A pre-authorization hold is a temporary block on part of your AstroPay balance, placed by a merchant before charging the final amount. It's a common practice used to confirm your card has enough funds or to cover possible extra costs.
When pre-authorization holds happen
You'll typically see holds in these scenarios:
Hotels: at check-in, to cover incidentals like room service or minibar.
Car rentals: when picking up the vehicle, to cover deposits, fuel, or damage.
Gas stations: when prepaying at the pump, often for a fixed amount higher than the final fuel cost.
Restaurants and bars: some establishments hold a slightly higher amount to cover tips.
Online services: trial subscriptions may place a small hold to verify the card.
How a hold appears in your account
The held amount is deducted from your available balance but isn't a final charge. In Transaction History, you'll see the operation marked as pending until it's settled or released.
ℹ️ Note: A hold can be different from the final amount charged. The merchant may release the hold and post a new transaction with the correct amount.
How long does a hold last
The release time depends entirely on the merchant and the card network — not on AstroPay. Most holds clear within 1 to 7 business days, but some (like car rental deposits) can take up to 30 days to be released.
If a hold doesn't release
Confirm with the merchant that the transaction is completed on their side.
Ask for the final transaction reference and the date the hold was placed.
If the hold has been pending longer than 30 days, open the transaction in Transaction History and tap Report a problem to flag it.