When Will I Be Charged?
Payment timing depends on your booking type and the supplier's policies.
Quick Answer
Prepaid bookings: Charged immediately when you complete booking
Pay at hotel: Authorization hold now, full payment at check-in
Partial payment: Deposit now, balance at hotel or before arrival
Payment Timing by Booking Type
Prepaid / Pay Now Bookings
When: Immediately upon booking confirmation
How it works:
- Complete booking
- Card charged within minutes
- Confirmation email sent
- Nothing to pay at hotel
Amount charged: Full booking amount (room + taxes + fees)
Appears on statement: 1-3 business days
Example:
Booking completed: Monday 2:00 PM
Card charged: Monday 2:01 PM
Bank statement: Tuesday or Wednesday
Hotel stay: Friday-Sunday
Nothing to pay at check-in ✓
Pay at Hotel Bookings
When booking:
- Small authorization hold (temporary)
- Usually $1-50
- Released in 3-7 days
At check-in:
- Full payment taken
- Room rate + taxes
- Plus incidental hold
Example:
Booking: $500 total
At booking: $10 authorization (released later)
At check-in: $500 payment + $100 incidental hold
At checkout: $100 incidental released (if no charges)
Partial Prepayment
Now: Deposit amount Later: Balance payment
Common deposit scenarios:
- First night: Pay 1 night now, rest at hotel
- Percentage: Pay 30-50% now, balance later
- Fixed amount: Pay set amount, rest at hotel
When balance due:
- At check-in (most common)
- 24-48 hours before arrival
- By specific date (noted in confirmation)
Example:
Total booking: $600 (3 nights × $200)
Deposit now: $200 (first night)
Balance at hotel: $400
Understanding Authorization Holds
What Are They?
Temporary charges to:
- Verify card is valid
- Ensure sufficient funds
- Reserve available credit
- Confirm card not stolen
Not actual charges:
- Money not taken
- Credit temporarily unavailable
- Released automatically
- Standard practice
How Much?
Booking verification: $1-50
Incidental deposit: $50-200 per night
Total stay: Sometimes full amount temporarily
Varies by:
- Supplier
- Hotel policy
- Booking amount
- Length of stay
How Long?
Released:
- 3-5 business days (most common)
- Up to 7 business days
- Sometimes 10 days
- Varies by bank
Appears as:
- "Pending" transaction
- "Authorization"
- "Temporary hold"
- May show full amount
Managing Your Credit
Be aware:
- Holds reduce available credit
- Multiple bookings = multiple holds
- Takes time to release
- Can affect other purchases
Plan ahead:
Credit limit: $5,000
Booking hold: $500
Incidental hold: $100
Available: $4,400 (until holds release)
Incidental Holds at Hotel
What They Cover
Potential charges:
- Room service
- Minibar
- Phone calls
- Parking
- Spa services
- Damages
- Late checkout
When Applied
At check-in:
- Hotel authorizes your card
- Hold placed on account
- Active during stay
- Released at checkout
How Much?
Typical amounts:
- Budget hotels: $50-100/night
- Mid-range: $100-150/night
- Luxury: $150-300/night
- Resorts: Up to $500/night
Example:
3-night stay at mid-range hotel:
Room paid in advance: $450
Incidental hold at check-in: $300 (3 nights × $100)
Total credit held: $300
Released at checkout: $300 (if no charges)
Release Time
After checkout:
- Hotel releases hold
- Your bank processes release
- Takes 3-7 business days
- Some banks faster (1-3 days)
Weekends/holidays: Add 2-3 days
Special Scenarios
Long Stays
For extended stays:
- May charge weekly
- Or every few days
- Or bill at checkout
- Check confirmation
Group Bookings
Multiple rooms:
- Each room charged separately
- Or one charge for all
- Depends on arrangement
- Confirm when booking
Corporate Bookings
Company cards:
- Same timing applies
- Invoice sent separately
- May have net-30 terms
- Arrange in advance
Seeing Charges
On Your Statement
Charge appears as:
- Merchant name (may vary)
- PriceRoom
- Supplier name
- Hotel name
- Gateway processor
Amount shows:
- In payment currency
- Converted by bank
- May differ from display price
- Due to exchange rates
Timeline
Immediate: Hotel/supplier processes
1-3 days: Appears as pending
3-5 days: Posted to account
7-10 days: Statement closes
If You're Not Charged
Prepaid But No Charge
Check:
- Email confirmation received?
- Booking reference issued?
- Check all your cards
- Check pending transactions
- May process tomorrow
If no charge after 48 hours: Contact support
Payment Error
Failed payment:
- You'll be notified
- Booking may not complete
- No confirmation = not booked
- Try again
Managing Multiple Bookings
Several Reservations
Be aware:
- Each creates separate charge/hold
- Credit tied up for each
- All release separately
- Plan available credit
Example:
Booking 1: $500 (paid)
Booking 2: $300 (paid)
Booking 3: $400 (pay at hotel - $50 hold)
Total credit used: $850
Cancelling Before Charge
Free cancellation:
- If cancelled before payment
- No charge occurs
- Authorization released
- Check cancellation deadline
After charge:
- Refund processed
- Takes 5-10 business days
- Back to original card
FAQ
Q: Why do I see two charges? A: One is authorization hold (released), other is actual payment.
Q: Can I be charged before check-in? A: Yes, if prepaid booking. That's the point - pay in advance.
Q: Hold not released after 7 days? A: Contact your bank. They control release timing.
Q: Wrong amount charged? A: Check currency conversion. Contact support if genuinely incorrect.
Q: Can I change when I'm charged? A: No. Payment timing set by booking type and can't be changed.
Q: Charged but booking cancelled? A: Refund processed separately. Takes 5-10 days.
Tips
Ensure Smooth Payment
✅ Check available credit before booking
✅ Use card that won't expire before stay
✅ Keep card active through checkout
✅ Expect authorization holds
✅ Plan for incidental holds at hotel
Avoid Issues
❌ Don't cancel card after booking
❌ Don't max out credit before travel
❌ Don't expect instant hold release
❌ Don't use card about to expire
Need Help?
Questions about payment timing?
We can explain:
- Your specific booking's payment schedule
- Why you see certain charges
- Hold amounts and release times
- Payment currency and conversion