Airbnb adds 21 new accessibility filters for guests

On the same day Google announced a Maps feature buff for wheelchair users, accommodation service Airbnb updated its app to include new accessibility filters.

These 21 new filters will “make it easier for guests with disabilities to find accessible travel accommodation worldwide,” the company writes in an update.

While users could search for Airbnb listings that were labeled as “wheelchair accessible”, this didn’t allow users to filter results for more granular needs.

“The new filters allow Airbnb guests to search for listings with specific features, including step-free entry to rooms, entryways that are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair, and more,” the company adds.

The feature is already available in South Africa, with a number of residences across the country now falling into at least one of the new filters. In Johannesburg alone, filtering by “Wide hallway clearance”, “Adjustable-height bed,” and “Wide clearance to bed” produces more than 100 results.

The new filters can be found beneath the “Accessibility” option in the Search screen’s “Filters” tab on the iOS and Android apps, and the web.

Feature image: Airbnb