Airbnb interview questions. 25 from past candidates.
The process at Airbnb, what each stage actually tests, and how candidates prep. Real questions where we have them, likely questions where we don't.
Scoutify watches Airbnb's careers page around the clock. Browse every job free. Alerts from $5/week.
[01] BY THE NUMBERS
Headline facts before you prep.
Pulled straight from Airbnb's career page and public data sources. Tap any cell for the full breakdown.
Full Airbnb company profile[02] INTERVIEW PROCESS
Standard software engineering loop at Airbnb.
The stages below describe the typical SWE loop. Product, Design, and Data loops differ; pick a role to see how it changes, or jump straight to real questions reported for that role.
01Recruiter Screen
30 min
Recruiter Screen
30 minInitial call to discuss your background, the role, and logistics.
- Research the company and role thoroughly
- Prepare your elevator pitch
- Ask about the interview process and timeline
02Technical Interview
45-60 min
Technical Interview
45-60 minCoding and/or system design questions relevant to the role.
- Practice on LeetCode or similar platforms
- Think out loud and communicate your approach
- Ask clarifying questions before starting
03Behavioral Interview
45 min
Behavioral Interview
45 minQuestions about your past experiences, teamwork, and problem-solving.
- Prepare STAR-format stories
- Focus on specific examples with measurable outcomes
- Show self-awareness about mistakes and learnings
[03] REAL QUESTIONS
Reported by people who interviewed at Airbnb.
25 questions sourced directly from candidates on Reddit, Blind, Glassdoor, and Scoutify user reports.
Other Roles
10 questions · all reported by candidates
Other Roles
10 questions · all reported by candidatesHow would you improve Airbnb's recommendation algorithm for guests?
Design Airbnb's search functionality.
What is the product strategy for launching something from scratch?
How can Airbnb improve its Open Homes product, which provides free shelter for refugees?
Design a payment collection experience that maintains trust in the Airbnb community.
Tell me about a time when you had a challenging situation with your design counterpart.
How do you negotiate with vendors?
How would you change hotels' perception on Airbnb's platform?
Why do you want to work at Airbnb?
Design a dashboard for police officers to record crimes.
Product Management
8 questions · all reported by candidates
Product Management
8 questions · all reported by candidatesTell me about a time when an employee gave you negative feedback.
As a PM at Airbnb, how would you increase bookings?
How do you contribute to diversity and inclusion?
What do you think are Airbnb's biggest risks?
Airbnb made a feature to increase business travel. How would you measure its success?
Tell me about a time when you had to exert influence to drive a decision.
How would you measure the success of EdX's search bar?
What do you like about Airbnb?
Software Engineering
7 questions · all reported by candidates
Software Engineering
7 questions · all reported by candidatesTell me about your current role.
Write a function to do Excel-style operations.
Tell me about a time you were a good host.
What does "belong anywhere" mean to you?
What part of our mission resonates the most with you?
Tell me about a time you had to give someone bad news.
If you could go to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
How to answer these: the STAR method
Use the STAR method: describe the Situation, the Task you faced, the specific Action you took, and the measurable Result. Aim for 60-90 seconds with one concrete metric. Practice it out loud before the interview so it flows naturally; the same structure works for every question above.
[04] CODING PRACTICE
LeetCode tagged for Airbnb.
The 15 highest-frequency problems candidates report being asked in Airbnb loops, pulled from the public company-wise question bank.
Hard
What it testsStrings
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 6.0 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 33.7% on LeetCode.
Open problem #336 on LeetCodeMedium
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 5.8 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 43.3% on LeetCode.
Open problem #755 on LeetCodeMedium
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 4.7 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 61.7% on LeetCode.
Open problem #751 on LeetCodeMedium
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 4.5 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 45.7% on LeetCode.
Open problem #251 on LeetCodeHard
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 3.4 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 33.3% on LeetCode.
Open problem #269 on LeetCodeHard
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 3.0 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 27.7% on LeetCode.
Open problem #68 on LeetCodeMedium
What it testsSystems design
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 2.7 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 56.8% on LeetCode.
Open problem #1166 on LeetCodeMedium
What it testsHeap + priority queue
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 2.7 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 39.3% on LeetCode.
Open problem #787 on LeetCodeHard
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 2.5 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 59.3% on LeetCode.
Open problem #773 on LeetCodeMedium
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 1.8 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 52.9% on LeetCode.
Open problem #341 on LeetCodeMedium
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 1.7 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 21.6% on LeetCode.
Open problem #166 on LeetCodeMedium
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 1.6 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 56.1% on LeetCode.
Open problem #39 on LeetCodeMedium
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 1.3 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 29.9% on LeetCode.
Open problem #324 on LeetCodeMedium
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 1.2 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 52.1% on LeetCode.
Open problem #875 on LeetCodeHard
Why it appearsPulled from the public company-wise question bank, with a frequency score of 1.1 for Airbnb. Acceptance rate 48.9% on LeetCode.
