How to: Set Up Airbnb Integration (draft of updates) – Lynx

How to: Set Up Airbnb Integration (draft of updates)

This guide explains how to seamlessly connect your Airbnb account to Lynx, enabling centralized guest communication and reservation synchronization.

When to Use This Guide
Benefits of the Airbnb Integration
Understanding Integration Modes
Step-By-Step Setup Workflow
- Mode A: Inbox Only Setup
- Mode B: Access Management & Inbox Setup
Sync Rules & Managing Properties
Special Considerations for Automated Messaging Through Airbnb Chat
Related Articles

When to Use This Guide

When you are ready to securely authorize and link your Airbnb listings to your Lynx dashboard.
When you want to decide whether you only need unified inbox messaging visibility for your stays, or if you also want Lynx to fully manage your reservations and automatically generate guest access codes.
Airbnb offers two integration options, described in detail below: Mode A: Inbox Only, which brings Airbnb stays into your Lynx Inbox for messaging visibility only, and Mode B: Access Management & Inbox, which adds full reservation sync, bulk property import, and automatic access code generation on top of Inbox messaging.
When you need to import new Airbnb properties, unlink existing ones, or force a manual resync of your listings.

Benefits of the Airbnb Integration

Immediate Booking Sync: New bookings, guest details, and calendar updates flow from Airbnb into Lynx immediately, with no manual data entry required.
Reduced Double-Booking Risk: Because this is a direct integration, availability updates in Lynx as soon as a new reservation comes in from Airbnb, helping prevent duplicate bookings.
Centralized Guest Communication: Stop jumping between platforms. View, read, and trigger automated messages and check-in instructions from the Lynx Inbox once an Airbnb booking has synced.
Seamless Upselling: Offer early check-in, late checkout, and premium services to your Airbnb guests directly through your Lynx digital guidebook.

Understanding the Two Connection Purposes

During setup, you must select an operational mode. This determines how deeply Airbnb connects with Lynx:

A: Inbox Only. Choose this if your primary goal is messaging visibility without modifying your current reservation operations. Lynx will pull in reservation data purely for context in the chat, but it will not generate access codes. You will need to manually link your Airbnb properties to existing Lynx properties. If you also need Lynx to sync stays from a separate property management system, connect that PMS as well — see How To: Add PMS/Booking Site Link to a Property.
B: Access Management & Inbox. Choose this for the full experience. You get centralized Inbox messaging, plus Lynx manages the full reservation lifecycle and automatically generates smart lock access codes for every guest.
This mode allows you to easily perform a Bulk Import to pull all your Airbnb listings into Lynx as brand new properties simultaneously. In addition to access codes, Mode B also enables automated messaging through Airbnb's native chat channel.

Note regarding Mode Selection: Please choose your integration mode carefully! Once you select an operational mode (Inbox Only OR Access Management & Inbox), you cannot switch between these modes later.

Step-by-Step Setup Workflow

Follow the table below that matches the operational mode you selected. Steps 1 and 2 are the same for both modes; Steps 3 and 4 differ depending on whether you chose Inbox Only or Access Management & Inbox.

Mode A: Inbox Only Setup

Mode B: Access Management & Inbox Setup

Sync Rules & Managing Properties

Here is how data synchronizes and how you can manage your integration moving forward:

One-Way Sync Behavior: Lynx syncs new and updated bookings from Airbnb immediately. This is a one-way, read-only sync: Lynx pulls reservation data in from Airbnb, but nothing is ever sent back — changes made in Lynx (including access codes) do not update your Airbnb listing or calendar. Check this article for more information: How to: Manage Airbnb Communication in the Lynx Inbox
Synchronized Fields: Lynx specifically pulls the following data points for every reservation: Reservation ID, Guest Name, Stay Dates, Guest Count, Listing ID, and Booking Status. Cancelled bookings remain visible in Lynx to ensure your reporting and history stay accurate.
Manual Resync: If you add a brand new listing on Airbnb, simply hit the Resync button in Lynx. This safely reloads your Airbnb listings and updates availability without breaking, losing, or removing any of your existing mapped properties.
1-to-1 Mapping Rule: Each Airbnb listing can only be mapped to one Lynx property at a time to prevent duplicate records and system conflicts. For more info, visit: How To: Add PMS/Booking Site Link to a Property
Unlinking a Property: If you made a mapping mistake or no longer manage a unit, you can click "Unlink." A confirmation pop-up will appear. Once unlinked, reservation sync, messaging, and access automation immediately stop for that unit. However, all historical reservation data remains safely preserved in your account. For more information: How To: Add PMS/Booking Site Link to a Property

Special Considerations for Automated Messaging Through Airbnb Chat

Both Mode A (Inbox Only) and Mode B (Access Management & Inbox) let you view and manage Airbnb guest conversations in the Lynx Inbox if you also have the Lynx Inbox feature, and both support standard Lynx Messaging automations based on synced reservation data. Mode B is the option that additionally manages your reservation lifecycle and generates access codes automatically.

