Booking Holdings vs. Airbnb: What Their Revenue Trends Tell Investors
Key Points
Booking operates at a notably larger scale, consistently generating substantially higher total revenue than Airbnb across all recent reporting periods.
Both companies experience distinct seasonal cycles, repeatedly posting quarter-over-quarter revenue declines in the first quarter followed by steep increases in the third quarter.
Investors should watch whether the overall revenue gap between the two companies continues to expand or begins to stabilize over upcoming quarters.
Booking Holdings: Managing Seasonal Revenue Cycles
Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) provides travel and restaurant online reservation services globally, offering consumers options for flights, rental cars, and hotel distribution.
It recently executed a stock split, and for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, it reported approximately 20% net income margin.
Airbnb: Expanding Global Accommodation Options
Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB) operates a global online marketplace that connects hosts offering private rooms or vacation homes with guests seeking accommodations.
It established a rewards partnership with Delta Air Lines, while for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, it reported approximately 6% net income margin.
Why Revenue Matters for Retail Investors
Revenue represents the total sales a business generates before any operating expenses are subtracted. Understanding this top-line figure helps investors evaluate the fundamental demand for a business's core offerings.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Quarterly Revenue for Booking and Airbnb
| Quarter (Period End) | Booking Revenue | Airbnb Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2024 (June 2024) | $5.9 billion | $2.7 billion |
| Q3 2024 (Sept. 2024) | $8.0 billion | $3.7 billion |
| Q4 2024 (Dec. 2024) | $5.5 billion | $2.5 billion |
| Q1 2025 (March 2025) | $4.8 billion | $2.3 billion |
| Q2 2025 (June 2025) | $6.8 billion | $3.1 billion |
| Q3 2025 (Sept. 2025) | $9.0 billion | $4.1 billion |
| Q4 2025 (Dec. 2025) | $6.3 billion | $2.8 billion |
| Q1 2026 (March 2026) | $5.5 billion | $2.7 billion |
Data source: Company filings.
Foolish Take
Examining the revenue trends for Booking and Airbnb reveal key insights. Clearly, the third quarter provides a significant sales bump to both as a result of the summer travel season. Moreover, each company is enjoying year-over-year sales growth, indicating they are experiencing business expansion.
Although Booking’s revenue towers over its rival, Airbnb’s rate of revenue growth is faster. In Q1, Airbnb’s $2.7 billion in sales represented an 18% year-over-year increase while Booking’s $5.5 billion equated to 16% growth.
This suggests Airbnb’s efforts to expand beyond its marketplace for owner-operated travel lodgings are working. The company has added hotels to its offerings, and partnered with other businesses to provide services such as grocery delivery as part of a customer’s vacation stay.
Meanwhile, Booking’s stock has been hammered, dropping to a 52-week low of $150.14 on May 20, due to the U.S. conflict with Iran, which the company cited as a headwind to its business in the region. Consequently, Booking forecasted Q2 revenue to rise between 4% and 6% year over year, a far cry from its 16% Q1 growth.
Robert Izquierdo has positions in Airbnb. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Airbnb and Booking Holdings. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.