How to Sync Your Airbnb Calendar with StayScan: Step-by-Step Guide
By StayScan Editorial Team · Published · Last updated
Step-by-step guide to syncing your Airbnb calendar with StayScan via iCal. Import Airbnb bookings in 2 minutes, prevent double bookings, and manage all your calendars from one dashboard.
Airbnb is the world''s most popular short-term rental platform, and most multi-platform hosts start there. Connecting your Airbnb calendar to StayScan takes under two minutes and gives you a centralised view of all your bookings with automatic conflict detection.
This guide walks you through the complete setup: importing your Airbnb calendar into StayScan, exporting StayScan blocks back to Airbnb, and understanding the sync timing so you know exactly what to expect.
Prerequisites
- An active Airbnb listing with at least one booking or blocked date
- A StayScan account with a Starter plan or above
- Access to your Airbnb host dashboard (desktop or mobile)
Part 1: Import Your Airbnb Calendar into StayScan
Step 1: Get your Airbnb iCal Export URL
- Log in to your Airbnb host account at airbnb.com
- Go to your Listing and click Calendar
- Click the Availability settings (gear icon) or Pricing and availability
- Scroll down to Connect calendars
- Click Export Calendar
- Copy the iCal link that appears (it starts with
https://www.airbnb.com/calendar/ical/...)
Important: This URL is unique to your listing. Do not share it publicly as anyone with the link can see your availability dates.
Step 2: Add the Airbnb Source in StayScan
- Open your StayScan Calendar Sync dashboard
- Select the property that matches your Airbnb listing
- Click Add Source
- Select Airbnb as the platform
- Paste your Airbnb iCal URL
- Click Connect
StayScan will immediately fetch your Airbnb calendar. Within seconds, you should see your Airbnb bookings appear in the Bookings tab, colour-coded in Airbnb''s signature coral/red.
Step 3: Verify the Connection
Check the sync health indicator next to your Airbnb source. It should show:
- Green: Successfully synced within the last 30 minutes
- Yellow: Synced but more than 30 minutes ago (will turn green after next auto-sync)
- Red: Failed to sync — check that the URL is correct
Part 2: Export StayScan Calendar to Airbnb
This step ensures that any blocks or direct bookings you add in StayScan are automatically reflected on your Airbnb calendar.
Step 1: Generate Your StayScan Export URL
- In the StayScan Calendar Sync page, click Export Calendar
- Click Generate Export URL
- Click the eye icon to reveal your URL, then copy it
Step 2: Import into Airbnb
- Go back to your Airbnb listing''s Calendar Settings
- In the Connect calendars section, click Import a new calendar
- Paste your StayScan export URL
- Name it "StayScan Blocks"
- Click Import Calendar
Airbnb will now periodically fetch your StayScan calendar. Any manual blocks or direct bookings you add in StayScan will appear as blocked dates on Airbnb within 3-4 hours.
Sync Timing for Airbnb
| Direction | Frequency | What Triggers It |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb to StayScan | Every 5 minutes | Automatic (StayScan polls Airbnb) |
| StayScan to Airbnb | Every 3-4 hours | Automatic (Airbnb polls StayScan) |
| Manual sync | On demand | Click "Sync Now" in StayScan |
What This Means in Practice
When a guest books on Airbnb:
- StayScan sees it within 5 minutes
- If you have other platforms connected to StayScan, they will see it when they next poll StayScan''s export feed (varies by platform)
When you block dates in StayScan:
- Airbnb sees it within 3-4 hours
- During this window, an Airbnb booking could still come through for those dates
Troubleshooting Airbnb Sync
Problem: Airbnb URL stopped working
Cause: Airbnb occasionally regenerates iCal URLs, especially after listing changes or if they detect unusual access patterns.
Fix: Get a fresh URL from Airbnb''s calendar settings and update it in StayScan (remove the old source and add a new one with the updated URL).
Problem: Bookings appear in StayScan but not blocking on Airbnb
Cause: This is about the export direction. Imported bookings from other platforms are not re-exported (to prevent circular duplicates).
Fix: Import each platform''s calendar URL directly into Airbnb as well, or use StayScan''s manual block feature to create blocks that are included in the export feed.
Problem: Airbnb shows bookings but StayScan does not
Cause: The iCal URL might be for the wrong listing, or the listing might not have iCal export enabled.
Fix: Verify you copied the URL from the correct listing. Try opening the URL in a browser — you should see calendar data in text format.
Problem: Cancelled Airbnb bookings still showing as blocked
Cause: Airbnb''s iCal feed sometimes takes time to reflect cancellations.
Fix: Wait for the next sync cycle (5 minutes). If the cancellation still does not appear, the event may have been removed from the feed entirely — StayScan will mark it as cancelled on the next sync.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sync multiple Airbnb listings to StayScan?
Yes. Each Airbnb listing has its own iCal URL. Create a separate property in StayScan for each listing and connect the corresponding URL.
Does syncing affect my Airbnb Superhost status?
No. iCal sync is a standard Airbnb feature. Using it does not affect your ratings, rankings, or Superhost eligibility.
Will blocked dates from StayScan show as "Not available" on Airbnb?
Yes. When Airbnb imports your StayScan calendar, blocked dates appear as unavailable to potential guests, identical to manually blocked dates.
Can I see which Airbnb bookings are confirmed vs. pending?
Airbnb''s iCal feed includes all confirmed bookings and blocks. Pending requests that have not been accepted are typically not included in the feed until confirmed.
What happens to my Airbnb sync if I upgrade my StayScan plan?
Your existing connections remain intact when you upgrade. A plan upgrade increases the number of sources you can connect, not the sync frequency (which is always 5 minutes).
Ready to connect your Airbnb calendar? Open Calendar Sync in your StayScan dashboard to get started in under 2 minutes.
Related articles:
- iCal Calendar Sync with StayScan: Complete Guide
- Calendar Sync for Airbnb Hosts: Prevent Double Bookings
- Multi-Platform iCal Calendar Sync
- Best iCal Sync Solution for Airbnb Hosts
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