Airbnb Teams With Welcome Pickups to Debut Private Car Service

Airbnb has begun offering a private car service for travelers in Asia, Europe and Latin America.

The service, announced Tuesday (March 31), is being offered in collaboration with transportation company Welcome Pickups. It’s part of the Airbnb Services program that the company launched last spring.

“Airbnb Services are designed to enhance a guest’s stay, and our partnership with Welcome Pickups delivers that from the moment they arrive,” said Dave Stephenson, chief business officer at Airbnb.

“Now guests can book a private car service in advance, taking the hassle out of organizing transportation in a new city. We’re excited to expand Airbnb Services with more helpful offerings, and this is just the start.”

Airbnb argues in its announcement that the excitement of visiting a new destination can be dampened by the uncertainty of getting from the airport to a listing, especially after a lengthy flight, a late-night arrival, or a first-time visit to an area.

“Private car services can help remove the guesswork and friction with easy pre-booking, clear pickup details, and a driver waiting with a sign displaying the guest’s name,” the company said.

Immediately after reserving a stay in an eligible city, travelers will see the option to schedule a private car service to their listing in the Trips tab. Arriving guests have the option of a “meet-and-greet,” meaning a personal welcome from the driver at their point of arrival. When it’s time to depart, guests will be picked up at their listing and taken to the airport or transit hub.

In other Airbnb news, the company said last month that it was integrating artificial intelligence (AI) across operations rather than introducing it as a standalone consumer product.

Airbnb’s AI-powered customer service chatbot now handles nearly one-third of English-language support tickets in North America with no human involvement. The next stage includes expanding to additional languages and adding voice-based AI support.

The company is also testing conversational AI search on a small percentage of traffic, to enhance traveler intent recognition and booking efficiency. CEO Brian Chesky said the company intends to “nail AI search” before weaving in additional monetization features.

Also in February, Airbnb said it was expanding its “Reserve Now, Pay Later” program to properties around the globe after seeing strong user engagement in the U.S.

“Since the launch, we’ve seen an overwhelmingly positive response from the community. In Q4, we saw over 70 percent adoption for eligible bookings, and it helped drive the acceleration of nights and seats booked in Q4 2025 from Q3 2025,” Airbnb said in its announcement.