Airbnb

Airbnb in brief

• Rank: #40 of 100 in America's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026; #8 of 13 in Hospitality & Travel.
• WCRC Power Score: 73.94 out of 100.
• Founded: 2008, by Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk.
• Owner: Airbnb, Inc., San Francisco, California.
• Leadership: Brian Chesky, Co-founder and CEO.
• Latest revenue: $12.2bn revenue (FY2025, +10.3%), as per company filings.

What makes Airbnb powerful

Airbnb made staying in someone else's home a normal way to travel. It has more than 5.5 million hosts and more than 9 million active listings in more than 220 countries and regions. Hosts have earned more than $380 billion on the platform since it launched, which gives ordinary homeowners a real stake in the brand and makes them some of its loudest supporters.

Airbnb is now building well beyond the stay. Its fall 2026 update added AI search, ways to connect with friends and fellow travelers on the app, and new services such as laundry and baby gear rentals in a limited set of locations. In September 2026 it expanded grocery delivery with Instacart across the US and Canada, and in October it began letting travelers book stays through American Express Travel.

Airbnb hosts have earned more than $380 billion on the platform since it launched.

Why Airbnb ranks #40

Airbnb sits at #40 with a WCRC Power Score of 73.94, just behind Chase and Home Depot and just ahead of Uber and Colgate. Its positioning and recall are strong worldwide, and its app gives it digital strength. It trails Chase and Home Depot on consumer trust, where local rules and guest complaints weigh on it. It edges Uber and Colgate on the distinct travel experience it offers.

The Achilles' heel

Cities keep tightening rules on short-term rentals, and that limits Airbnb's supply where demand is highest. Some large cities now require hosts to register with local officials and bar platforms from taking bookings for homes that are not registered. Complaints from neighbors about noise and parties follow the brand too, and they feed the push for tougher local rules.

The 2026 story

Airbnb spent 2026 adding services around the stay. On Sept. 1 it named Pepijn Rijvers, a former Booking.com and Viator executive, chief business officer, and in September it expanded grocery delivery with Instacart across the US and Canada. Its Sept. 30 fall update introduced AI search, a travel map that shows where friends have stayed and new services in limited locations. In October it launched booking through American Express Travel, which added more than 1 million Airbnb listings to that platform.

Pillar profile

Airbnb's full 50-parameter profile is published on its World's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026 page.

Versus its nearest rivals

Questions people ask

Also featured in

• Most powerful Hospitality & Travel brands
• America's 50 Most Valuable Brands
• American Global Powerhouses
• Most powerful brands in California

Key facts

Sources

• Annual report (Form 10-K) and financial results of Airbnb, Inc. filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission
• Company website, official announcements and press releases
• Published interviews and statements by the leadership
• WCRC Business Intelligence Unit research: consumer sentiment, ratings and reviews, search demand, media and social data