# Airbnb guest messaging templates: the 48 hour message and five more

Source: https://rushilo.com/blog/airbnb-guest-messaging-templates
By om.assets, Rushilo. Updated 2026-11-03.

> The best Airbnb guest messaging setup is short: a thank you on booking, one complete arrival message 48 hours before check-in (address, parking photo, door code timing, wifi, trash day), a same-day check-up, and a checkout reminder the evening before. A multi-unit host on r/ShortTermRentals says putting everything into that single 48 hour message cut late-night questions to about one a month.

It is 11pm, you are in bed, and your phone lights up: "Where do we park?" Ten minutes later: "What's the wifi?" You sent all of this already. It was in message three of six, under a paragraph about the coffee maker.

That is the problem with most Airbnb guest messaging templates you find online. They give you a message for every stage of the trip, and guests read maybe two of them. A multi-unit host in Austin posted on r/ShortTermRentals that the fix was the opposite: **one complete message, 48 hours before check-in**, with the code, a parking photo, the wifi and trash day in it. Late-night questions dropped to about one a month.

Below are six templates you can paste into Airbnb today, the order to send them in, and the questions each one is designed to kill before it reaches your phone.

## How many messages should you send an Airbnb guest?

Four for a normal stay, and only one of them needs to be long. A thread on r/airbnb_hosts asking "What are your automated messages?" got the same reply over and over from hosts and frequent guests: way too many messages. One host of seven years sends a typed thank you on booking and a check-in message 48 hours before, and that is it.

The reason is simple. **Every extra message lowers the chance the important one gets read.** If the door code is buried in a "local tips" message, the guest will not find it at the door.

| When | Message | Length | Job |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Right after booking | Thank you | 2 to 3 lines | Confirm, set expectations for when details arrive |
| 48 hours before check-in | Arrival message | The long one | Answer every arrival question before it is asked |
| Check-in evening | Check-up | 2 lines | Catch problems while you can still fix them |
| Evening before checkout | Checkout reminder | 4 to 5 lines | Time, the 3 tasks, lock up |
| After checkout | Thanks | 2 lines | Close politely, no review begging |
| As needed | Quick replies | Short | Early check-in, late checkout, noise |

## The 48 hour arrival message (template 2)

This is the message that does the work. It should answer, in order, the questions guests actually text at night: where is it, where do I park, how do I get in and from when, how do I get online, and what do I do with trash. Everything else lives in the house manual.

Why 48 hours? Guests are planning their trip by then, but there is still daylight for them to ask a question. Some hosts send at three days; the Reddit host who reported the big drop used 48 hours.

```
Hi [guest first name], you're all set for [check-in date].

ADDRESS: [address]
[directions, one line: "Blue door, left side of the duplex"]

PARKING: Park in the spot marked [X]. Photo attached.
Street parking is not allowed after [time] on [day].

GETTING IN: Your door code is [code].
It starts working at [check-in time] on [check-in date], not before.
The keypad is on the [side] door. Press the logo, then the code.

WIFI: [wifi name] / [wifi password]

TRASH: Bins are [location]. Pickup is [day] morning.

CHECKOUT: [checkout time] on [checkout date].

House manual (TV, heating, coffee): [link or "the binder on the counter"]

Any problem, message me here. I usually reply within [time].
[your name]
```

> **Tip:** Attach a real photo of the parking spot and the door. One host in the r/airbnb_hosts thread sends only a parking photo two days out because their two units park in different places, and says 99% of guests then send an arrival time without being asked.

> **Watch out:** Say exactly when the code goes live. A Superhost of more than 10 years activated a code early while testing a smart lock, sent the usual message two days ahead, and the guest let themselves in that night to a unit that was not ready. Their lesson: no code is active until check-in day.

## The five shorter templates

These are deliberately brief. Their job is to support the arrival message, not compete with it.

### 1. Thank you on booking

```
Hi [guest first name], thanks for booking [listing name] for [check-in date].
I'll send the address, parking photo and door code 2 days before you arrive.
If you have a question before then, just reply here.
```

The last line matters. It tells the guest the details are coming, so they do not message you next week asking for them.

