Can prepaid Visa Gift Cards be used for services such as hotel reservations, car rentals or restaurants?
Yes. However, some merchants require that a temporary hold be placed on funds. This is normal practice for merchants accepting credit or prepaid cards to ensure that the Card has sufficient funds to pay for the final anticipated amount of the purchase. Some merchants, such as hotels, car rental agencies or cruise lines, will hold funds until the end of the trip. We recommend that Cards not be used for reservations to ensure that the Card balance is not affected by the hold, which may be weeks or months in the future. Other merchants, such as restaurants or others that require a tip or extra charge, will hold up to 20% in addition to the price of the goods or services you are purchasing. These types of holds can take several days to clear. For these merchants, it is important for cardholders to know the Card balance to ensure there are sufficient funds to cover both the transaction and the hold, or whether a split payment is required. Cards cannot be used to pay for fuel at “pay at the
