If you publish the same apartment on Airbnb on Booking.com, synchronizing calendars is essential to reduce the risk of receiving two bookings for the same dates.
But there’s a very common mistake: configuring synchronization in one direction only.
To have a real two-way syncing between Airbnb and Booking.com via iCal, you need to create two separate links:
Airbnb → Booking.com
e
Booking.com → Airbnb
Only in this way can a reservation received on Airbnb block dates on Booking.com and, vice versa, a reservation Booking.com can be imported into the Airbnb calendar.
In this guide we see how to sync Airbnb and Booking.com both ways, how to verify that the connection is working correctly, and what are the main limitations of synchronization using iCal.
What is Airbnb Booking.com two-way sync?
Two-way synchronization allows the two calendars to exchange information about busy dates.
The result we want to achieve is:
Airbnb ⇄ Booking.com
But technically there is no single two-way connection.
There are two separate feeds.
Link 1
Airbnb → Booking.com
Booking.com import the Airbnb calendar.
Link 2
Booking.com → Airbnb
Airbnb imports the calendar Booking.com.
Once both are configured, the two systems can update each other’s busy dates.
Why do I need to configure both connections?
Let’s just imagine that you configure:
Airbnb → Booking.com
Get an Airbnb reservation from August 10 to August 15.
Booking.com reads the Airbnb calendar and blocks those dates.
So far so correct.
But what happens if you later receive a booking directly on Booking.com?
Airbnb can’t know about it, because you haven’t connected your Booking.com calendar to Airbnb.
So:
Airbnb → Booking.com ✅ booking
but
Booking Booking.com → Airbnb ❌
For this reason, the reverse path must also be completed.
The final configuration must be:
Airbnb → Booking.com
Booking.com → Airbnb
namely:
Airbnb ⇄ Booking.com
How does iCal work between Airbnb and Booking.com
Airbnb and Booking.com can use the format iCal / iCalendar, usually through URLs associated with files .ics.
Each platform provides a calendar to export.
The receiving system then imports that address and checks it periodically.
The operation can be represented as follows:
Airbnb booking
↓
Airbnb calendar
↓
Feed iCal Airbnb
↓
Booking.com import the feed
↓
Blocked dates on Booking.com
The reverse path will be:
Booking Booking.com
↓
Calendar Booking.com
↓
Feed iCal Booking.com
↓
Airbnb imports feed
↓
Blocked dates on Airbnb
How to sync Airbnb with Booking.com
Now let’s see the complete configuration.
The order I recommend is:
- export Airbnb;
- import Airbnb to Booking.com;
- export Booking.com;
- import Booking.com to Airbnb;
- Check both connections.
1. Export your Airbnb calendar
Sign in to your Airbnb account and select the listing you want to sync.
From the desktop version, the current path is generally:
Calendar → Select Announcement → Free/Busy → Connect Calendars / Connect to Another Site
Airbnb allows you to export your calendar by copying a URL.
This will be the iCal Airbnb link.
The link is specific to that ad.
If you manage several apartments, you will therefore have to export the calendar of each accommodation separately.
Important
Don’t just copy the address you see in your browser bar.
You must use the link generated by the feature:
Export calendar
or equivalent.
The iCal URL normally contains a reference .ics.
Copy it because we’ll need it in the next step.
2. Import Airbnb to Booking.com
Now access the Extranet Booking.com.
The exact name of the sections may change depending on the type of structure and interface updates, but you should look for the function dedicated to:
Calendar Sync
or:
Sync calendars
It is generally found in the area related to:
Rates and availability
or directly in the calendar management.
At this point:
- select the correct structure or room;
- Open calendar syncing;
- choose to add/import an external calendar;
- paste the iCal Airbnb link;
- assign a recognizable name;
- Save the link.
For example:
Airbnb – Apartment Rome Center
Now Booking.com can read the busy dates in the Airbnb calendar.
You have completed:
Airbnb → Booking.com ✅
But the synchronization is not yet two-way.
3. Export the Booking.com calendar
Stay within the calendar synchronization section of the Booking.com Extranet.
You must now retrieve the Booking.com calendar export link relating to the same accommodation.