With either mode connected, you can set up automated messages to be delivered directly through Airbnb's native messaging channel — included with the integration at no additional cost. Once your Airbnb integration is connected, you can create messaging automations that filter specifically for Airbnb bookings and deliver messages through the Airbnb platform, covering access codes, pre-arrival instructions, check-in details, house rules, and more.

Plain Text Only: Templates created for Airbnb messaging must use plain text — complex HTML formatting is not supported by the external chat channel. For more information: How To: Create Messaging Templates
Booking Source Filter: When configuring an automation rule, select "Airbnb" as the communication method and filter by booking source to ensure the rule fires only for Airbnb reservations. See: How To: Send Automated Messages Through Airbnb Chat
Delivery Tracking: Monitor message delivery using the Airbnb status indicator inside the booking details in Lynx.
Visibility Check: If the Airbnb option does not appear in your automation settings, verify that your Airbnb integration is fully connected and your properties are properly linked.

Note: Automated messaging through the Airbnb channel is included with the integration at no additional cost. Full two-way live inbox conversations with Airbnb guests require a separate Inbox feature. How To: Use Inbox

Steps	Actions
Step 1: Pick the Integration	Go to the Integrations page in Lynx and click "Add a New Integration." Select Airbnb. Give the connection a name, and select Inbox Only as your Integration Purpose. Click Authorize.
Step 2: Authenticate via Airbnb OAuth	You will be redirected to the Airbnb website to securely approve the connection. Authorization Success: You will be returned to the Lynx platform, and a setup pop-up will automatically open to begin property configuration. Authorization Failure: An error message will display with an option to retry. Authorization Cancellation: The integration is added to your Lynx list but marked as "Unauthorized," allowing you to retry the connection later.
Step 3: Map Properties (Property Linking)	Once authorized, a guided pop-up window will help you organize your properties. Since Inbox Only requires manual property linking, the system will display all Airbnb properties. Click "Link" on a row, search for your existing Lynx property in the dropdown, and confirm. Once linked, the unlink option becomes enabled.
Step 4: Finish & Review Metrics	Review your setup summary on the dashboard. For Inbox Only, you will see clear metrics showing Total Properties in the account, Total Linked, and Pending mappings. You can easily correct any pending mappings directly from this screen. If you are using the Lynx Inbox feature, you can view and respond to Airbnb guest conversations alongside all your other channels. If you are using standard Lynx Messaging, your existing automations will continue to run for linked properties based on your reservation data. If you want automated messages delivered through Airbnb's native chat channel, see Special Considerations below. Once linked, learn how to manage Airbnb conversations in the shared inbox: How to: Manage Airbnb Communication in the Lynx Inbox. For general Inbox usage and FAQs, see: How To: Use Inbox

Steps	Actions
Step 1: Pick the Integration	Go to the Integrations page in Lynx and click "Add a New Integration." Select Airbnb. Give the connection a name, and select Access Management & Inbox as your Integration Purpose. Click Authorize.
Step 2: Authenticate via Airbnb OAuth	You will be redirected to the Airbnb website to securely approve the connection. Authorization Success: You will be returned to the Lynx platform, and a setup pop-up will automatically open to begin property configuration. Authorization Failure: An error message will display with an option to retry. Authorization Cancellation: The integration is added to your Lynx list but marked as "Unauthorized," allowing you to retry the connection later.
Step 3: Bulk Import Properties	Once authorized, a guided pop-up window will help you organize your properties. The system fetches your Airbnb listings and allows you to perform a Bulk Import to instantly create them as brand new properties inside Lynx. Simply select the listings you want, click import, and they will be bulk-created as internal properties ready for access codes. If you'd rather not create new properties, you can skip the import and instead link your Airbnb listings to existing Lynx properties — see How To: Add a Property and How To: Add PMS/Booking Site Link to a Property.
Step 4: Finish & Review Metrics	Review your setup summary on the dashboard. For Access Management & Inbox, you will see metrics for Total properties fetched, Total successfully imported, and Failed imports. You can easily retry failed bulk imports directly from this screen. If you are using the Lynx Inbox feature, you can view and respond to Airbnb guest conversations alongside all your other channels. If you are using standard Lynx Messaging, your automations will run for every imported or linked property based on synced reservation data. If you want automated messages delivered through Airbnb's native chat channel, see Special Considerations below. With this mode active, you can also set up automated messaging delivered through Airbnb's native chat channel. See: How To: Send Automated Messages Through Airbnb Chat. To build the broader automation rules that use this channel, see the Messaging Automations KB.