Ninth Circuit Affirms Dismissal in Airbnb Domain Dispute

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court decision dismissing claims brought under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act and Arizona common law. The registrant of the domain airbnbseo.com had sued after Airbnb obtained a transfer of the domain through prior proceedings. The court found that the registrant failed to show the domain was not confusingly similar to Airbnb’s famous mark or that the registrant lacked bad faith intent to profit from the mark.

The underlying dispute centered on the registrant’s attempt to block the domain transfer following Airbnb’s successful UDRP or similar action. The Ninth Circuit’s July 8, 2026, ruling in Smith v. Airbnb, Inc., No. 25-571, left the district court’s dismissal intact.

This outcome reinforces protections for well-known marks against domain registrations that target brand recognition for potential commercial gain.

Sources: https://legalblogs.wolterskluwer.com/trademark-blog/trademark-case-smith-v-airbnb-inc-usa/ https://trademarklawyermagazine.com/trademark-news/