Can I get a partial refund from Booking.com or Expedia?

Booking.com: Car rentals canceled less than 48 hours before the start, or at the counter: refund of what you paid minus the cost of 3 days of your rental.. Expedia: Partial payments are refunded minus non-refundable fees..

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Booking.com vs Expedia Refund Process

Q: Which has a longer refund window, Booking.com or Expedia?

Booking.com offers a Stays: set by each property's cancellation policy; car rentals: full refund if canceled more than 48 hours before the rental starts refund window, while Expedia offers Depends on the rules of your booking; eligible reservations may be refundable during the cancellation window shown in Trips, while some add-ons such as Cancel for Any Reason allow cancellation up to 24 hours before the first leg of the trip..

Q: Which processes refunds faster, Booking.com or Expedia?

Booking.com: Not stated for stays; a pre-authorization hold is released after a time that depends on the property and your card provider. Pre-booked transportation refunds may take up to five business days.. Expedia: Expedia says it may take up to 24 hours to process the refund, after which your bank or payment service posts the money on its own timeline..

Side-by-side comparison of refund processs, conditions, and refund timelines.·Last updated: 2026-10-12

Quick Summary

Booking.com has a Stays: set by each property's cancellation policy; car rentals: full refund if canceled more than 48 hours before the rental starts refund window with Not stated for stays; a pre-authorization hold is released after a time that depends on the property and your card provider. Pre-booked transportation refunds may take up to five business days. processing, while Expedia offers Depends on the rules of your booking; eligible reservations may be refundable during the cancellation window shown in Trips, while some add-ons such as Cancel for Any Reason allow cancellation up to 24 hours before the first leg of the trip. with Expedia says it may take up to 24 hours to process the refund, after which your bank or payment service posts the money on its own timeline. processing. See the full breakdown below.

Booking.com

Refund Window

Stays: set by each property's cancellation policy; car rentals: full refund if canceled more than 48 hours before the rental starts

Processing Time

Not stated for stays; a pre-authorization hold is released after a time that depends on the property and your card provider. Pre-booked transportation refunds may take up to five business days.

Expedia

Refund Window

Depends on the rules of your booking; eligible reservations may be refundable during the cancellation window shown in Trips, while some add-ons such as Cancel for Any Reason allow cancellation up to 24 hours before the first leg of the trip.

Processing Time

Expedia says it may take up to 24 hours to process the refund, after which your bank or payment service posts the money on its own timeline.

Refund Conditions

Booking.com

Some bookings can't be canceled for free, while others can only be canceled for free before a deadline.
Free cancellation bookings have no cancellation fee; if the booking isn't free to cancel anymore or is non-refundable, you may pay a cancellation fee.
Cancellation fees are determined by the property and listed in your cancellation policy.
Car rentals canceled more than 48 hours before the rental starts get a full refund.
Car rentals canceled less than 48 hours before (or at the rental counter): refund of what you paid minus 3 days' rental; no refund if the car was booked for three days or less.
Car rentals canceled after the rental starts, or no-shows: no refund. Car rentals labeled non-refundable can't be refunded.
If Booking.com or the rental company changes your car booking (e.g. the car isn't available) and you don't accept, you can cancel for a full refund no matter how close the rental is.

Expedia

Refunds are subject to non-refundable fees.
For flights, contact the airline directly for cancellations and refunds.
Airlines may require relevant proof (e.g., medical certificate) for flight refunds.

Refund Steps

Booking.com

Stays: open your booking from your confirmation email or your Booking.com account.
Check the cancellation policy for any fee, then choose Cancel booking.
Car rentals: cancel or change the booking in the Booking.com app or on the website under 'Manage Booking'.

Expedia

Go to Trips.
Select the booking you wish to cancel.
Select Change or cancel.
Follow the instructions provided.
Be aware of policies, restrictions, and fees before finalizing cancellation.

Refund Methods

Booking.com

Free-cancellation prepayments or deposits are returned to you if you cancel in time
Card test payments (pre-authorizations) are released back to your card

Expedia

Amount refunded
Less non-refundable fees

Partial Refunds

Booking.com

Car rentals canceled less than 48 hours before the start, or at the counter: refund of what you paid minus the cost of 3 days of your rental.
If the rental counter refuses you the car, call Booking.com from the counter to cancel; you get what you paid minus the cost of three days of your rental.

Expedia

Partial payments are refunded minus non-refundable fees.

Dispute Process

Booking.com

For payment issues, contact Customer Service at booking.com/help.
For a formal complaint, send written notice through Booking.com's Dispute Resolution page (required under the US terms before arbitration or small claims court).

Expedia

Not available

Additional Notes

Booking.com

Cancellation fees are determined by the property, and you pay any additional costs to the property.
Generally the property charges your card; if Booking.com handles payment, your booking confirmation says so.
For car rentals, reservations of three days or less canceled less than 48 hours before rental will not receive a refund.

Expedia

Refunds are based on refund basics.
If a deposit or partial payment was charged, that amount will be refunded.

Read the full refund processs

Booking.com Refund Process

Full details, exceptions, and more

Expedia Refund Process

Full details, exceptions, and more