Look for a function similar to:
Export calendar
or:
Export calendar
Booking.com will generate an iCal URL.
Copy it.
This link represents the Booking.com calendar that we will have to connect to Airbnb.
4. Import Booking.com to Airbnb
Return to Airbnb.
Open again:
Calendar
↓
Correct ad
↓
Availability
↓
Connect Calendars / Connect to Another Site
This time, you don’t have to export Airbnb.
You need to choose the feature to Import an external calendar.
Paste the iCal link Booking.com.
Airbnb also requires a name to identify the calendar.
You can use:
Booking.com – Apartment in the center of Rome
Save.
At this point you have also completed:
Booking.com → Airbnb ✅
The final configuration then becomes:
Airbnb ⇄ Booking.com
Complete two-way synchronization diagram
The correct configuration should look like this:
AIRBNB
│
│ esportazione iCal Airbnb
↓
BOOKING.COM
BOOKING.COM
│
│ esportazione iCal Booking.com
↓
AIRBNB
Or, in simplified form:
Airbnb ⇄ Booking.com
But it’s important to remember that behind that double arrow there are two independent iCal connections.
Practical example
Suppose we have:
Trastevere Holiday House
published on both Airbnb and Booking.com.
Configure:
About Booking.com
Import:
Airbnb – Holiday Home Trastevere
On Airbnb
Import:
Booking.com – Casa Vacanze Trastevere
You now receive a booking on Airbnb:
10-15 September
Airbnb immediately blocks those dates on their calendar.
Booking.com, when you refresh your Airbnb feed, detect the reservation and block:
10-15 September
After that, you receive a reservation Booking.com:
September 20-23
Booking.com blocks those dates.
Airbnb, the next time the external calendar is updated, imports the block:
September 20-23
The result will be:
| Dates | Airbnb | Booking.com |
|---|---|---|
| 10-15 September | Busy | Busy |
| September 20-23 | Busy | Busy |
How to check if sync is working
After connecting the two calendars, it is important to check them.
Don’t just make sure the link is saved.
You need to control both streams.
Test 1: Airbnb → Booking.com
Check a really busy date on Airbnb.
Check to see if the same date appears stuck on Booking.com after the feed is refreshed.
Test 2: Booking.com → Airbnb
Locate a reservation Booking.com.
Check that the same dates are blocked on Airbnb as well.
Only if both tests work correctly can you consider two-way sync complete.
How to recognize imported reservations on Airbnb
When Airbnb imports an external calendar, the dates for it are shown as unavailable.
Airbnb also allows you to view your connected calendars and check when they’ve been updated.
This is especially useful if you manage multiple sources, such as:
- Booking.com;
- Vrbo;
- proprietary site;
- other portals.
You can give each calendar a specific name to easily recognize where the blocks are coming from.
How often do Airbnb and Booking.com update?
Synchronization via iCal should not be considered instantaneous.
This is one of the most important aspects to know.
Airbnb currently indicates that imported external calendars are automatically updated periodically and also provides a function to manually request a new update.
Booking.com in turn carries out periodic checks on the imported external calendars.
This means that:
Airbnb ⇄ Booking.com
is not necessarily the same as:
Instant update per second
There may be an interval between a booking and the appearance of the block on the other portal.
Does two-way sync mean real-time sync?
No.
They are two different concepts.
Bidirectional
It means that information can travel:
Airbnb → Booking.com
e:
Booking.com → Airbnb
Real-time
Instead, it means that the update happens almost immediately.
An iCal sync can be:
Bidirectional
but:
non-real-time
And that’s exactly the case to keep in mind when connecting Airbnb and Booking.com via calendar feed.
Does the risk of overbooking disappear completely?
No.
Two-way synchronization via iCal Significantly reduces the risk of double bookings, but it doesn’t eliminate it mathematically.
Consider this scenario.
8:00 pm
Guest A book Airbnb:
August 10-15
Airbnb blocks dates immediately.
8:02 p.m.
Booking.com hasn’t done the Airbnb calendar check yet.
Dates may still be available.
8:05 p.m.
Guest B books the same dates on Booking.com.
This can result in overbooking before the feed is updated.
This is the main operational limitation of iCal-based synchronization.
