If you’ve ever tried to book an Airbnb with points… you’ve probably hit a wall.
There’s no magical way to do so, and there’s no “fourth-night-free” situation waiting for you at checkout. But, don’t worry… there is indeed a workaround here.
The best way to use miles and points for Airbnbs (and cabins, vacation rentals, etc) is all about what you do after you book.
With non-hotel stays, you don’t usually book with points. You book and then use points to cover it.
So, here are some practical ways to do so, including how to stack a couple of small wins to save even more cash.
Choosing Your Points Path
Non-hotel stays usually fall into two categories.
If you want the easiest, most flexible option, then you’ll want to:
book anywhere (Airbnb, Vrbo, direct booking sites, small inns, and so on)
pay as you normally would
redeem rewards to cover the charge later
This is definitely the least stressful approach, and it works well for most people because it doesn’t require any random websites or portals.
🌟 Don’t Miss: How to pay for literally anything with miles (using Capital One miles).
If you want to squeeze even more value and don’t mind the extra effort, then you can mix things in, such as:
buying gift cards in a high-earning category
stacking credits and offers
using a portal when it’s valuable
Again, both of these are great options, but for most people, the “easy and flexible” approach will win out… which is totally fair.
Use Points That Can Cover Travel Purchases
This is the closest thing to a “points booking” for Airbnb. Here’s how it works:
Book your stay like normal (Airbnb, Vrbo, a cabin site, whatever).
Put it on a card whose rewards can be redeemed as statement credits against travel purchases (ahem… the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
Once the charge posts, redeem your miles/points to cover it, either fully or partially.
Photo from www.airbnb.com
This is truly so good for vacation rentals because you’re not limited to one booking platform, you can cover just the part you want (like fees), and you’re not forced into “portal prices.”
Heads Up: Vacation rentals often come with chunky fees. If you can’t cover the whole stay, covering the service fee and taxes can still feel like a win, and it usually hurts less than paying those out of pocket.
Let’s Talk About Gift Cards
If you want a strategy that can lower your cost and earn points at the same time, gift cards can be the move, but there’s some common sense involved.
The basic idea is: instead of paying Airbnb directly, you can buy Airbnb gift cards using a credit card that earns well in that purchasing category. Then, you pay for the stay with those gift cards.
This can be useful if (1) your card earns a strong multiplier at the store you’re buying from (so think grocery stores, office supply stores, or a rotating category situation), (2) you can grab gift cards during a promotion, and/or (3) you’re booking a stay you’re confident you won’t need to cancel.
Because the catch here is… refunds.
If your trip changes, gift cards ultimately make things messier. You might end up with credit stuck as a gift card balance instead of cash going back to your card.
So, a good rule of thumb: If your stay is refundable and you’re not 100% sure you’re doing it, I would pay normally. If it’s a trip you’re locked into, gift cards could sweeten the deal.
Use The Booking Itself To Earn More
Even if you’re planning to redeem points later, don’t forget the front end of the equation… earning!
Most people think that you can’t earn points when you’re booking an Airbnb, but that’s only true if you use the wrong card.
If your card earns bonus points on travel (or has a general travel category), vacation rentals can often earn at that higher rate, which means:
you’re earning more points on the purchase
and you’re building your balance back up while you’re redeeming
😎 Another Pro Tip: If you’re splitting the stay with friends, offer to pay and have everyone Venmo you. That’s not a points “trick,” but just being the group’s CFO.
Turn “Random Miles” Into Lodging Money
Most people have at least one stash of miles or points they don’t use as much as the others. Maybe it’s from one airline, maybe from an old card, or maybe just… there.
If you have rewards that aren’t great for flights (or you’re not planning to travel internationally anytime soon), it can be perfectly reasonable to use them toward vacation rental costs, even if it’s not the highest possible value on paper.
That could look like:
redeeming through a bank travel portal if your points are better there than as cash back
converting rewards into statement credits when available
using partner options that effectively turn miles into gift cards (again, this is not always the “best value” but sometimes best for you at the time)
This is the part of the guide where I’ll just say it plainly: Not every redemption needs to be a masterpiece.
If using points helps you travel more (or stress less), it’s doing its job.
Personal Opinion: If you’re deciding between “save miles for a future flight” and “use miles so this trip doesn’t destroy your budget,” I’m usually team take the trip.
Best Cards For Airbnb and Non-Hotel Stays
These cards work super well when you’re booking Airbnbs, vacation rentals, cabins, or other non-hotel stays where flexibility is a priority.
Venture X — earns flexible miles you can redeem as statement credits after booking, making it one of the easiest ways to cover Airbnb stays with points
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card — offers the same earn-and-cover feature as Venture X with a lower annual fee, but fewer premium travel perks
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® — earn flexible points on travel purchases, but it’s not ideal for direct Airbnb charges
American Express Platinum Card® — offers valuable credits and protections that can offset parts of a trip, even if the stay itself isn’t booked with points
No-annual-fee rotating category cards — can earn great rewards on Airbnb gift cards when categories align, but require timing and a bit of planning
Quick Note on Card Perks
Vacation rentals can be amazing… but sometimes they can get a little funky. Two credit card perk categories matter here:
Purchase Protections: Some cards offer protections that can help when things go sideways, like issues with a paid service or certain travel protections, depending on how you paid and what happened.
I’m not going to promise any specific scenario gets covered (because benefits vary a lot by issuer/card), but I will say this: If you’re booking a pricey rental, it’s worth using a card with strong protections and reading the benefit guide once before you travel.
Offers and Credits: If you’re in the habit of checking your card’s offer section (Amex Offers, Chase Offers, etc.), you may occasionally see travel-related deals that can apply to booking platforms, gift card retailers, or even travel protections.
This isn’t a guaranteed strategy, but it’s always worth checking before you book. It’s only going to take a few minutes, but it could save you some quick cash.
Bottom Line
Airbnbs and vacation rentals don’t play the traditional “points game,” but you can still work the system and either earn extra points for a future trip or cover at least some of your costs.
If you take nothing else from this guide, hear this: For non-hotel stays, the best strategy is usually to earn points on the purchase and then use flexible rewards to cover the cost later.
Add gift cards or offers when it makes sense, skip them when it doesn’t, and keep the goal simple: to travel more and pay less.
