Superhost, Guest Favourite, Preferred Partner and VIP Access: requirements and cost of the Airbnb, Booking.com and Expedia badges (2026)

Updated: 10 November 2026

Platform badges show up in search results and travellers use them as a shortcut. But they are not earned the same way: some come from good reviews and cost nothing, others are paid with commission and others with discounts. We read the official pages of Airbnb, Booking.com and Expedia Group (checked on 10 November 2026, links at the end). Some Booking.com pages did not open; we say so and mark as «not confirmed» what we could not read. Visibility figures come from each platform and are not guarantees.

The short answer

What each badge costs:

Superhost (Airbnb): earned through performance; no application needed and the official article mentions no cost.
Guest Favourite (Airbnb): earned through reviews and reliability; Airbnb mentions no cost.
Preferred (Booking.com): costs a «small increase in commission», no public figure. Preferred Plus: also higher commission according to the «How we work» page; requirements not confirmed.
VIP Access (Expedia): no fees or extra commission mentioned, but invitation-only and in exchange for member discounts (10%, 15% or 20% by tier) or exclusive perks.
No platform guarantees more bookings for having the badge.

Airbnb Superhost: the four requirements

According to Airbnb's Help Center (article 829):

Stays: at least 10 reservations, or 3 reservations totalling at least 100 nights.
Response: reply to 90% of new messages and accept or decline requests within 24 hours (declining does not affect status).
Cancellations: under 1%, except for Major Disruptive Events or other valid reasons.
Overall rating of 4.8 or higher.
Assessed every 3 months (assessments starting 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October), looking back over the past 12 months. Status can be lost and regained.
You must be the listing owner with an account in good standing; listings where you are only a co-host do not count. Airbnb may withhold status for high review-removal or cancellation rates.
What Airbnb says it brings: added visibility, exclusive rewards and the badge. Whether it applies the same way to hotels on Airbnb: not confirmed (the article refers to homes).

Airbnb Guest Favourite: how it is chosen

According to Airbnb's Help Center (articles 3495 and 3496):

At least 5 reviews in the past 4 years, with at least 1 in the past 2 years.
Factors: overall and category ratings (check-in, cleanliness, accuracy, communication, location, value), review feedback, on-platform communication, host cancellations, review removals and quality issues (around 1% on average). Airbnb warns other factors may apply.
Homes are compared globally and/or within their country and evaluated automatically every day.
The top 1%, 5% and 10% get a gold trophy and badge. Guests can filter to see only Guest favorites.
It is separate from Superhost. There is no payment.

Booking.com: Preferred and Preferred Plus

We cover this in detail in our Genius and Preferred guide; here are the essentials:

Preferred is for the top 30% of partners: performance score of at least 70% and review score of at least 7 out of 10, measured every 90 days (Booking.com partner help).
Cost: «a small increase in commission», no figure on the page; you see it in your extranet. Booking.com's «How we work» page says these properties (thumbs-up) «pay us a higher commission».
What Booking says it brings: «up to 65% more page views and on average 20% more bookings». These are Booking's figures, not guarantees.
Preferred Plus: we could not open its help page; requirements and commission not confirmed.
In the EEA, according to the European Commission factsheet cited in our Genius guide, price parity is no longer a requirement for Preferred or Preferred Plus.
Press (ANSA, 22-4-2026): the Italian competition authority (AGCM) is investigating whether these programmes reward commission over quality. Booking says it is cooperating and that they are optional. Outcome: not confirmed.
Greek press (newmoney.gr): a document of Booking.com commitments to the Hellenic Competition Commission removes the performance score as a criterion for Greek partners. Start date: not confirmed.

Expedia: VIP Access

According to Expedia Group's partner page:

Invitation-only: you check eligibility in Partner Central.
Requirements: excellent guest experience, a strength score and operational requirements. Expedia publishes no minimum figures: not confirmed.
Cost: «no loyalty fees» and no extra commission mentioned. But from One Key Silver members up you must offer a Members Only Deal or an exclusive perk (breakfast, parking, on-property credit), plus check-in recognition and free Wi-Fi.
For Gold and Platinum members, also room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout when available.
Members Only Deal discounts: 10% Blue, 15% Silver and 20% Gold and Platinum, on all rooms and rates.
What Expedia says it brings: a VIP Access badge for One Key members, Expedia-funded campaigns, priority support and, with its data from July 2023 to July 2024, a 42% higher average booking value and a 33% higher average daily rate. Not a guarantee.

How to decide

Before joining a paid programme:

The free badges (Superhost, Guest Favourite) depend on the same things as your reputation everywhere: reply fast, don't cancel, look after reviews.
For Preferred and VIP Access, work out what each booking leaves you: rate minus discount minus commission, plus the extra or the perk you give away.
Check your data in the extranet or Partner Central after a few months and leave if it doesn't pay: on Booking.com leaving is immediate from the extranet.

How iQuota helps

iQuota connects your property with AI assistants for direct booking, no commission and payment at the property:

Your ratings and badges can be stated in writing on your profile so the AI can explain them with their source.
We don't promise bookings or that any particular AI will show you: that depends on each assistant.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Superhost requirements in 2026?

At least 10 reservations (or 3 totalling 100 nights), 90% response rate, under 1% cancellations and a 4.8+ rating, assessed quarterly over the past 12 months.

How many reviews do I need to be a Guest Favourite?

At least 5 in the past 4 years, with 1 in the past 2 years. Ratings, cancellations and quality issues also count.

How much extra commission does Booking.com Preferred cost?

Booking speaks of a «small increase in commission» without publishing the figure. You see it in your extranet.

Does Expedia VIP Access cost money?

Expedia says there are no fees, but you must give members discounts (10% to 20%) or exclusive perks, and it is invitation-only.

Does a badge guarantee more bookings?

No. Visibility figures come from each platform and none is a guarantee.

Sources

More guides for hotels

More guides for hotels →

Español · Italiano · Português · Ελληνικά