How to reduce the risk of overbooking
If you use iCal, there are some best practices you can adopt.
1. Always configure both connections
Never limit yourself to:
Airbnb → Booking.com
There must also be:
Booking.com → Airbnb
2. Check imported calendars periodically
Check that the connections are still present and working.
3. Give clear names to calendars
Avoid generic names such as:
Calendar 1
Better:
Airbnb – Apartment Center
Booking.com – Apartment Center
4. Check the accommodations carefully
When you’re managing multiple facilities, the most dangerous mistake is connecting:
Airbnb Apartment A
with:
Booking.com Apartment B
5. Use manual updating when necessary
If you receive an important new booking and want to check your calendar immediately, you can use the refresh features available on the platforms when provided.
Common mistake: Linking the same calendar to itself
When you set up a lot of feeds, it’s easy to create bad links.
You always have to think in terms of origin → destination.
On Booking.com you need to import:
Airbnb link
On Airbnb, you need to import:
Booking.com links
You don’t need to export Airbnb and re-import the same link back into the same Airbnb calendar.
Common mistake: using the wrong accommodation link
Each ad must be associated with the same unit on the other platform.
Correct example:
Airbnb – Apartment Rome 1
⇄
Booking.com – Apartment Rome 1
Incorrect example:
Airbnb – Apartment Rome 1
⇄
Booking.com – Apartment Roma 2
With more properties I recommend creating a table first.
| Airbnb | Booking.com |
|---|---|
| Apartment Centro | Apartment Centro |
| Casa Mare | Casa Mare |
| Deluxe Room | Deluxe Room |
Only then do you configure the feeds.
How to sync multiple apartments
If you have three apartments listed on both platforms, you need to create links for each.
Example:
Apartment A
Airbnb A ⇄ Booking.com A
Apartment B
Airbnb B ⇄ Booking.com B
Apartment C
Airbnb C ⇄ Booking.com C
You don’t have to use one apartment’s feed for everyone else.
Each calendar must correctly represent its unit.
Can I sync my site’s calendar as well?
Yes.
If you receive direct bookings from your site, you can have a third calendar.
At that point the system can become:
AIRBNB
↕
BOOKING.COM ↔ SITO WEB
In practice:
Airbnb → website
Airbnb → website
Booking.com → site
→ Booking.com website
In addition to any direct synchronization:
Airbnb ⇄ Booking.com
In this way, even a reservation received directly from the site can help block availability on other calendars.
Syncing Airbnb and Booking.com with WordPress
If you have a WordPress site for your vacation rental, you can add a Booking Engine to receive Direct bookings.
With Host Domination Booking Engine You can create on your site:
- availability calendar;
- booking system;
- price management;
- direct bookings;
- import of external iCal / ICS calendars;
- syncing with Airbnb and Booking.com.
The flow can then become:
AIRBNB
↕
HOST DOMINATION BOOKING ENGINE
↕
BOOKING.COM
In this way, the proprietary site enters the availability distribution system instead of being just a showcase.
👉 Find out Host Domination Booking Engine:
https://hostdomination.com/booking-engine/
Does iCal also sync rates?
No.
Two-way synchronization using iCal must be distinguished from full synchronization of a Channel Manager.
iCal is mainly used to share:
- reservations;
- busy dates;
- events;
- calendar blocks.
It is not designed to automatically sync:
- prices;
- rates;
- promotions;
- minimum stay;
- pricing plans;
- restrictions;
- Advanced inventory.
You can therefore have:
Airbnb ⇄ Booking.com
perfectly synchronized for dates,
but with:
Airbnb: 120 €
e:
Booking.com: 135 €
The price difference does not indicate an iCal error.
iCal sync or Channel Manager?
It depends on the complexity of the structure.
| Function | iCal | Channel Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Syncing Airbnb and Booking.com | ✅ | ✅ |
| Two-way synchronization | ✅ | ✅ |
| Busy dates | ✅ | ✅ |
| Necessarily real-time update | ❌ | More advanced |
| Pricing | ❌ | ✅ |
| Rates | ❌ | ✅ |
| Restrictions | Limited | ✅ |
| Management of many OTAs | More complex | ✅ |
| Costs | often free | Generally paid |
For one or a few properties, iCal can be a very simple and effective solution.
