Airbnb Launches New Era of Travel with Help from Hollywood and Global A-Listers

Seventeen years after it launched the app for vacation home rentals, Airbnb unveiled today its biggest transformation at its "Summer 2025 Launch" event in Los Angeles. This signaled the company's most ambitious expansion since it disrupted the travel industry in 2007 by letting people book homes like hotels.

The event, held at a venue buzzing with tech executives, celebrities (Kevin Costner, Doechii, Megan Thee Stallion, Jessica Alba, and more), tastemakers, and journalists, introduced a reimagined Airbnb—no longer just a place to stay but a full-service travel ecosystem designed for modern wanderers, even in their city.

"Travel isn't just about where you sleep anymore," said Brian Chesky, Airbnb's co-founder and CEO, in his keynote speech. "It's about how you live in that place—even if it's just for a weekend."

Here's a breakdown of what's coming:

Airbnb Services

Now travelers can book more than just homes—they can enhance their entire stay with Airbnb Services, which includes ten curated categories like private chefs, makeup artists, photographers, wellness coaches, and even elite personal trainers. These aren't your average freelancers: many of these service providers are Michelin-starred chefs, award-winning creatives, and industry leaders.

Guests can now plan a birthday dinner with a fine dining chef, book a photoshoot with a renowned local photographer, or hire a stylist for a night out—all through the Airbnb app.

Airbnb Experiences 2.0

Originally launched in 2016, Airbnb Experiences has been completely revamped with a renewed focus on quality, authenticity, and local expertise. Whether it's making ramen with a Bib Gourmand chef in Tokyo, hiking a hidden canyon in Arizona with a Navajo guide, or shopping with a Hollywood stylist, these experiences promise more than tourism—they offer immersion.

The new lineup emphasizes categories like history, culture, nature, fitness, art, and design, with experiences curated by locals who genuinely know their city.

Stealing the show were the Airbnb Originals—one-of-a-kind experiences designed exclusively for Airbnb by globally known personalities.

• Raphaelle Elbaz of French Bastards teaches you to bake her viral croissants in Paris.
• Olympic volleyball player Carol Solberg invites you to a training session on Rio's famous Leblon Beach.
• Megan Thee Stallion embraces her anime alter ego in "Otaku Hottie Quest," a cosplay adventure in Tokyo.
• Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes opens his home turf for a Sunday football hang.
• K-pop group SEVENTEEN celebrates a decade of music with a fan event in Seoul.Each experience feels personal, curated, and highly limited—offering travelers memories that money usually can't buy. Chesky also mentioned lucha libre VIP events and training and even an experience with Karol G in her hometown of Medellín.

A New All-In-One App

To bring it all together, Airbnb rolled out a completely redesigned app. The new interface merges homes, services, and experiences under one sleek platform with personalized recommendations, built-in messaging, and real-time itineraries.

"With this update, you can plan every detail of your trip without ever leaving Airbnb," said Chesky. "It's the most personal travel tool we've ever built."