Hotel and car rental pre-authorisation holds

When you use your Pleo card at a hotel or car rental company, you may notice the amount in Pleo looks different (often higher) than what you end up paying.

This is usually because of a preauthorisation (also called a “preauthorisation hold”) — a temporary hold on your available balance to cover the expected cost, plus possible extras like a deposit or incidentals.

Why does the amount look higher than expected?

A preauthorisation amount is often higher than the final bill because the merchant adds a buffer to protect against extra charges.

Common examples

• Hotels: A hotel may preauthorise your card at check-in for the full stay, plus a deposit for potential incidentals (for example, room service, minibar, or damages).
• Car rentals: A car rental company may preauthorise the rental cost, plus a damage or fuel deposit that can be significantly higher than the base price.

In Pleo, this typically shows as a pending transaction. It is not the final charge.

What happens when you check out or return the car?

Once you check out or return the vehicle, the merchant processes the final charge for the actual amount owed.

This usually happens in the following order:

1. The preauthorisation hold is released.
2. The final amount is charged to your card.
3. Your Pleo transaction updates to reflect the final amount.

How long does a preauthorisation hold last?

Hold times depend on the merchant and their payment processor.

• Hotels: Usually released within a few hours to a few days after check-out.
• Car rentals: May remain for up to 7–30 days after the vehicle is returned.

While the hold is active, the preauthorised amount is unavailable for other spending.

Tips for managing preauthorisations

• Plan for a higher hold: Make sure your Pleo wallet has enough funds to cover the expected cost plus a deposit buffer.
• Keep your receipts: Having the final invoice makes it easier to reconcile the transaction once it settles.
• Check the merchant’s policy in advance: Most hotels and car rental companies can tell you the deposit amount at booking, check-in, or pickup.

What if the hold isn’t released after a long time?

If the hold hasn’t been released after more than 30 days:

1. Contact the merchant to confirm they’ve processed the final settlement.
2. Contact Pleo support if the issue persists, and the team can investigate with the card network.