Airbnb Checkout Instructions: What to Include + Free Template

By Ryan Drew | Superhost and Vacation Rental Expert | Last Updated March 30, 2026

After nine years hosting in Boise, I’ve refined my checkout instructions through dozens of iterations — and some expensive trial and error. Early on I asked too much: dishes washed, beds stripped, towels folded, trash bagged and taken outside. The complaints showed up in my reviews. “Felt like I was paying to be a housekeeper.” I dialed it back. Now I ask for four things and my turnover runs smoother than it ever did when I was demanding ten.

Good checkout instructions do two things: they protect your property and your schedule without making guests feel like they’ve been handed a chore list at the end of their vacation. Getting that balance right is the whole game.

What Are Airbnb Checkout Instructions?

Airbnb checkout instructions are the directions you give guests before they leave your property — covering what time to depart, where to leave keys, what basic tasks to complete (if any), and how to secure the property. They’re separate from your house rules and are specifically focused on the departure process.

As of Airbnb’s 2023 Summer Release, you can add checkout instructions directly to your listing in the same place you enter house rules. Guests can see them before booking, find them in their Trips tab during their stay, and receive an automatic push notification reminder at 5:00 PM the night before checkout — as long as they have the Airbnb app downloaded with push notifications enabled.

Why Checkout Instructions Matter More Than Most Hosts Realize

It’s not just about getting the house back in order. Your checkout process directly affects three things that determine your Superhost standing:

Your cleaning crew’s schedule. If guests don’t check out on time, your cleaner can’t start. If the cleaner can’t start on time, you can’t check the next guest in on time. One late checkout in a back-to-back booking weekend can cascade into a bad review from an entirely different guest who had nothing to do with the problem.

Your review score on communication. Guests rate hosts on communication specifically. Clear, warm checkout instructions — sent proactively — signal that you’re organized and that you care. Vague or missing instructions signal the opposite.

Your Airbnb standing. Airbnb explicitly warns that listings receiving repeated feedback about “excessive checkout tasks” may be removed from the platform. The platform actively monitors this feedback category. Over-asking isn’t just bad for reviews — it’s a platform risk.

What to Include in Your Airbnb Checkout Instructions

Here’s everything that could reasonably appear in checkout instructions, with notes on which are mandatory, which are optional, and which you should never ask for.

1. Checkout Time — Always Include, Always Explain Why

This is the single most important item. If guests don’t know when to leave, they won’t leave on time. But here’s what most hosts miss: telling guests why the time matters dramatically improves compliance. “Please check out by 11:00 AM” gets ignored. “Please check out by 11:00 AM — our cleaning team arrives at 11:30 and needs time to prepare for incoming guests” gets respected. People are reasonable when they understand the reason.

The Airbnb default checkout time is 11:00 AM if you haven’t specified one. For hosts with back-to-back bookings, make sure your checkout-to-check-in window gives your cleaner enough time to actually finish. A 2pm check-in with an 11am checkout gives you 3 hours — workable for a 1-bedroom, tight for a 3-bedroom.

2. Key Return / Lockbox Instructions

Be specific. “Leave the keys on the counter” is not specific enough — guests will leave them on different counters in different rooms and your cleaner will spend ten minutes finding them. “Please leave both keys on the kitchen counter near the coffee maker” is specific. If you use a lockbox, give the exact location and remind guests that locking the door is step one, then placing the key.

If you use a smart lock or keypad, this section simplifies: “When you’re ready to leave, lock the door by pressing any key on the keypad. No physical key needed.” Smart locks eliminate the “lost key” problem entirely and are worth the investment for any serious STR operator.

3. Cleaning Tasks — Calibrate to Your Cleaning Fee

This is where hosts most commonly go wrong. The rule is simple: the more you charge in cleaning fees, the less you can reasonably ask guests to do. If you charge $150 in cleaning fees, guests expect your professional cleaner to handle everything. Asking them to strip all the beds, wash all the dishes, mop the floors, and take out the trash on top of that $150 fee is what goes viral on Reddit.

4. Trash and Recycling

If you do ask guests to take out the trash, make this impossible to get wrong: the exact location of the bins, which bin is trash vs. recycling, and whether there’s a lid or a bear box involved. In hot climates especially, trash left inside overnight before your cleaner arrives creates a real problem — this is worth asking for regardless of your cleaning fee.

