Should you use Airbnb for your next business trip?

Part of our series on how to be a better traveler

Airbnb
(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Last July, Airbnb announced its official foray into the world of business travel, partnering with travel management company Concur. The program, Business Travel on Airbnb, boasted the ability to help business travelers find a room and seamlessly handle their expense reports. It seemed like a smart way for Airbnb to take advantage of a ripe market: One survey found that roughly 10 percent of Airbnb's bookings already came from business travelers. "We've heard from traveler feedback that a dedicated site that caters to business travelers' needs has been high on their wishlist," the company explained.

In the year since, the service has been a great success. Business travel spending on Airbnb hit nearly $1 million in the first quarter of 2015, and continues to climb, reports The Economist.

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Jessica Hullinger

Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.