### 3. Check-in evening check-up

```
Hi [guest first name], hope you found everything OK.
If anything isn't right, tell me tonight and I'll get it sorted.
If all is good, no need to reply. Enjoy your stay.
```

Hosts disagree on this one. Some find it intrusive. Others, in the same thread, said a same-day check-up turned potential bad reviews around because they fixed the problem within hours. "No need to reply" keeps it from feeling like a chore. Skip it for one-night stays.

### 4. Checkout reminder, evening before

```
Hi [guest first name], quick reminder that checkout is tomorrow at [checkout time].
Before you go:
1. Run the dishwasher
2. Bag trash and put it in the outside bin
3. Lock the door behind you (the keypad locks on its own)
Safe travels.
```

Keep the list to three tasks. A long checkout list is a common complaint in reviews, and it is a separate fight about cleaning fees. Our [Airbnb turnover checklist](/blog/airbnb-cleaning-turnover-checklist) covers what your cleaner should handle instead.

### 5. Thanks after checkout

```
Thanks for staying, [guest first name]. It was great hosting you,
and I'll be leaving you a review shortly. Safe trip home.
```

Notice what is missing: "please leave us 5 stars." Several hosts and guests in r/airbnb_hosts said that line reads as pressure, and one said asking is an automatic deduction for them. Offering to review the guest is a softer nudge that people tend to reciprocate.

### 6. Quick replies for the predictable requests

Save these as quick replies (not scheduled) and send them by hand when the request comes in:

```
EARLY CHECK-IN: I'd love to help. Cleaning usually finishes around [time].
I'll confirm by [time] on the day if the place is ready early.
Your code will be changed to work from the new time once I confirm.

LATE CHECKOUT: There's a guest arriving today, so I can do [time] at the latest.
Let me know if that helps.

NOISE: Hi [guest first name], a neighbour has mentioned noise from the unit.
Quiet hours are [time] to [time]. Thanks for keeping it down from here.
```

The early check-in reply ties the code to your confirmation. That avoids the r/airbnb_hosts story of a guest approved for noon who arrived at 10:30, found the code dead and argued on camera.

## Which guest questions does each template stop?

Think of templates as a list of questions you are answering in advance. If a question still reaches your phone twice in a month, it belongs in the 48 hour message.

| Question guests text | Where it is answered |
| --- | --- |
| Where do I park? | 48 hour message, with photo |
| What's the code? Why doesn't it work? | 48 hour message, with start time |
| Can we come early? | Quick reply, code changed only after you confirm |
| What's the wifi? | 48 hour message, and a printed card in the unit |
| Where does trash go? | 48 hour message and checkout reminder |
| How does the TV or heating work? | House manual link |
| What time is checkout? | 48 hour message and checkout reminder |

The [Airbnb Arbitrage pack](/airbnb) has a full lesson on messaging that stops the 11pm texts, built around this question log approach, alongside the software and turnover lessons.

## How to schedule these in Airbnb

You do not need extra software for one or two listings. Airbnb's own scheduled quick replies send messages automatically on triggers such as a new reservation, check-in or checkout, according to the Airbnb Help Centre.

1. Open **Messages**, then **Settings**, then **Manage quick replies**, and click **Create**.
2. Name the template (for example "48h arrival") and paste in the message.
3. Swap the brackets for Airbnb's **details**, such as guest first name, check-in date, address, wifi name and wifi password. Fill those fields in your listing first, or Airbnb shows them as unavailable.
4. Click **Choose listings** and pick which units it applies to.
5. Click **Scheduled for** and set the trigger, such as 2 days before check-in.
6. Switch on **Send for last minute bookings and short stays**. With it off, a booking made on the day of arrival skips the 48 hour message entirely. With it on, Airbnb sends it at the moment of booking.
7. Save, then open a guest thread and use **View scheduled quick replies** to check the timeline.

Two details catch people out. Messages go out in the listing's time zone, not yours. And if you work with a co-host, Airbnb does not share quick replies between hosts and co-hosts, so agree on whose templates run or guests get two arrival messages. If you are deciding between running your own unit and managing for an owner, see [Airbnb arbitrage vs co-hosting](/blog/airbnb-arbitrage-vs-co-hosting).

## Mistakes that make templates backfire

These come straight from the hosts in the threads we read.