5. Dishes and Kitchen

If you have a dishwasher, ask guests to load it and start it before leaving — not to hand-wash everything. “Start the dishwasher” is a 30-second task that saves your cleaner significant time and keeps the kitchen from smelling. It’s also reasonable to ask even at higher cleaning fees. If you don’t have a dishwasher, adjust based on your cleaning fee and the length of stay.

6. Linens and Towels

Asking guests to strip beds is one of the most polarizing checkout tasks — guests generally dislike it. A gentler alternative that most guests comply with: “Please leave used towels on the bathroom floor and used bedding pulled back.” This signals to your cleaner what’s been used without requiring guests to do the full stripping work. Don’t ask them to fold anything.

7. Lights, Thermostat, and Appliances

Always ask guests to turn off lights, set the thermostat to a specific temperature (not just “turn it off” — you want the property climate-controlled for your cleaner and next guest), and confirm appliances are off. Specify the thermostat setting: “Please set the thermostat to 72°F before leaving.” This is a zero-effort ask that saves real money on energy bills.

8. Lock Up and Secure the Property

Close and lock all windows, close the garage if applicable, and lock the front door. If you have multiple access points (back door, side gate, etc.), list each one explicitly. Guests won’t think to check a side gate they never used — you have to prompt them.

9. Smart TV — Log Out of Personal Accounts

This one is easy to forget but matters. Guests frequently log into Netflix, HBO, or other streaming services on your smart TV and leave without logging out. The next guest then has access to their account — which is awkward for everyone. A one-line reminder saves the headache: “Please log out of any personal streaming accounts on the smart TV before leaving.”

10. Final Walkthrough — Belongings Check

Ask guests to do a quick sweep for personal items before leaving: under beds, in closets, in bathroom drawers, charging cables behind furniture. Forgotten items create a customer service problem for you — return shipping, storage, coordinating with your cleaner. A 60-second walkthrough reminder prevents most of it.

11. Report Any Damage

Frame this positively. “If anything broke or isn’t working correctly during your stay, please let us know before you leave — or send us a quick message after checkout. We appreciate the heads-up and it helps us keep the property in great shape for everyone.” Guests who might otherwise stay silent are more likely to report damage when you’ve made it feel like an act of goodwill rather than an accusation.

12. Review Request

Checkout is the right moment to ask for a review — the stay is fresh, the experience is top of mind, and guests who’ve just had a positive experience are in a generous headspace. Keep it brief and genuine: “We’d really appreciate a review if you enjoyed your stay — it means a lot to small hosts like us and helps future guests find our place.” Don’t beg, don’t mention star ratings specifically, and don’t imply anything transactional.

What NOT to Include in Checkout Instructions

These are the requests that generate complaints, negative reviews, and — in some cases — Airbnb flags against your listing:

Heavy cleaning tasks. Mopping, sweeping, vacuuming, scrubbing bathrooms — these are your cleaner’s job, not your guest’s. If guests are paying a cleaning fee, these tasks are covered. Asking for them anyway feels exploitative.

Photos of the property. Asking guests to photograph every room before they leave feels like you don’t trust them and adds significant friction to the departure. Use your cleaner’s photos for documentation.

Requests for tips. Never. This isn’t a restaurant.

Waiting for you to arrive for a check-out inspection. Guests have flights to catch, checkout times to meet, and lives to get back to. Don’t ask them to wait for you.

Unreasonable recycling tasks. If your recycling facilities are a 15-minute walk from the property, don’t ask guests to handle recycling. Know your property’s context.

Ryan’s Actual Checkout Instructions Template

This is a lightly adapted version of what I actually send to guests at my Boise properties. Copy it, adjust the specifics for your property, and use it as-is or as a starting point.

How to Add Checkout Instructions on Airbnb (Step by Step)

Airbnb added a dedicated checkout instructions feature in the 2023 Summer Release. Here’s how to set it up:

Once you’ve added checkout instructions to your listing, you can also add a Checkout Card to your scheduled messages. This card links directly to your instructions in the app — useful for your pre-checkout reminder message so guests don’t have to hunt for the details.

