Airbnb Just Added A Grocery Delivery Service — Here's How It Works

Not only can an Airbnb rental feel a bit cozier than a hotel, but it can also help you avoid overspending on food while on vacation by providing a full kitchen to cook your own meals. There's just always been one inconvenient obstacle: The fridge and pantry won't be stocked with ingredients when you arrive. That's changing now, as Airbnb has partnered with Instacart and rolled out a grocery delivery service that sends food right to your rental.

Airbnb introduced the grocery service on May 20, 2026, and the feature is currently available in over 25 U.S. cities. After check-in, guests can place Instacart orders directly through Airbnb and choose when they would like their groceries dropped off. Some rental locations even allow hosts to take guests' orders and stock kitchens before the guests check in for their stay. Choosing to have the kitchen stocked in advance will come at no additional cost to the guest — in fact, Airbnb customers get $10 off orders of $50 or more.

Though this innovation sounds nifty, high upcharges are a glaring reason people turn away from grocery delivery. As of this writing, Airbnb has yet to specify if the price of ordering through its new service will differ from the cost of placing orders through Instacart directly — the company has only stated that Airbnb gift cards can't be used for these Instacart transactions. However, Airbnb has released detailed instructions on how guests and hosts can use this new service.

If you're a guest and want to determine whether your Airbnb reservation is eligible for grocery delivery, the company's website instructs you to look for the option under "Trips" on its website or app after you book. To use the service, you don't need to create or log into an Instacart account, as Airbnb will automatically create a temporary account and link it to your reservation. You can then shop through a full selection of Instacart goods right on the Airbnb site or app. After checking out, choose your delivery time and look forward to your haul. Note that only the user who booked the stay can order groceries this way — the function won't be available to any travel companions.

If your host has elected to offer kitchen stocking in advance of your arrival, you also have the option to choose them as the recipient of your order. Hosts will receive a notification from Airbnb, and, from there, they'll choose the delivery time and stock the kitchen before you arrive. Notably, alcohol is not available to order with kitchen stocking due to complications with age verification. But for other grocery needs, this Airbnb tool could be the easiest way to get cooking as soon as you're unpacked — perhaps even better than using Amazon Fresh or Walmart Plus in a different area. Just don't forget the first thing to do before cooking in a vacation rental: cleaning the kitchen appliances.