What is a virtual credit card?
A virtual credit card (VCC) is a digital payment method generated by a booking channel (OTA) for a specific reservation.
VCCs are pre-validated by the booking channel and can only be charged once for the full card balance. In some cases, the VCC balance may be lower than the total reservation amount, so any remaining balance must be collected manually from the guest using another accepted payment method.
VCC information
When a channel provides a VCC, you'll see "Virtual card" in the Payment type field on the reservation details page.
Depending on the booking channel, you may see the following details on the reservation:
Balance: The amount available to charge
Activation date: The earliest date you can process the payment
Deactivation date: The last date the VCC remains valid
How to process a VCC payment
To process a VCC payment:
Charge the VCC on or after its activation date
Process the full VCC balance in a single transaction
Do not charge the VCC after its deactivation date. VCCs typically expire shortly after the guest checks out
If the VCC balance is lower than the total reservation amount, collect the remaining balance from the guest using another accepted payment method.
⚠️ VCC details may change if a reservation is modified or cancelled. Some channels do not automatically update the VCC balance after partial charges.
Which bank account receives VCC payments?
Contact the booking channel directly to find out which bank account is linked to their VCC payments.
If a VCC is declined
Contact the issuing booking channel directly for support.
Channel VCC policies
Each channel has its own VCC payment policies. Always refer to the channel's specific policy for guidance on charging virtual credit cards.