The problem
Online travel agencies need real-time payment solutions to pay their hotel, airline, and car rental partners without tying up their operating capital. This highly competitive industry demands the lowest prices and error-free payments.
The solution
Modern virtual cards can make funds available for payments in real time as transactions are approved. This eliminates the need for prefunding cards and reduces the risk of error and fraud. Visibility into transaction data provides a better understanding of customer behavior for more effective rewards programs.
Real world: online travel
Purchase of travel on an app or website
Travel booked
A traveler books a trip and confirms their itinerary.
Virtual card created
A virtual card is created to pay the hotel, airline, car rental agency, etc.
Card charged
The travel provider runs the card just as they would any Visa or Mastercard.
Spend evaluated
Managed or gateway spend controls can be customized to minimize fraud and ensure funds are only used as intended.
Auth requested
Marqeta’s platform is contacted by the appropriate network for authorization.
Notification received
Marqeta webhooks allow real-time notifications upon transaction completion.
Funds released
Just-in-Time (JIT) Funding releases funds to the card on approval and in real time to complete the transaction.
Transaction completed
Authorization is successful and the payment is confirmed.
Travel booked
A traveler books a trip and confirms their itinerary.
Virtual card created
A virtual card is created to pay the hotel, airline, car rental agency, etc.
Card charged
The travel provider runs the card just as they would any Visa or Mastercard.
Spend evaluated
Managed or gateway spend controls can be customized to minimize fraud and ensure funds are only used as intended.
Auth requested
Marqeta’s platform is contacted by the appropriate network for authorization.
Notification received
Marqeta webhooks allow real-time notifications upon transaction completion.
Funds released
Just-in-Time (JIT) Funding releases funds to the card on approval and in real time to complete the transaction.
Transaction completed
Authorization is successful and the payment is confirmed.
How it works
See how Marqeta creates card programs for online travel
Key benefits for online travel
Virtual cards
Pay travel suppliers instantly by issuing a virtual card for each booking.
Spend controls
Control supplier payments by adjusting for inventory markup and pay the supplier less than what is collected from the traveler.
JIT (Just-in-Time) Funding
Avoid prefunding cards and tying up capital. Pay in real time, optimize cash flow, and manage peak volumes without exceeding credit limits.
Dynamic spend controls + Gateway JIT
Apply your own rules and participate in transaction authorization in real time.
Inject metadata into each transaction record
Automate reconciliations by appending matching metadata, such as the Booking ID, to the transaction record as purchases are authorized.
APIs to email/fax virtual cards
Work with your supplier’s existing payment infrastructure.