When they increase:
- apartments;
- OTA;
- reservations;
- rates;
- modifications;
- restrictions;
it can become more convenient to use a Channel Manager.
Does two-way sync also work with Google Calendar?
Google Calendar can be used to view external iCal calendars, but its role is different.
It can be useful to have:
Airbnb
Booking.com
Personal appointments
within a centralized view.
But Google Calendar should not be considered a substitute for a Channel Manager or the central system used to distribute availability among OTAs.
It is above all a visualization and organization tool.
What to do if Airbnb and Booking.com aren’t syncing
If you’ve set up both connections but the dates don’t match, check in order:
- that the reservation exists on the original calendar;
- that the correct iCal feed is still connected;
- that the Airbnb listing and the listing Booking.com match;
- that both flows are configured;
- that the imported calendar has been updated;
- that the link
.icshas not been replaced; - that the hold does not result from settings other than the reservation.
The best way to diagnose the problem is to first identify The booking origin platform.
If your booking originates on Airbnb, check:
Airbnb → Booking.com
If it was born on Booking.com, check:
Booking.com → Airbnb
Correct configuration checklist
Before you consider the connection finished, check these points.
Airbnb → Booking.com
- I selected the correct Airbnb listing
- I exported the iCal Airbnb link
- I have selected the accommodation Booking.com corresponding
- I imported the Airbnb link to Booking.com
- I gave it a recognizable name
Booking.com → Airbnb
- I have exported the correct Booking.com calendar
- I copied the relevant iCal link
- I’m back on the corresponding Airbnb listing
- I imported the link Booking.com
- I gave it a recognizable name
If all the boxes are completed, you have configured:
Airbnb ⇄ Booking.com
Frequently Asked Questions
How to sync Airbnb and Booking.com both ways?
You need to export the Airbnb calendar and import it to Booking.com. Next you need to export the Booking.com calendar and import it to Airbnb. You then need two distinct links.
Is it enough to import Airbnb to Booking.com?
Not if you want a two-way sync. In this case, Airbnb bookings would arrive at Booking.com, but Booking.com bookings would not be automatically imported to Airbnb through the same link.
Can Airbnb and Booking.com sync without Channel Manager?
Yes, you can use the iCal links provided by the platforms for calendar information, when the feature is available for property configuration.
Is Airbnb Booking.com sync free?
Using the iCal feeds provided by the platforms does not normally require the purchase of a separate Channel Manager.
Is iCal sync instant?
No. Calendars are checked periodically, so there can be delays between a booking and the same date being blocked on the other platform.
Can I sync Airbnb prices with Booking.com via iCal?
No. iCal is mainly used for availability, events, and busy dates. It doesn’t sync prices and pricing plans normally.
Why is Booking.com updated but Airbnb is not?
You may have only set up the Airbnb → Booking.com connection, or Airbnb may not have updated your calendar Booking.com yet.
Why is Airbnb updated but Booking.com not?
It may be waiting for the next update of the Airbnb feed, or the Airbnb link may → Booking.com be misconfigured.
Do I have to create a connection for each apartment?
Yes. Each listing or unit must be associated with the corresponding calendar of the other platform.
Does two-way sync completely avoid overbookings?
It greatly reduces risk, but a normal iCal synchronization is not necessarily real-time. There is therefore a time window between two updates in which availabilities may not yet be aligned.
Conclusion
To properly configure the two-way synchronization between Airbnb and Booking.com You need to remember a fundamental concept:
A double arrow requires two connections.
It is not enough:
Airbnb → Booking.com
You also need to configure:
Booking.com → Airbnb
The end result will be:
Airbnb ⇄ Booking.com
In this way, bookings received on one platform can be used to block the relevant dates on the other as well.
Syncing via iCal is simple, generally free, and especially useful for hosts who manage one or a few properties.
However, it must be remembered that iCal is not necessarily real-time and does not synchronize prices and rates.
If you want to receive bookings directly from your WordPress site in addition to OTAs, you can also add your Booking Engine’s calendar to the system.
👉 Host Domination Booking Engine:
https://hostdomination.com/booking-engine/
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