⏱ Estimated time: 2 minutes
👤 Role: Finance Teams, Reservations Managers, Receptionists
How the platform handles refunds when a guest's card has expired.
The difference between a card change and a bank account change.
Guest responsibilities regarding fund redirection.
Use this guide when a guest requests a refund but informs you that the debit or credit card they used for the original booking has since expired, been cancelled, or replaced.
Key Logic:
Payment gateways (like Stripe) process refunds to the original underlying bank account, not specifically the physical card. As long as the guest's bank account remains open, the banking system automatically routes the refund from the old card record to the new card or account balance.
Confirm that the guest is requesting the refund to the same bank account used for the initial purchase.
Ensure you have the [Order Number] ready to process the refund in the platform.
Before processing, confirm the guest's situation:
Scenario A: New Card, Same Account
If the guest has simply received a replacement card (due to expiry or loss) but their bank account remains the same, you can process the refund as normal.
Scenario B: Completely New Bank Account
If the guest has closed their account and moved to a different bank, the refund must still be initiated to the original account first. It is then the guest's responsibility to coordinate with their old bank to redirect those funds.
Log in to the Ecommerce platform and locate the guest's order.
Navigate to the Payments and Refunds tab.
Follow the standard refund process by entering the amount and reason.
Click Refund.
The system will send the funds to the original payment source.
If the guest is concerned about the expired card, provide the following guidance:
Automatic Routing: Inform them that banks typically route these funds to their new card automatically.
Bank Contact: If the account is closed, advise the guest to contact their previous bank's "Unallocated Funds" or "Customer Service" department in 5–10 working days to arrange the transfer.
Do Not Refund to a New Card: Never attempt to refund a guest by taking their new card details over the phone or using a different terminal. This breaks the "Chain of Custody" for the funds, increases your risk of fraud/chargebacks, and will cause a reconciliation error in your Ecommerce reports.
Financial Security: For compliance and anti-money laundering reasons, the platform and Stripe will only ever return funds to the original source. If a guest cannot access the original account at all, please contact our support team at support@journey.travel for further advice before taking any action.