You list one place on both Airbnb and Vrbo, and a guest books a weekend on Vrbo. Until Airbnb picks up that booking, the same nights still look open to Airbnb guests. Learning how to sync Airbnb and Vrbo calendars is about shrinking that window and knowing when it's still open. Your first action: find the calendar export link on each platform and paste it into the other one. Both directions, not one.
This guide covers the free iCal method both platforms support, how often each side refreshes, how to prove the link works, and a diagnostic table for when it stops.
How do you sync Airbnb and Vrbo calendars?
You export an iCal link from each platform and import it into the other, so each one reads the other's booked dates. Airbnb and Vrbo both support this for free inside their own calendar settings.
An iCal link is a private URL ending in .ics that lists blocked dates. It carries availability only, not prices, guest names or minimum stays. If you want the background first, read what iCal sync is.
Step 1: Copy Vrbo's export link. Vrbo's export instructions put it under Calendar, then Settings, the Availability tab, Connect calendars, then Export calendar and Copy URL. Vrbo offers to include tentative bookings; its help page says to include them only when exporting to a private calendar, not to another booking site.
Step 2: Import it into Airbnb. In your Airbnb listing's calendar availability settings, use the connect-calendars option to import a calendar, paste Vrbo's link and name it "Vrbo." Airbnb's calendar sync article walks through the current menu path.
Step 3: Copy Airbnb's export link. From the same Airbnb area, export the calendar and copy the .ics link. Treat it like a password, since anyone with it can read your booked dates.
Step 4: Import it into Vrbo. Vrbo's import instructions use the same Connect calendars area: Manage imported calendars, Import a calendar, paste the link, name it (30 characters max) and select Import. Vrbo allows up to five imported calendars per property.
One catch before you start: Vrbo says you can import calendars only if you manage the property in the Vrbo Owner Dashboard or app, not through third-party property management software. If your Vrbo listing is connected to a software tool, calendar sync runs through that tool instead.
How often do Airbnb and Vrbo calendars sync?
They don't sync at the same speed. Vrbo says imported calendars sync every 30 minutes, while Airbnb says its calendar updates from connected calendars every 3 hours, so a Vrbo booking reaches Airbnb more slowly.
Vrbo's import page adds that new imports can take up to 20 minutes to appear the first time. Airbnb's help article states the 3-hour cycle and offers a manual refresh. Neither schedule is something you or any outside tool can change; each platform fetches on its own clock.
Here's a worked example with those published numbers. Suppose a hypothetical Vrbo guest books at 9:00. Airbnb's next automatic fetch could be anywhere up to 3 hours later, so in the worst case Airbnb still shows those nights open until about 12:00. Going the other way, an Airbnb booking at 9:00 is exposed on Vrbo for up to about 30 minutes. This suggests the riskier direction is Vrbo-to-Airbnb, and that's where a manual refresh or a manual block pays off. For the full list of collision causes, see how to avoid double bookings.
Can I sync pricing between Airbnb and Vrbo? Not with iCal. The feed carries busy dates only, so rates, discounts and stay rules have to be set on each platform separately or through software that manages them.
How do you test that the sync actually works?
Block a far-future test date on one platform, wait at least one full refresh cycle, and confirm it shows as blocked on the other. Then repeat in the opposite direction and remove both test blocks.
A pasted link with no error message isn't proof. Run this checklist after connecting:
- Block one night on Vrbo at least a year out, where no real guest is likely to want it.
- On Airbnb, press manual refresh or wait up to 3 hours, then confirm the night is blocked.
- Block a different far-future night on Airbnb.
- Wait about 30 minutes and confirm it appears on Vrbo.
- Unblock both nights on the platform where you created them.
- Paste each
.icslink into the iCal feed checker to see whether it resolves and parses cleanly.
Until both directions pass, check new bookings on both platforms by hand and block the other side yourself.
Why is my Vrbo calendar not syncing with Airbnb?
Most sync failures come from a missing import direction, a copied page URL instead of the iCal link, a regenerated or removed link, or simply the refresh delay. Match the symptom to the likely cause below.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Vrbo bookings never appear on Airbnb | Vrbo link not imported into Airbnb | Import it, then test |
| Airbnb bookings never appear on Vrbo | Airbnb link not imported into Vrbo | Import it, then test |
| Vrbo rejects the link | Website URL pasted, not the iCal link | Copy the link from the export screen |
| No import option on Vrbo | Listing managed through third-party software | Sync through that software |
| Blocks show up hours late | Normal refresh schedule | Use manual refresh or block by hand |
| Old or duplicate blocks linger | Stale or duplicate events in the feed | Run the feed through the checker, re-import |
Vrbo's import page notes the correct link includes "icalendar" in the URL, which is a quick way to spot the wrong-link problem. If two bookings landed inside one refresh window, no setup error caused it; that's the structural limit of iCal.
When this advice does not apply
If your Vrbo listing runs through property management software, Vrbo's own import screen isn't available and your software's connection governs sync. If you only list on one platform, you don't need any of this. And if you sell out weeks ahead with frequent same-day bookings, a 3-hour window on the Airbnb side may be too wide for iCal alone; compare tools that connect differently in our channel manager comparison.
What to do next
- Import each platform's export link into the other, so both directions exist.
- Run the far-future block test in both directions.
- Check each link with the iCal feed checker.
- After any Vrbo booking, refresh Airbnb's calendar or block the nights there by hand.
- Repeat the test whenever you regenerate a link or change software.
FAQ
Can you sync Airbnb and Vrbo calendars for free?
Yes. Both platforms support iCal import and export at no cost. You only pay if you choose a separate software tool.
Is there an app to sync Airbnb and Vrbo calendars?
Channel managers and property management systems can hold one calendar and connect to both platforms. Check each vendor's current channel list, because connection types and supported platforms vary.
Does syncing calendars copy my listing or reviews?
No. Calendar sync only shares blocked dates. Listings, photos, prices and reviews stay separate on each platform.
About BookBed: BookBed's free iCal feed checker tells you whether an Airbnb or Vrbo calendar link resolves and flags duplicate UIDs, overlapping events and missing fields, so you can rule out a broken feed before blaming the refresh schedule.
Sources
- Airbnb Help Center, "Sync your home host calendar to other websites" — Verified 2026-09-30
- Vrbo Help, "Import a calendar to sync with Vrbo" — Verified 2026-09-30
- Vrbo Help, "Export your property's reservation calendar" — Verified 2026-09-30
- IETF, RFC 5545 "Internet Calendaring and Scheduling Core Object Specification (iCalendar)" — Verified 2026-09-30