Change card on Booking.com to cancel a reservation [closed]

I have done a reservation with a valid credit card with sufficient funds on it on Booking.com . The reservation is not cancellable or refundable.

What will happen if I change the credit card on the reservation with a Prepaid Debit Card?

Will the hotel still have the possibility to charge my normal Credit Card?

payment-cards booking.com

Best Answer

A prepaid debit card may not be usable on the Internet (check with your bank to confirm if you can use it to make online purchases).

Your credit card may have just been blocked and not charged; technically there is a difference, but practically the amount is not available to you so as a consumer it does not matter if its blocked or charged.

A block can immediately be released, but a charge has to go through an (expensive) chargeback process.

So if the card is blocked, then when checking into your hotel - just ask to pay with your prepaid card or with cash. Most hotels are happy to accommodate you. If you switch cards, they will block on your new card, and then release the block on your original card. If you want to pay by cash, at checkout they will settle the bill, and then release the block.

Either way, your card doesn't get charged and the money is credited back anywhere from 4 - 14 days depending on your bank.