# Payments in the Demand API

**If you are implementing a [Search, look and book](/demand/docs/development-guide/application-flows#search-look-and-book) integration for accommodation or car rentals, this guide explains the key concepts you need to know.**

## What are Payments?

Payments in the Demand API define **how bookings are charged** across accommodation and car rental products.

They determine:

* What is charged.
* When it is charged.
* How it is collected.
* How payments are structured over time.


## Core payment concepts

Payments consist of three key concepts:

### Payment timing

Defines when a charge occurs during the booking lifecycle.

Examples include:

* At booking.
* Before cancellation deadline.
* At check-in or pick-up.
* Split across multiple dates.


See [Payment timing](/demand/docs/payments/payments-timings) for details.

### Payment method

Defines how a payment is collected or guaranteed.

Examples include:

* Credit card
* Virtual credit card (VCC)
* Pay at service (property or pickup)


See the [Payment methods](/demand/docs/payments/payments-methods) section for details.

### Payment schedules

Defines the **full breakdown of payment events over time**.

A single booking can include multiple payment events depending on:

* Travel service (accommodation or car rental)
* Supplier or property policies.
* Partner configuration.
* Regulatory constraints.


A schedule may include:

* Multiple charges across different dates.
* Partial payments.
* Deposits or guarantees.


See the [Payment schedule](/demand/docs/payments/payments-schedules) section for details.

## How payment concepts work together

Payment timing, methods, and schedules are independent concepts that combine to form the full payment behaviour of a booking.

For example:

* A booking may be charged online immediately but split into multiple scheduled payments.
* A booking may require a payment method even if no immediate charge occurs.
* Different charges within a booking may follow different timing rules.


The exact combination depends on product type and supplier configuration.

### Payment collection models

The Demand API supports two primary payment collection models.

## Payments across travel services

Payment structures differ depending on the travel service.

### Accommodation

Accommodation payments are driven by supplier policies and are grouped under a central payment structure.

They typically include:

* Online payments.
* Pay at property flows.
* Split or scheduled payments.


### Car rentals

Car rental payments are composed of multiple price components, each potentially having different payment rules.

These may include:

* Base rental cost
* Extra charges
* Deposits
* Excess / insurance


### Key differences by travel service

| Aspect | Accommodation | Car rentals |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| Payment structure | Grouped by policy | Grouped by policy and per amount/component |
| Timing location | `payment` object | `timing` per field |
| Schedule model | Centralised | Distributed |
| Complexity driver | Supplier policy | Price component structure |


## Payment responsibility models

Payments can be handled by different parties depending on the business setup.

### Online payments ![onlinepay](/assets/monetization-tablet.f9f01f530881c3f3631756e4d81fb8eb796e2ac99a4424ab5cfdcea57d66b5f8.9c1bb791.svg)

Payments are collected before service delivery and processed through either:

|  | Model | Flow |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| ![partner](/assets/agreement.4bd022a2552e594da434c5b38fa7e0df2c1ff59da8caecf5b10e0eaf8e16beec.fe580a34.svg) | **Partners collect payment** | Partner charges the traveller and pays Booking.com using **Virtual credit card (VCCs)** |
| ![partner](/assets/partner.abc227ef8d70c3f1f6816bcd3fd01b4c39c786f23b356fa1703ffaeb2b49c6c3.fe580a34.svg) | **Booking.com collects payment from traveller** | Booking.com charges the **traveller credit card** directly and handles settlement with suppliers. |
| ![business trip](/assets/businesstrip.e2b2c8e07a8bd66bc12702a7d1f0f75d017c7a9119dd9fbfa101c47c01125fc4.fe580a34.svg) | **Corporate partners** | Partner pays using **VCC (e.g. AirPlus)** or MOTO flows for business travel. |


### Pay at service (property or pickup) ![houseIcon](/assets/house.dc7d7e8cfaeaa5cfa90114b43a034610e593d2dd72ca75b6ba27e5508fcbb72d.9c1bb791.svg)

Payments are collected **at the point of service delivery**.

|  | Travel service | The flow |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| ![cars](/assets/cars-about.a6e4f2ee44018380a0c16e6587d3cbf8a33e238df81c4f619a633fd9e1727464.8d19b370.svg) | **Car rental** | Traveller pays at the rental desk at pickup. |
| ![accommodation](/assets/accommodation.415a4a153b8acfa200ce3c1dafac9c15f5b6003be0a50c0939ca95f74bde4db7.4302f616.svg) | **Accommodation** | Traveller pays at the property at check-in.
For business travel, partners may provide a **VCC and authorisation form** so the property can charge the company directly. |


These flows may include:

* Full payment at service.
* Partial prepayment followed by remaining balance.
* Deposits or guarantees.


Exact behaviour depends on supplier policy.

## Why payments matter

Correct payment modelling ensures:

* Accurate pricing display.
* Fewer checkout drop-offs.
* Consistent checkout experience.
* Correct payment collection flow.
* Reduced post-booking disputes.


Incorrect interpretation can lead to:

* Unexpected charges at checkout or pick-up.
* Customer support issues.
* Loss of trust during booking.


## When to use payments

Payment information is required when implementing:

Search, look and book integrations with either:

* Accommodation bookings (v3.1, v3.2)
* Car rental bookings (v3.2-Beta)


Payments are not required for content-only integrations.

## Next steps

Explore detailed payment documentation:
* [Get started with payments](/demand/docs/payments/how-to)
* [Payment methods](/demand/docs/payments/payments-methods)
* [Payment timings](/demand/docs/payments/payments-timings)
* [Payment schedules](/demand/docs/payments/payments-schedules)
* [Displaying payments](/demand/docs/payments/payments-display)