Splitting Airbnb stays

Framing is the way information is presented, which changes how people see value. Airbnb splits long stays into two nearby bookings, making more options and lower prices feel like a smart, flexible deal.

Endowment Effect means people value what they 'own' or commit to. Showing two booked homes for one trip helps users feel invested in both, which can make them more likely to book the split stay.

Labour Illusion is when users see extra effort, they trust the service more. Airbnb's split-stay feature looks like extra work to find better deals, so users may trust Airbnb's recommendations and feel they're getting more value.

Airbnb's dynamic price framing also changes how prices are shown for long stays. Both features help users understand value at a glance, making big bookings feel less overwhelming and more tailored.

Kayak and Booking show loading states that highlight how many options they're searching. Airbnb's split-stay map does something similar, showing the user more choices by visualising the effort to find the best fit.