Open problem #42 on LeetCode[05] HIRING PULSE
Airbnb's hiring pulse.
We re-scan Airbnb's career page every few minutes and keep the full posting history, so these counts come from the board itself, not an aggregator.
Posted (7d)
27
Posted (30d)
120
Posted (90d)
342
Scanned every few minutes · newest tracked posting May 21, 2026
[06] SALARY SNAPSHOT
Know the bands before the loop.
Median total compensation at Airbnb by level, as reported by employees on Levels.fyi. Worth knowing before the recruiter asks about expectations.
Data Scientist
Source: Levels.fyi| Level | Total | Base | N |
|---|---|---|---|
| L4 | $237K | $165K | 9 |
| L3 | $241K | $159K | 7 |
| L5 | $335K | $213K | 15 |
| L6 | $496K | $228K | 11 |
| L7 | $823K | $287K | 6 |
Product Designer
Source: Levels.fyi| Level | Total | Base | N |
|---|---|---|---|
| L7 | $201K | $144K | 3 |
| L8 | $211K | $143K | 7 |
| L6 | $304K | $165K | 4 |
| L9 | $403K | $200K | 9 |
| L10 | $463K | $226K | 4 |
| L11 | $706K | $286K | 3 |
Source: Levels.fyi · median of reported samples · N = sample count
Full compensation breakdown on the Airbnb company page[07] AFTER YOU APPLY
What happens after you hit submit.
Scoutify sent 28 applications to Airbnb for 15 users in the last 12 months, then watched what came back. Not survey answers; observed outcomes.
Get a screen
0%
share of applications
Reach an interview
0%
share of applications
Based on 28 applications from 15 Scoutify users · last 12 months
[08] APPLY LOGISTICS
Applications go through Greenhouse.
Airbnb runs hiring on Greenhouse, so the application form and recruiter follow-ups flow through it. Use the same email everywhere and keep the profile fields consistent with your resume; recruiters see both side by side.
The leading applicant tracking system for growing companies. Greenhouse powers structured hiring at thousands of organizations, from startups to enterprises.
One-tap coverage: Greenhouse is one of the portals Scoutify's auto-apply fills end to end. While you prep for this interview, an Auto-Apply plan keeps submitting your saved profile to matching Airbnb roles the moment they go live.
[09] PEOPLE ALSO ASK
Common questions about Airbnb interviews.
Does Airbnb sponsor H1B visas?
Airbnb does offer visa sponsorship for international candidates, which is common among tech companies in the industry. If you are considering applying for a position at Airbnb and require a visa, be sure to indicate this in your application. This can enhance your prospects if you meet the qualifications for the role you are applying for.
What is the average salary and compensation structure at Airbnb?
At Airbnb, the salary range for job postings with disclosed salaries is between $334,936 and $446,465. Additionally, positions at higher levels, such as G12, have a median total compensation of $1,643,500, while Director-level roles average $874,750. This competitive compensation structure reflects Airbnb's commitment to attracting top talent in the industry.
What is the interview process like at Airbnb?
The interview process at Airbnb typically includes technical assessments and behavioral interviews. You may encounter coding challenges similar to those found on LeetCode, such as problems like Palindrome Pairs or Pour Water. Be prepared to demonstrate not only your technical skills but also how you align with Airbnb's values and culture.
What is the current hiring volume and what roles are open right now at Airbnb?
Currently, Airbnb has 668 active job postings, with 119 posted in the last 30 days and 14 in the last 7 days. Key roles that are open include Market Associate (8 positions), Senior Market Manager (6 positions), and Supply Acquisition Lead, EMEA (6 positions). This level of hiring activity indicates a robust demand for talent across various functions.
[10] OVERVIEW
What candidates run into at Airbnb.
Tech company interviews typically include a mix of coding, system design, and behavioral rounds. The exact format varies by company size and role level.
[11] PREP TIPS
How candidates prepare.
[12] EXPERT FRAMEWORKS
Frameworks and sample answers from interview coaches.
Curated from Columbia Engineering's licensed BigInterview library: expert-written tips, sample answers, and walkthroughs that work for any interview.
Source: BigInterview (licensed by Columbia Engineering)
[13] FAQ
Questions candidates ask about Airbnb interviews.
Salary, visa sponsorship, process, hiring volume. Drawn from public data on Airbnb.
Airbnb does offer visa sponsorship for international candidates, which is common among tech companies in the industry. If you are considering applying for a position at Airbnb and require a visa, be sure to indicate this in your application. This can enhance your prospects if you meet the qualifications for the role you are applying for.
[14] MORE INTERVIEW PREP
Companies candidates compare with Airbnb.
PREP SMARTER. APPLY FASTER.
Ready for Airbnb? Let Scoutify keep your pipeline full.
Auto-apply to matching jobs so your search doesn't stop while you interview.
START FREEBrowse free. Alerts from $5/week, auto-apply from $15.