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INTERVIEW PREP · US AND INDIA

Airbnb software engineer interview

The rounds at each level, what interviewers score, the Core values, and the questions candidates report, linked to problems you can solve here with the editor, walkthrough video and solutions in four languages.

Based on public candidate reports and Airbnb's own careers pages, checked November 2026. Processes vary by team and change over time. AlgoRung is not affiliated with Airbnb.

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Your level

Levels

AlgoRung levelAirbnb titleExperienceInterviews after screeningDesign rounds
SDE 1G7 Software EngineerNew grad to about 2 years about 5Usually not
SDE 2G8 Software EngineerAbout 2 to 5 years about 7Yes
SDE 3G9 Senior Software EngineerSenior, about 5 to 10 years about 7Yes
SDE 4G10 Staff and aboveStaff, principal and above about 7Yes

The rounds, in order

Pick your level above to see only your rounds. Each step links to a guide on how that round is scored.

  1. Phone / recruiter screen · 30 min

    A recruiter call on background, motivation and light behavioral questions.

    All levels

  2. Online assessment · 90 min

    Some early-career candidates take an online assessment instead of the live screen.

    SDE 1

  3. Coding (DSA) · 60 min

    The technical screen requires running code, not pseudocode, on medium-hard problems often framed around bookings.

    All levels

  4. Coding (DSA) × 2 · 60 min

    Onsite coding is reported as harder than average and DP-heavy; senior candidates may get only one coding round.

    All levels

  5. Team-specific round · 60 min

    Some loops include a code review round where you critique a prepared pull request seeded with bugs.

    SDE 2, SDE 3, SDE 4

  6. System design (HLD) · 60 min

    System design with a vague, product-aware prompt that rewards clarifying scope and caring about the user experience.

    SDE 2, SDE 3, SDE 4

  7. Behavioral × 2 · 45 min

    Two core values interviews, often run by trained employees outside the hiring team, which can block an offer on their own.

    All levels

  8. Hiring committee

    A committee sets the level, and team matching calls happen before the offer.

    All levels

ScreeningCodingDesignBehavioralDecision

What interviewers look for

  • Fully working, executed code (no pseudocode)
  • Clean code and edge-case handling
  • Product-aware design judgment tied to user experience
  • Belonging and hospitality toward colleagues
  • Ownership and resourcefulness

Topics to focus on

Weighted by what candidates say comes up and by the reported questions below.

Behavioral: Core values

The dedicated core values interviews score past behavior against the four values, with questions about belonging, hospitality toward teammates and scrappy ownership. A weak result can override strong technical feedback.

Champion the MissionBig impact and long-term thinking

Show you thought beyond the next sprint and made a bet with a long payoff.

  • Tell me about a time you made a decision that hurt in the short term but helped in the long term.
  • Describe an idea of yours that the team adopted.
  • Describe a project that needed several teams. How did you get them aligned?
Be a HostCollaboration and inclusion

Show how you helped others succeed and made people feel they belonged.

  • Describe a decision you argued against but then had to carry out.
  • Tell me about a time you helped a teammate succeed.
  • Describe a project that needed several teams. How did you get them aligned?
Embrace the AdventureInvention and simplification

Show a simpler or new way of doing something and the measurable result.

  • Tell me about a time you simplified a complex process or system.
  • Describe an idea of yours that the team adopted.
  • Tell me about the most ambitious project you have proposed.
Be a Cereal EntrepreneurInvention and simplification

Show a simpler or new way of doing something and the measurable result.

  • Tell me about a time you simplified a complex process or system.
  • Describe an idea of yours that the team adopted.
  • Tell me about the most ambitious project you have proposed.

All behavioral questions · Write your STAR stories in the story bank

Coding questions candidates report

Each links to the AlgoRung problem: write-up, animated walkthrough, solutions in Java, Python, C++ and JavaScript, and an editor with hidden tests. Shared questions show the other companies that ask them.

Difficulty
Topic
6 questions
  1. Alien Dictionary Hard Graphs also Amazon, Meta
  2. Combination Sum (repeating elements) Medium Recursion & Backtracking
  3. Coin Change Medium Dynamic Programming also Google, Goldman Sachs, Salesforce
  4. Cheapest Flights Within K Stops Medium Graphs also Google, Flipkart, Swiggy
  5. Reconstruct Itinerary Hard Graphs also Amazon
  6. Maximum Profit in Job Scheduling Hard Dynamic Programming also Razorpay

Airbnb coding questions by topic · Airbnb SDE 1 interview · Airbnb SDE 2 interview · Airbnb senior interview · Airbnb staff interview

Also reported, not on AlgoRung yet (5)

Palindrome Pairs · Pour Water · Flatten 2D Vector · Sliding Puzzle · Design File System

Design questions

Mid-level candidates and above get one design round. Senior and staff candidates are judged on product-driven trade-offs (latency, consistency, user experience) and on scope, not on reciting distributed-systems vocabulary.

Also reported: Dynamic pricing suggestions

Airbnb system design questions in detail · How to answer any design question: the LADDER method

Worth knowing

Interviewing at Airbnb?

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Sources

Written in our own words from these public pages and candidate reports, checked November 2026. Company names are trademarks of their owners.

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