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Two types of virtual credit cards can be used to pay for Expedia reservations:

• Virtual card provided by Expedia
• Affiliate virtual card

Virtual card provided by Expedia

A virtual card provided by Expedia allows direct-contracted properties to receive payment from Expedia Group with a virtual credit card. At the time of booking, Expedia Group generates a distinct virtual credit card number authorized for the transaction, and the virtual credit card details are provided electronically to the property to be used for payment. Virtual cards provided by Expedia are supported by the Booking Notification, Booking Retrieval, and Lodging Supply GraphQL APIs, and they are activated at the check-in time or booking creation time based on eligibility.

Steps for success

For a successful virtual card rollout, your implementation should support communication of credit card information as described in the API’s schema.

The property’s internal system must support changing existing bookings from the original billing method to a virtual card and vice versa, if the need arises.

After activation on a virtual card, the property can ask its market manager to include virtual card payment information in all pending bookings. In this case, booking modifications will be created that include a special request section containing this information. The property’s system must be able to change the payment type of existing bookings in such cases. It must also support a change in payment type if the property switches from virtual card back to invoice billing.

You need to ensure that all new bookings or pending updates for virtual cards are communicated to the property effectively.

During traveler check-in

When a traveler checks in, the property uses a credit card as a payment guarantee for the stay. If the virtual card is not available at the time of check-in, the property should not attempt to swipe the traveler's credit card or delay check-in. Instead, properties should access Partner Central or the property management system to find the virtual card number so they can charge the virtual card for the stay. If necessary, you can contact Expedia to request the virtual card number by fax.

• Modified bookings - In most cases, the virtual card number will remain the same for modified bookings. Card parameters may be adjusted to reflect the new booking rate and check-in/checkout dates. In rare cases, the virtual card number may be changed in modified bookings.
• Cancelled bookings - Cancellation booking responses do not include virtual card details. In order to bill applicable property cancellation fees, properties need billing information and the original check-in date as provided in the booking’s last notification prior to cancellation.

Billing process

The virtual card billing process allows properties to get paid for their reservations when the traveler checks out. Expedia Group generates a virtual card for every booking.

1. The property retrieves the virtual card number as follows:
   • If using the Booking Notification API, the property retrieves the virtual card number for the booking from the Booking Reservation Notification request message.
   • If using the Booking Retrieval and Booking Confirmation APIs, the property can retrieve the virtual card number for the booking from the Booking Retrieval response message.
   • If using the reservation management capability of the Lodging Supply GraphQL API, the virtual card number can be retrieved using the paymentInstrument query, which relies on the token that is retrieved by the payment : instrument object of the reservations query.
2. The property charges the stay to the virtual card at the time of checkout.

How the process works

If using the Booking Notification API or Booking Retrieval and Booking Confirmation APIs, a notification from the API is sent when a reservation is booked through any Expedia Group point of sale. The notification includes the credit card details will be available to the partner for update in the property’s reservation system. If using the Lodging Supply GraphQL API, a webhooks notification is sent that includes the property and reservation IDs, which can be used to query for reservation details and a payment token.

• The property has the option to authorize the card when the traveler arrives.
• Cards cannot be charged before guest arrival. No pre-authorizations or deposit charges should be charged on the card before check-in.
• All incidentals should be charged to the traveler’s personal credit card.
• The virtual card will be loaded for either the net or sell rate for nights booked plus applicable taxes and fees depending on the configuration and location in which a property is located.
• Virtual cards must only be used for the booking provided on the reservation confirmation.
• The property should charge the virtual card when the traveler checks out.
• All charges must be made within 180 days of checkout. Virtual cards expire within 180 days of checkout for fraud protection. If the card has expired, the partner can contact the Expedia support team for assistance.
• After the traveler checks out, the virtual card is processed and payment is made using the property’s existing credit card processing system.

Guidelines for properties

• Virtual cards are for room reservations only. Properties using the system will need travelers to provide a personal credit card at check-in to cover any incidental charges or on-site fees during their stay.
• Virtual cards should only be used once a traveler has checked out; no pre-authorizations or deposit charges should be charged to the card before check-in.
• Expedia charges no additional fees to partners who use virtual cards; however, normal merchant fees for processing the credit card transaction will apply.
• Virtual cards expire 180 days from the date of guest checkout. The partner can contact Expedia support for assistance if the card has expired.
• Cancellation penalties can be charged upon the original arrival date. When a property is first enabled on a virtual card, all of its new bookings will henceforth include virtual card card information in the special request section of the booking response notification or payment object of the reservations query response. It is also possible for the property to request that Expedia Group modify all pending booking to add virtual card details. The property’s system must be able to change the payment type of existing bookings in such cases. It must also support a change in payment type if the property switches from virtual card back to invoice billing. Properties can refer to section "11.1.1 Virtual Card special requests" of their Lodging Agreement for additional information.

Support

To troubleshoot credit card information, refer to Partner Central's Support page.

Phone support is available 24/7 in English and Spanish. Times vary for other languages based on business hours regionally. Support hours subject to change. For assistance in implementing virtual cards, contact your market manager orcontact us online.

Affiliate virtual cards

Travelers can book and pay for Hotel Collect reservations using either a personal credit card or a virtual credit provided by an affiliate. Affiliate virtual cards are digital credit cards that are often used in corporate travel to pay for travel expenses. Affiliate virtual cards used to pay for Hotel Collect reservations are not issued by Expedia, though they are provided by an Expedia affiliate partner.

When managing these payment methods, charge affiliate virtual cards according to instructions as detailed in the authorization form, which will be sent to you by email or fax from the affiliate partner or third-party provider. The authorization form will indicate whether incidentals should be charged to the affiliate virtual card or to the traveler's personal card.

If an issue arises with an affiliate virtual card payment before a traveler’s arrival, during check-in, or after checkout, contact the Expedia affiliate partner before cancelling the reservation.

• When a Hotel Collect reservation is booked through an affiliate partner website, the affiliate partner collects payment for the reservation.

• For charges that are not included in the total booking amount, check the authorization form to determine if they should be charged to the affiliate virtual card or to the traveler's personal card.

Note: Pre-authorization is not required for the virtual credit cards.