Quick Summary:
- Check your card’s available credit, not just the statement balance.
- Ask hotels to reduce incidentals holds, or pay incidentals separately.
- Keep one dedicated card for car hire deposit and fuel pre-authorisation.
- Schedule hotel checkout before car pick-up to release holds sooner.
In New York, it is common to arrive for car hire after a flight, check into a hotel, and then collect the vehicle later the same day or the next morning. The part that catches many travellers out is not the rental price, but the temporary pre-authorisations that sit on your card at the same time. Hotel incidentals, minibar and damage holds, restaurant tabs, plus transport and ticket deposits can all reduce available credit. When you reach the rental counter, the deposit may be declined even though you have funds overall.
This article explains how US hotel card holds work, why they reduce available credit, and a simple plan to avoid a decline at pick-up. The goal is not to spend more, but to keep enough headroom available on the right card at the right time.
Why hotel “incidentals” holds reduce available credit
Most US hotels place a pre-authorisation at check-in. This is sometimes called an incidentals hold, security deposit, or authorisation for extras. It is not a completed charge, but it still counts against your card’s available credit, because the issuing bank reserves that amount for the merchant.
In practice, the hold can be larger than expected. Many properties authorise a fixed amount per night, or a base amount plus room and tax. It can also increase during your stay if you add charges to the room, extend your stay, or change rooms. Even if you intend to pay the final bill in full, the authorisation can remain in place until the hotel releases it and your bank updates the available credit.
The key takeaway is that available credit is what matters for car hire deposits. A card can show a low statement balance but still have limited available credit because multiple pre-auths are reserving the limit.
Common New York travel holds that stack up
Hotels are usually the largest hold, but they are not the only one. In New York, travellers often see several authorisations at the same time, including:
Hotel incidentals, often $50 to $200 per night, sometimes more at upscale properties.
Car hire deposit, which varies by supplier, vehicle group, and payment method. It can be a sizeable amount, especially for larger vehicles.
Fuel or toll pre-authorisations, sometimes included in the rental deposit, sometimes separate.
Ride-hailing and transit, some services place small temporary holds for verification.
Event tickets and restaurant tabs, where a merchant may authorise more than the final amount until gratuity is settled.
One reason declines happen at the counter is timing. Your hotel hold might still be active when you are trying to pass the rental deposit. Even if the hotel says they “released it”, your bank may take longer to restore the available credit.
Available credit vs. balance, what to check before pick-up
Before you travel, check your card’s credit limit and your current available credit. These are not always the same as your outstanding balance. If you have a £0 or $0 balance but a low available credit, you already have holds sitting on the account, or pending transactions not yet posted.
Also check whether your card has a separate cash limit, international usage restrictions, or temporary freezes. A deposit authorisation can be declined for reasons that are not obvious at the counter, especially if your issuer blocks a higher-than-usual authorisation while you are abroad.
If you plan to collect a vehicle at an airport location, it helps to know where you are collecting, because timing can be tight after a long-haul arrival. For example, travellers arriving into JFK often collect shortly after landing, so any hold from a previous hotel night can still be active. The practical rental information on car rental at New York JFK is a useful reference point when planning your pick-up window and deposit readiness.
A simple plan to avoid deposit declines
The easiest way to prevent a decline is to separate your travel spending and your deposit capacity. Use the steps below as a straightforward plan.
1) Keep a dedicated “deposit card” with headroom. Choose one credit card to use only for deposits. Do not use it for the hotel, restaurants, or everyday purchases during the trip. This keeps the available credit stable and predictable. If you are travelling with another adult, consider allocating responsibilities, one person’s card for the hotel, the other person’s card for car hire.
2) Ask the hotel about incidentals before you arrive. Call or message the hotel and ask, “What is the incidental authorisation per night, and is it flexible?” Some properties can reduce it, especially if you decline minibar access, pay in advance, or use a debit card for incidentals while paying the room rate separately. Even a modest reduction can protect your available credit for the car hire deposit.
3) Time checkout and pick-up to avoid overlap. If possible, arrange car pick-up after hotel checkout, not before. Checkout triggers the final bill and starts the release process for the pre-auth. It does not always restore your available credit instantly, but it reduces the chance that the hotel will increase the authorisation while you are trying to collect the car. If you are collecting at Newark, plan your timeline with the local pick-up details, such as those on car hire at Newark EWR.
