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When you check into a hotel, the hotel is very likely to ask you to put a credit card on file. This is true even if you are using points for a free night or if you have already prepaid for your stay. When you give the hotel your credit card, they will usually place a small hold on it, which can range from $50-$200 or more above the price of your room.
Hotels use these credit card holds because the exact amount of your final bill is not known at the moment of check-in. You may charge items to your room, grab some drinks from the minibar, extend your stay, or even cause damage to the property. Once you check out and your final bill is settled, the hotel credit card hold will usually drop off of your credit card account.
Key Points
• Hotels place temporary holds on credit cards at check-in to cover potential incidental charges or damages.
• These holds generally range from $50-$200+ beyond the cost of the room.
• Temporary holds can reduce your available credit, impacting credit utilization and possibly leading to declined transactions.
• Debit card holds can result in overdraft fees if the account balance is insufficient.
• To manage hotel holds, check your available balance, find out the hold amount, and confirm hold removal after checkout.
What Is a Hotel Credit Card Hold?
A hotel credit card hold is a type of credit card hold that occurs when you stay as a guest at a property. When you check in to a hotel, staff will typically ask for your credit card to put it on file. The hotel will then put a hold on your card to cover any incidentals or other charges during your stay, such as room service or perhaps wifi fees (yes, some places still charge for that).
You’re not responsible for paying the amount of the hold unless and until it becomes an actual posted charge. It may, however, decrease your total available credit in terms of your credit card limit and impact your credit utilization ratio.
How Hotel Credit Card Holds Work
Hotel stays are a type of expense where you may not initially know the exact final amount of the charge. When you go to the supermarket and buy a week’s worth of groceries, you are charged immediately — no credit card hold required. But when you check in to a hotel, the management will put a hold on your card to account for any extra charges you may incur or property damages that you could cause during your stay. Even if you’ve found a great travel deal or used points for your stay, this kind of hold is typical.
What Can You Be Charged For?
Most hotels will put a hold on your credit card to account for any extra or additional charges that might come from your stay. Here are a few things you might be charged for:
• The cost of your room (if not prepaid)
• Additional nights if you extend your stay
• Room service
• Other items charged to your room (such as minibar snacks or on-demand movies)
• Damages to the property
Recommended: Breaking Down the Different Types of Credit Cards
How Long Does a Hotel Hold Your Credit Card?
Generally, a credit card hold is processed by the card network itself (e.g., Visa or Mastercard) and not by the merchant. So the hotel itself likely does not have any control over how long the hotel credit card hold amount stays on your account. However, most hotel credit card holds will drop off within one to seven business days after you check out.
If you’re still seeing the hold on your account after that, reach out to your credit card issuer to see if you can get it removed.
What Are the Benefits of a Hotel Credit Card Hold?
A hotel credit card hold offers few benefits to the guest — it’s more of a mechanism of how credit cards work. A hotel credit card hold is intended to provide some protection for the hotel itself in the case of needing payment for additional charges or damages.
But from the consumer’s perspective, a hotel hold on your credit card is just something to be aware of and account for since it will typically lower the amount of credit you have available.
Other Methods of Reservation
There are a variety of other different methods of payment you might use to cover your hotel stay. You can use your credit card points, cash, or a debit card or even prepay for your stay.
But be aware: No matter how you reserve and pay for your hotel room, the hotel is likely going to ask you for a credit card to put on file and place a hold on it when you check in. It’s quite typical throughout the industry.
Recommended: What Is the Average Credit Card Limit and How Can You Increase It?
Booking a Hotel Using a Credit Card Hold
One of the most popular ways to book a hotel is with a credit card. Using a credit card to book and pay for your hotel allows you to avoid having to give a cash deposit or use another form of payment when you check in and check out.
Even if you pay for your hotel room with a debit card, credit card rewards, or cash, you’ll likely still have to show a credit card when you check in. The hotel will generally put a small temporary hold on your credit card account at that time.
Best Practices for Managing Credit Card Holds
You probably won’t have any control over a hotel putting a temporary hold on your credit card. That said, it’s still important to understand what that means and how you can manage it.
Most hotel holds on credit cards are for relatively small amounts, starting from as little as $50. However, if you have a credit card with a lower overall credit ceiling or if you are close to maxing out your credit, this hold may end up limiting your total available credit. You’ll want to be aware of that to minimize the chances of your credit card being declined.
How Do Hotel Credit Card Holds Help Hotels?
Hotel credit card holds help hotels by providing them access to guests’ cards in case there are additional charges or damages by guests. In many cases, there are no additional charges. You can make a credit card payment for the total amount of your bill and settle your account.
But if there are any additional charges, a credit card hold reassures the hotel that your card has at least a certain amount available to cover these charges.
Credit Card Hold vs Debit Card Hold
Holds can be issued on both credit cards as well as debit cards. In both cases, a hold is temporary and for a specific amount. Once the charge is finalized, the hold will usually be removed automatically.
One important difference to note is that because a debit card is tied directly to your bank account, you may be charged additional fees if the hold triggers an overdraft on your account.
In either scenario, it can be wise to understand your total available balance and how a temporary hold may affect it.
Recommended: Understanding Purchase Interest Charges on Credit Cards
The Takeaway
It’s common practice in the hotel industry to request a credit card at check-in and place a temporary hotel credit card hold on the card. This temporary hold is generally around $50- $200 more than the outstanding balance on your hotel room. It helps protect the hotel if you have any additional charges or cause damage to the room. The temporary hold will usually be cleared within a few days of checking out.
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FAQ
What happens to your card limit when you use it to hold a room?
The amount of credit that you have available to use on your credit card account is reduced by any pending credit card charges, such as hotel room holds. Your available balance will remain at this lower level until the hotel charge is finalized, which may take a few days after you check out. Make sure that you understand your available balance to limit the chances that your card is declined.
How long does a hotel hold your deposit?
Generally, most hotels will put a temporary hold on your credit card when you check in. This hold usually lasts for up to seven business days after you check out, and then it disappears. If you see a hotel credit card hold on your statement that’s longer than that, contact your credit card issuer to see if they can remove the hold.
How much do hotels hold on credit cards?
The amount that hotels hold on credit cards will vary by establishment, ranging anywhere between $50 and $200 or more, plus any outstanding balance owed on the room. This helps protect the hotel in case of extra charges or damages by guests. If you’re not sure how much the hold will be for, you can ask the desk clerk when you check in for the policy at that specific hotel.
Photo credit: iStock/ferrantraite
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