Reserved for 4 and 6 Arrive: What to Do with Extra Guests in Airbnb and How Much to Charge
If the reservation states 4 and 6 arrive, the issue is not just how much to charge: first, check capacity, rules, and regularize the number of guests within Airbnb.
The reservation is made for four people. The car arrives, the door opens, and six appear. At that moment, it’s easy to focus on one question: how much do I charge for the two extra guests?
Before that, there’s a more important question: can you legally accommodate them and within the rules of your property?
Quick Answer
If the property accommodates six people and you decide to accept the group, the correct action is to modify the reservation to reflect the actual number of guests and, when applicable, the new price. If the maximum capacity, regulations, or your rules do not allow six people, it is not advisable to turn the issue into a simple surcharge.
Airbnb states that the guest must respect the number of people approved in the reservation and consult the host before adding people. When the host accepts the change, a reservation modification can be processed to adjust guests and price.
What We Would Do
- Check the maximum capacity of the property and any applicable legal or contractual limits.
- Write to the guest within Airbnb and document that the reservation is for four people and six have arrived.
- If you can and want to accommodate them, send a modification from 4 to 6 guests with the corresponding amount.
- If you cannot accommodate them, explain that the group exceeds the authorized occupancy and do not improvise a charge outside the platform to “fix it.”
GATAVIA CALCULATION
Reservation for 5 nights, two additional guests, and a configured surcharge of €25 per person per night.
| Concept | Data |
|---|---|
| Reserved guests | 4 |
| Guests arriving | 6 |
| Extra guests | 2 |
| Nights | 5 |
| Surcharge | €25/person/night |
| Additional amount | €250 |
The calculation is simple: 2 × €25 × 5 nights = €250.
This amount is an example, not an official Airbnb rate. The actual price depends on what you have configured and what the modification accepts.
The Mistake to Avoid
Do not turn an incorrect occupancy into a verbal agreement at the door. If there’s a problem later, the reservation will still show four people. The sooner reservation, actual occupancy, and price match, the better.
First capacity; then price. If you can accept the two extra guests, regularize the reservation within Airbnb and calculate the surcharge. If you cannot, do not use an additional charge as a way to bypass the occupancy limit.
Sources
Airbnb Help Center: changes to a reservation and additional guests and prices.