Compare Firm against Strict for your specific market and season. Firm is the automatic fallback, but Strict might protect your income better if your calendar usually fills up months in advance

4. Update your house rules or welcome message if your cancellation terms are mentioned there, so returning guests are not caught off guard

5. Watch for Airbnb's in app notification confirming the change and keep a screenshot for your own records

Cancellation policy settings are one of those small levers that quietly move your bottom line, and it is easy to let a deadline like this slip by while you are busy with guest messages and turnovers. If you would rather have someone keep an eye on changes like this across your whole calendar, that is exactly the kind of thing we handle for our co hosting clients in the Bay Area and Seattle. Book a consult here and we will take it off your plate.