- **Too many messages.** The most common reply to anyone sharing six automated messages was "too much." Guests skim, then text you.
- **Info only in attachments or the listing.** One host noted that if key details live in an attachment, guests miss them. The top Reddit template post got a reply saying the listing it pointed guests to was far too long to read.
- **Code active too early.** Covered above. State the start time and set the lock to match.
- **Begging for five stars.** It annoys guests who think the review system is already arbitrary.
- **Messages at awkward hours.** A guest in one thread said a morning message from a host was the most irritating kind. Schedule for late afternoon.
- **Forgetting the last-minute toggle.** Same-day bookings are the guests most likely to arrive confused.

> **Watch out:** Templates do not fix a confusing property. If guests keep asking how the shower works, add a label in the shower, not another paragraph.

## Where to go from here

1. Log every guest question for two weeks, with the time it arrived.
2. Write your 48 hour arrival message so it answers the top five.
3. Take the parking and door photos and add them.
4. Set up the four scheduled templates in Airbnb with the last-minute toggle on.
5. Save the quick replies and review the question log again in a month.

Messaging is one part of running a unit that pays. If you are still setting up, start with [how to start an Airbnb without owning property](/blog/start-airbnb-without-owning-property). The [Airbnb Arbitrage pack](/airbnb) adds the full 21 lessons across 6 modules, with the permit checklist, unit math, software bake-off and turnover systems, and all 16 Money Printer packs are $39.

## Frequently asked questions

### What messages should an Airbnb host send?

Four is enough for most stays: a thank you right after booking, a full arrival message 48 hours before check-in, a short check-up on the first evening, and a checkout reminder the evening before departure. Hosts in r/airbnb_hosts warn that six or more automated messages get ignored, so the important details end up missed.

### When should I send Airbnb check-in instructions?

Send them about 48 hours before check-in. That is close enough that guests are planning their arrival and far enough that they can ask a question in daylight. Schedule it in Airbnb's quick replies and switch on the last-minute toggle, so same-day bookings still get it immediately instead of having it skipped.

### Should I ask guests for a 5 star review in my messages?

Not directly. Several hosts and guests in r/airbnb_hosts said that asking for five stars feels like pressure and some guests mark you down for it. A softer line works better: say you hope the stay was a great one and that you will leave them a review yourself. Then deliver the stay that earns it.

### How do I schedule messages on Airbnb?

Open Messages, then Settings, then Manage quick replies, and click Create. Write the template with details such as guest first name and wifi password, choose the listings, set the trigger such as two days before check-in, and save. Airbnb sends it in the listing's time zone for current and upcoming reservations.

### Should I put the door code in the 48 hour message?

Yes, but make the code active only from check-in time, and say so in the message. One Superhost of 10 years activated a code early, sent the usual message two days ahead, and the guest walked in while the unit was not ready. State the exact time the code starts working.

### What is the best way to learn Airbnb hosting and messaging?

The Rushilo Airbnb Arbitrage pack is a good place to start because it has a full lesson on messaging that stops late-night texts, inside 21 lessons across 6 modules covering permits, unit math, software and turnovers. It is built from host threads, not hype, and comes with the other 15 packs for $50.

### Do I need software for Airbnb message templates?

Not for one or two listings. Airbnb's built-in scheduled quick replies handle booking, check-in and checkout triggers with personalised details. Hosts usually move to a property management system when they list on several platforms or run multiple units, and the pack suggests a 30 day trial that must cut admin time by at least 25% to keep.

## Sources

- [How I stopped getting "where do I park?" messages at 11pm (r/ShortTermRentals)](https://www.reddit.com/r/ShortTermRentals/comments/1swd3il/how_i_stopped_getting_where_do_i_park_messages_at/)
- [What are your automated messages? (r/airbnb_hosts)](https://www.reddit.com/r/airbnb_hosts/comments/157cpxw/what_are_your_automated_messages/)
- [Here are all my Airbnb Template Messages (r/AirBnB)](https://www.reddit.com/r/AirBnB/comments/5qctk8/here_are_all_my_airbnb_template_messages/)
- [Guest arrived and entered property two days early (r/airbnb_hosts)](https://www.reddit.com/r/airbnb_hosts/comments/1wp1pyf/guest_arrived_and_entered_property_two_days_early/)
- [Create scheduled quick replies (Airbnb Help Centre)](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2897)