Seattle Airbnb Occupancy & Market Trends: Winter 2026 Strategy Guide
Quick Summary:
Seattle’s winter weather materially impacts short-term rental (STR) occupancy. For most properties, occupancy declines from typical summer levels of roughly 70–80% to winter averages closer to 35–50% between December and February, with February often the weakest month. Colder temperatures, persistent rain, limited daylight, and reduced tourism all contribute. That said, winter does not have to be unprofitable. Properties that combine dynamic pricing, weekend-focused strategies, selective minimum stays, and extended-stay positioning can maintain stable revenue through the off-season.
Seattle is a seasonal market. If you operate a short-term rental here, winter performance will never look like summer performance, and expecting it to is unrealistic.
The more important question is not whether winter slows demand, but how well your strategy adapts to it. Owners who approach winter with the same pricing, positioning, and stay rules they use in July tend to struggle. Owners who adjust intentionally often come through the season with predictable revenue and far less stress.
To understand what works, it helps to start with the reality of Seattle’s winter market.
Seattle Winter Occupancy: What the Data Shows
Summer vs. Winter Performance
During peak summer months (June through August), well-located and well-managed Seattle STRs commonly achieve 70–80% occupancy, driven by cruise season, outdoor tourism, and extended daylight.
Winter tells a different story.
From December through February, occupancy for most properties falls into the 35–50% range, representing a meaningful seasonal decline. Stronger-performing homes may maintain occupancy closer to the upper end of that range, while entry-level or poorly positioned listings often fall lower.
February is typically the weakest month of the year. It sits after the holiday travel period and before spring demand begins to return, making it the lowest point for both occupancy and revenue in most years.
What This Means for Revenue
To put this in practical terms, consider a property generating roughly $60,000 annually in gross STR revenue. It is not unusual to see:
- Summer months outperform winter months by 2x or more
- Peak summer months contributing a disproportionate share of annual revenue
- Winter months requiring tighter cost control and more deliberate pricing to remain profitable
This seasonality is not a failure of the asset. It is a feature of the Seattle market.
Why Winter Impacts Seattle STRs More Than Many Markets
Seattle’s winter slowdown is driven by several compounding factors.
Weather and Daylight
Winter conditions are not extreme, but they are persistent:
- Temperatures: Typical daytime highs in the low-to-mid 40s°F
- Rainfall: December averages roughly 150mm (about 6 inches) of precipitation
- Daylight: December offers approximately 8.5 hours of daylight, with limited direct sunshine
For visitors deciding where to travel in winter, Seattle is rarely a default choice. Travelers seeking warmth go south, and travelers seeking winter recreation often choose mountain destinations.
Seasonal Tourism Patterns
Many of Seattle’s marquee attractions are summer-driven:
- Cruise season runs roughly May through September
- Waterfront activity, parks, and lake use peak in warm weather
- Clear visibility from viewpoints and outdoor attractions is less reliable
Winter tourism still exists, but it is more selective and experience-driven rather than broad-based.
Business Travel Softness
December and early January tend to see reduced business travel as companies pause travel around the holidays. February often improves modestly but typically remains softer than spring or fall.
Where Winter Demand Still Exists
Winter in Seattle is slower, but it is not empty. Demand simply shifts.
December and Holiday Travel
December generally performs better than January or February due to holiday-related travel. Families visiting relatives, professionals returning home for the holidays, and event-driven visitors all contribute to steadier demand.
Seattle’s winter event calendar supports this:
- Seattle Center Winterfest
- Seattle Christmas Market
- WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo
- Pacific Northwest Ballet performances
- The Christmas Ship Festival
Properties positioned as comfortable, well-located home bases for holiday visits tend to perform meaningfully better during this period.
Indoor Culture and Experiences
Seattle remains active indoors throughout winter:
- Museums such as MoPOP, SAM, and the Museum of Flight
- Performing arts, concerts, and theater
- A strong food, coffee, and brewery culture that attracts visitors year-round
Winter travelers are less interested in outdoor sightseeing and more interested in walkability, dining, and cultural access. Listings that emphasize these features outperform those still marketed for summer experiences.