4) Keep receipts and monitor holds in your banking app. During your trip, check for active authorisations. If a hold remains for an unusually long time after checkout, contact the hotel and ask them to confirm the release date and authorisation reference. Banks often resolve it automatically, but having the reference helps.
5) Avoid large, avoidable authorisations just before pick-up. If you know you have a rental deposit coming, avoid opening a bar tab on the same card, prepaying large attractions, or making high-value purchases that could reduce headroom. Put those expenses on your non-deposit card.
How vehicle choice can affect the deposit amount
Deposit requirements can scale with vehicle category. A larger vehicle can come with a higher deposit, so it is smart to match the vehicle to your real needs. If you need more space for luggage or passengers, compare the cost and deposit implications ahead of time, rather than upgrading at the counter.
If you are considering a larger vehicle after landing at JFK, check category information in advance. For example, if you are looking at people-carriers, you can review options on minivan rental in New York JFK. If you are moving gear or travelling in a big group, a van category can be appropriate, and planning early helps you ensure your available credit will cover any deposit expectations, as outlined on van rental in New York JFK.
Practical credit headroom rules of thumb
Because every hotel and rental supplier can differ, it helps to plan with buffers rather than exact numbers. As a general approach:
Assume the hotel hold will be higher than one night of incidentals. Some properties hold a per-night amount multiplied by nights, or hold room and tax plus incidentals.
Assume the car hire deposit will need to clear in one authorisation. Splitting the deposit across two cards is not typically supported for authorisations.
Keep extra headroom for unexpected increases. A room extension, late checkout, or additional driver can change the authorisation needs at short notice.
This is why the dedicated deposit card approach is so effective. It reduces moving parts.
What to do if you suspect the deposit will be declined
If you think your available credit is tight, act before you reach the counter. Start with your banking app, then prioritise changes that free credit quickly.
Switch hotel settlement to another card. Some hotels can move the authorisation to a different card during the stay, particularly if you ask early. Even if the original hold takes time to drop, future increases will go to the new card.
Pay down the card in real time if possible. A payment can increase available credit, but timing depends on your issuer. Some cards restore available credit quickly after an incoming payment, others take longer, especially across currencies.
Call the card issuer if you are travelling. If your card blocks an unfamiliar authorisation, the issuer may need to approve it. This is more likely if the attempted hold is significantly higher than your usual transaction sizes.
Reduce overlap by changing pick-up time. If you can pick up later, after checkout, you may avoid an unnecessary overlap of holds.
If you are picking up around Newark and considering different suppliers, reviewing the general supplier pages can help you plan comparisons calmly rather than at the counter. For instance, you can look at National at Newark EWR and check what you need to have ready for pickup, including card requirements and documentation.
New York-specific timing tips for holds and releases
New York trips often include one or two hotel stays with different check-in times, plus a vehicle collection that might be set around airport transfers. Two timing tips can make a big difference:
Do not assume holds drop at midnight. Many releases are processed in batches. If you check out in the morning, the hold may still be visible into the evening.
Weekend processing can be slower. Depending on the bank, holds and refunds can update more slowly over weekends and bank holidays. If you collect a car on a Saturday after a Friday checkout, keep extra buffer.
Planning a relaxed window between checkout and collection gives you time to resolve issues if an authorisation fails. If you are planning to collect at an airport after a busy arrival, consider picking up the next day, when you can confirm what holds are still active.
FAQ
Why was my car hire deposit declined when I had money in my account? Deposits use available credit, not your statement balance. Hotel incidentals and other pre-authorisations can reduce your available credit until they are released.
How long do hotel incidentals holds take to disappear in the US? Many hotels release the hold at checkout, but your bank may take several days to restore available credit. Timing varies by issuer and whether it is a weekend.
Can I use a different card for the hotel and the car hire deposit? Yes, and it is often the simplest fix. Using one card only for deposits keeps your available credit steady and reduces the chance of a pick-up decline.
Will paying the hotel bill early remove the hold immediately? Not always. Paying early can help the final settlement, but the original authorisation may still take time to drop from your available credit.
What should I do on the day if I think the deposit might fail? Check active holds in your banking app, move spending to another card, and allow time between hotel checkout and pick-up so any releases can process.