When and How Many Times to Send Checkout Instructions

The research is clear on this: guests who receive checkout reminders at multiple points are significantly more likely to comply. Here’s the cadence I use:

At Booking (or Check-In)

Include checkout time in your welcome message or house manual. Guests won’t read it carefully at this stage, but seeing it sets an expectation. A printed laminated card left visibly in the property (kitchen counter, coffee table) also serves as a persistent reminder throughout the stay.

The Night Before Checkout

This is the most important send. Airbnb sends an automatic push notification at 5:00 PM the evening before checkout — but only if guests have the app downloaded with push notifications enabled. Don’t rely on this. Set up an automated message through Airbnb’s messaging tools (or your PMS if you use one) to send your checkout instructions directly to their Airbnb inbox at 6:00–7:00 PM the night before. Include a checkout card link if you’ve set one up.

Morning of Checkout

For stays of three nights or more, a brief morning-of message works well: “Good morning! Just a reminder that checkout is at 11:00 AM today. Safe travels — we hope to host you again soon.” Short, warm, effective. Some hosts skip this for shorter stays where the night-before message is still fresh.

How to Handle Late Checkout Requests

Guests ask for late checkout regularly. My approach after nine years: check the calendar first, then respond. If there’s no same-day check-in, a late checkout costs you nothing and earns goodwill that often turns into a five-star review. If there’s a same-day check-in, decline graciously with the reason (“We have guests arriving today and our cleaning team needs the full window — we’d love to accommodate but can’t on this one”).

Some hosts turn late checkout into an upsell — $25–$50 for an extra hour or two, processed through Airbnb’s Resolution Center or as a special offer. This works, but use judgment. Nickel-and-diming a guest who’s been a great tenant often costs more in review quality than the $35 is worth.

What to Do When Guests Don’t Follow Checkout Instructions

It will happen. Guests check out late, leave the key in the wrong place, leave the AC blasting. Here’s how I handle each:

Late checkout. Call or message immediately. Most guests who check out late genuinely lost track of time and will move quickly when reminded. For chronic late checkouts that cause your cleaner to start late, document the impact and factor it into your review. You don’t need to be punitive — just honest.

Left without completing key tasks. If something was clearly in the instructions and genuinely causes extra cost (trash left inside in hot weather forcing your cleaner to make an extra trip, for example), you can request compensation through Airbnb’s Resolution Center. You need documentation — photos, cleaner notes, timestamps. Don’t pursue small things. Save it for situations where the cost is real and clearly attributable.

Missing key. This is why smart locks are worth every penny. A digital keypad means a missing physical key is never your problem. If you haven’t switched yet, a secure lockbox at the property makes key return essentially foolproof.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the default Airbnb checkout time?

If you haven’t specified a checkout time in your listing, Airbnb’s default is 11:00 AM local time. You can set your own checkout time in your listing details — anywhere from early morning to early afternoon is typical, depending on how long your cleaning window needs to be.

Should checkout instructions be on the listing or sent by message?

Both. Add them to your listing using Airbnb’s checkout instructions feature so guests can see them before booking and reference them throughout their stay. Also send them as a scheduled message the night before departure — guests are more likely to act on something that arrives in their inbox than something they have to navigate to in the app.

How long should Airbnb checkout instructions be?

Short. A bulleted list of 5–8 items is ideal. The longer your checkout instructions, the less likely guests are to read them carefully. If you find yourself with 15 items on the list, you’re asking too much.

Can I charge guests for not following checkout instructions?

Yes, through Airbnb’s Resolution Center — but only if you have documentation (photos, cleaner receipts, timestamps) showing the specific cost caused by non-compliance. Airbnb won’t enforce vague claims. A late checkout fee, for example, needs to be stated in your listing and have documented evidence that it caused real cost. Don’t pursue small items. Save it for situations with clear, measurable impact.

Does Airbnb automatically send checkout instructions to guests?

Airbnb sends a push notification at 5:00 PM the evening before checkout — but only if the guest has the Airbnb app downloaded and push notifications enabled. Many guests don’t. Don’t rely on this as your only delivery method. Always set up an automated message that goes directly to the guest’s Airbnb inbox as a backup.

Should I include a review request in checkout instructions?

Yes, but keep it brief and genuine. Checkout is the ideal moment — the stay is fresh and guests are in a generous headspace if everything went well. One sentence in your checkout message asking for a review if they enjoyed their stay is appropriate. Don’t mention star ratings specifically, and don’t make it feel transactional or pressured.