As the 2026-2027 winter season approaches, a significant change is underway in the short-term rental sector. Airbnb is set to profoundly modify its fee system, introducing a single 15.5% commission borne by owners. In Haute-Savoie, where accommodation rates can already reach high levels in the resorts, some travelers fear another price increase. But should we really expect a surge?
No, nothing changes in September in France
Let’s start by clearing up a misunderstanding. Contrary to what one might think, no new French tax on vacation rentals will come into effect in September 2026. The main novelty that could impact prices concerns Airbnb and its service fee system.
Today, for many properties, fees are split between the owner and the traveler. Airbnb states that most hosts affected by this system pay about 3% in fees, to which traveler fees are added.
The platform has decided to gradually abandon this setup in favor of a single 15.5% fee, deducted directly from the payment to the host. And for owners located in the European Economic Area, notably in France and Haute-Savoie, the change is scheduled for October 13, 2026.
A 15.5% Airbnb commission that changes the game
On paper, Airbnb presents this development as a simplification. Instead of fees being split between owner and traveler, the platform will therefore apply a single deduction of 15.5% on the host side.
However, this does not mean that Airbnb will mechanically increase by 15.5% the price paid by the vacationer. Everything will depend on the owners’ reaction. Airbnb even offers its hosts a tool to adjust their rates to take the new system into account while continuing to receive a similar payment.
And this is precisely where the situation becomes interesting for vacationers.
Will owners increase their prices?
Let’s take a simplified example. An owner wants to keep roughly the same income after the commission system changes. To compensate for the 15.5% deduction, they might be tempted to raise the listed price of their accommodation.
But previously, the traveler themselves paid Airbnb fees on top of the price set by the owner. An increase in the listed price does not necessarily mean that the final price actually paid by the vacationer will increase in the same proportions. This is even one of Airbnb’s stated goals: to make the price more transparent by better incorporating the platform’s cost into the price offered by the host.
The question will therefore be whether owners will simply adjust their rates to maintain their income… or if they will take advantage of this transition to increase their prices further.
Why Haute-Savoie is particularly concerned
In a touristic department like Haute-Savoie, the issue is far from trivial. From Chamonix to Morzine, via Annecy, La Clusaz, Megève, Les Gets, Avoriaz or Le Grand-Bornand, seasonal rentals represent a significant part of the tourist accommodation supply.
During the most demanded periods, notably Christmas, New Year’s, and the February school holidays, prices can already be particularly high. A family looking for an apartment at the foot of the slopes can easily dedicate a large part of their vacation budget solely to accommodation. In this context, even a limited increase in the final price can weigh on the choice of destination.
Airbnb is, however, only part of the problem
Attributing any increase in rentals in Haute-Savoie solely to Airbnb’s commission change would be misleading. The department combines several factors likely to keep rates high: strong tourist demand, limited accommodation capacity in some resorts, very high property prices, significant costs for owners, and concentration of demand over a few weeks a year.
On top of this now comes a progressive tightening of the regulation of furnished tourist rentals. Since May 20, 2026, the principle is a prior declaration of furnished tourist rentals via a national online service, with the assignment of a registration number. Municipalities additionally have more tools to regulate tourist rentals and try to preserve housing intended for permanent residents.
Furnished tourist rentals regulation has become significantly stricter
The law of November 19, 2024, has indeed profoundly changed the landscape. It notably strengthened municipalities’ powers, modified the taxation of certain furnished rentals, and generalized the principle of registration of furnished tourist rentals.
Taxation has also become less favorable for certain owners. For 2025 incomes declared in 2026, non-classified furnished tourist rentals under the micro-BIC scheme benefit from a 30% allowance with a revenue ceiling of 15,000 euros, compared to a more favorable regime previously. Classified furnished rentals retain a more advantageous regime.
The stated objective of public authorities is notably to reduce the tax gap between tourist rentals and traditional rentals to encourage the return of housing to the residential market.
Fewer rentals available in the long run?
Perhaps ultimately it is this phenomenon rather than the change in Airbnb’s commission that should be monitored.
If some owners feel that tourist rentals are less profitable or too restrictive, several scenarios are possible: return to long-term rental, sale of the property, switching to another platform, or development of direct booking.
In tourist municipalities where supply is already highly solicited, a decrease in the number of available properties could put additional pressure on prices during peak periods.
But it is still too early to say that such a phenomenon will occur on a large scale.
Should you book your ski trip earlier this year?
For French vacationers intending to come to Haute-Savoie during the 2026-2027 winter, caution may nonetheless be advisable.
Those planning a stay during Christmas, New Year’s, or the February holidays would do well to compare accommodations sufficiently early.
It may also be wise to look beyond just the big platforms: tourist office reservation centers, local real estate agencies, tourist residences or direct booking with hosts can sometimes offer different conditions.
Moving just a few kilometers away from the most popular resorts can also significantly reduce the bill.
So, will rentals really become unaffordable?
No, there is no measure that would suddenly cause a price explosion for short-term rentals in Haute-Savoie starting September 2026.
The change announced by Airbnb is real, but its effective date for French owners is set for October 13, 2026. And the shift to a single 15.5% commission on the owner side does not automatically mean an equivalent increase in the final price paid by the traveler.
However, this development comes within a much larger context: tightening regulations, less favorable taxation for some owners, local restrictions and extremely high property prices in several tourist sectors of Haute-Savoie.
For French families, the real question will therefore probably not be whether rentals suddenly become unaffordable in September, but rather how high prices can rise in the most sought-after resorts over the coming seasons.
And on this point, the 2026-2027 winter will be a first real-life test.
Sources: Official Airbnb information on service fees and New tax regime for furnished tourist rentals – impots.gouv.fr
