Vrbo launches reserve now, pay later service

On October 29, 2026, Skift Feed reported that Vrbo launched a "Reserve Now, Pay Later" feature, allowing travelers to book without paying any fees upfront. The report said the approach is more landlord-friendly than Airbnb's practice, but travelers have a smaller window for free cancellation. The report also noted that Airbnb previously drove significant growth with zero upfront payment, and whether Vrbo's version can replicate the same growth momentum remains to be seen. The report did not disclose the specific effective date of the feature, the applicable market scope, or details of the cancellation window.