In this article, you'll learn how to automate AmenitizPay pre-authorisations—an easy way to secure a deposit on the guest’s credit card before arrival. Once set up, the system will automatically hold an amount based on the rules you define in your sales terms.
You can still take manual action when needed, directly from the booking page or via AmenitizPay > Authorisations:
📌 Note
Pre-authorisations only work if the guest selects "credit card" as the payment method during booking. Virtual credit cards are excluded.
⚠️ Warning
Creating a pre-authorisation on an American Express card will automatically charge the card.
Step-by-step guide
Automate authorisations from your AmenitizPay settings
1. Access your AmenitizPay settings
To start automating pre-authorisations, you'll first need to access the correct section of your back office.
Go to AmenitizPay > Settings in your Amenitiz back office.
2. Choose the amount to hold
You can decide how much to hold for each booking—either a fixed value or a percentage of the reservation total.
Scroll to the “Authorisations” section
Select the amount to hold, either in euros (€) or as a percentage (%)
📌 Note
The hold is placed automatically on the guest’s card on the day of arrival at 2am and remains valid for 30 days unless released or captured.
3. Apply rules per sales term
You can define different pre-authorisation rules for each of your sales terms.
Click “Edit” next to the relevant sales term
Set your amount and confirm the conditions
Save your changes to apply the rule
Track and manage authorisations
You can view and manage all pre-authorisations from AmenitizPay > Authorisations. Each entry will display its status:
Scheduled — Authorisation is set for a future date
Authorised — Funds are currently being held
Captured — Amount has been debited from the card
Released — Hold expired or was manually released
Failed — The authorisation could not be completed
Cancelled — Authorisation was cancelled manually
Authentification required — The cardholder must verify their identity to complete the authorisation (usually via 3D Secure).
FAQs
How do pre-authorisations work with Booking.com and Airbnb?
How do pre-authorisations work with Booking.com and Airbnb?
Booking.com — If AmenitizPay manages the payment, pre-authorisation is applied automatically. More info here.
If not, you need to manually add the card and create the authorisation.
Airbnb — Must be configured via your Airbnb connection settings. Read more here
Will guests see the pre-authorisation on their account?
Will guests see the pre-authorisation on their account?
Not always — it depends entirely on the guest’s bank. Some guests won’t see the hold at all, while others may see it listed as a pending transaction without a charge.
What happens if the pre-authorisation fails?
What happens if the pre-authorisation fails?
If the card has insufficient funds or is invalid, the pre-authorisation will fail. You’ll be notified in Amenitiz and may need to request a new card from the guest.