Weekend and Event-Driven Travel
While weekday demand softens significantly in winter, weekends often remain viable, particularly around:
- Seattle Seahawks and Kraken games
- University of Washington events
- Concerts and touring shows
- Short regional getaways from Portland or Vancouver, BC
Successful winter pricing typically includes stronger weekend rates paired with more flexible weekday pricing.
Extended-Stay Demand
Extended stays are one of the most effective winter strategies in Seattle.
The region consistently sees demand from:
- Relocating professionals
- Healthcare and medical assignments
- Visiting academics and researchers
- Corporate housing needs
Extended stays reduce turnover costs, stabilize income, and often result in lower wear and tear. Zoning rules and HOA restrictions vary by property, but where permitted, extended stays can materially improve winter performance.
Some owners choose to secure one longer winter booking and prioritize predictability over nightly optimization.
Managing extended stays in winter also requires careful adherence to Seattle’s STR Tax and Compliance rules.
The Reality for Self-Managing Owners in Winter
Winter management requires more involvement than summer.
Owners who self-manage must contend with:
- Frequent pricing adjustments across weekdays, weekends, and events
- Repositioning listings for winter-specific demand
- Monitoring extended-stay opportunities outside traditional STR platforms
- Managing weather-related maintenance risks
- Absorbing the psychological strain of slower booking cycles
Many owners underestimate how much time winter optimization requires, even as revenue is temporarily lower.
How Professional Management Changes Winter Outcomes
Winter performance is less about effort and more about systems.
Professional management applies:
Dynamic, Event-Aware Pricing
Rates are adjusted continuously based on:
- Event calendars
- Competitor activity
- Historical winter performance
- Day-of-week demand patterns
- Holiday and last-minute booking behavior
Strategic Calendar Control
This includes:
- Balancing short-term and extended-stay opportunities
- Adjusting minimum stays seasonally
- Managing gap nights intentionally
- Using slower periods for proactive maintenance
Winter-Specific Positioning
Listings are optimized for winter realities:
- Highlighting indoor amenities and comfort
- Emphasizing proximity to dining, transit, and culture
- Adjusting cancellation policies and stay rules for off-season behavior
Proactive Maintenance
Winter brings unique operational risks. Systems matter more when:
- Heating issues arise
- Storms cause outages or delays
- Access and response times matter more due to limited daylight
The Bottom Line: Winter Requires a Different Strategy
Seattle’s winter weather does reduce STR demand. That part is unavoidable.
What is controllable is how well your strategy adapts. Owners who treat winter as a passive downturn often see avoidable revenue loss. Owners who actively adjust pricing, positioning, stay length strategy, and maintenance planning tend to maintain stability and profitability.
You can manage this yourself. Some owners do, and do it well.
But doing so requires:
- Time
- Market-specific knowledge
- Pricing and analytics tools
- Systems that account for seasonality
Professional management exists to absorb that complexity so winter becomes predictable rather than stressful.
Making Winter Work for You
Seattle winters are challenging, but they are also consistent and well-understood. The question is not whether occupancy will dip. It will.
The real question is whether you have a strategy that accounts for it.
Professional management helps ensure:
- Winter revenue is maximized within market constraints
- Extended-stay opportunities are actively pursued
- Maintenance risks are managed proactively
- You are not carrying the mental load of seasonal volatility
If you’re evaluating whether professional management could improve your property’s winter performance, we’re happy to walk through your specific home, neighborhood, and goals. Winter is where good systems matter most.
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With 25+ years in luxury hotels and vacation rentals, Adam has led operations for brands like Fairmont and St. Regis and built high-performing hospitality businesses from the ground up. Today, as Founder & CEO of Recreation Stays, he brings that same expertise to helping owners unlock maximum returns while delivering five-star guest experiences. He’s also the host of The Proven Principles Hospitality Podcast, where industry leaders share what works in modern hospitality, and was recently recognized as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful People in US Hospitality.