DecodeMyCharge Bank statement decoder

Booking.com

What is BOOKING.COM on my bank statement?

This is a prepaid accommodation booking made through Booking.com. It may also appear as BKNG* on some bank statements.

Booking.com accommodation charge

✓ Legitimate charge

BOOKING.COM or BKNG* on your bank statement is a charge from Booking.com — one of the world's largest online travel platforms for booking hotels, apartments, hostels, villas, and other accommodation. When this appears on your statement it means you made a prepaid booking through the Booking.com website or app and payment was collected by Booking.com at the time of booking rather than at the property on arrival.

It is worth understanding the difference between paying Booking.com and paying the hotel. If BOOKING.COM appears on your statement, you paid Booking.com directly — this is the prepaid model used for non-refundable or partially refundable rates. If you chose a "pay at the property" rate instead, you would not see a Booking.com charge on your card at all; the charge would only appear once you checked out at the hotel under the hotel's own name. Some bookings involve a combination of the two, for example a deposit taken by Booking.com up front with the balance charged at the property.

Booking.com also charges a service fee on some bookings — typically a small percentage of the total — which may appear as a separate line item or be bundled into the main charge. Your booking confirmation email includes a full price breakdown, which is the easiest way to verify what you were charged for. If you booked for multiple nights, the total may look larger than you expected when you made the reservation.

Company

Booking.com

Type

Travel / accommodation

Recurring?

No — one-off booking

Country

Global (Netherlands)

What to do Log into booking.com and go to Bookings to find the reservation. Match the date and amount. Your booking confirmation email also shows the full price breakdown including any service fees. For refunds, check the cancellation policy shown on the reservation page.

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Frequently asked

Questions about Booking.com charges

What is Booking.com on my bank statement?

Booking.com is a global travel platform for booking hotels and other accommodation. If you see BOOKING.COM on your statement you made a prepaid reservation through their website or app. The charge date is usually the date you made the booking, not the date of your stay — so if you booked months in advance, it will show on an old statement.

Why does it say BKNG not Booking.com?

BKNG is the billing code used by Booking Holdings, the parent company that owns Booking.com. Some banks display the abbreviated code BKNG* rather than the full company name. Both refer to the exact same charge — it is not a separate company or a different transaction. If you see BKNG* on your statement, look at the amount and match it to a booking in your Booking.com account.

Did I pay Booking.com or the hotel?

If you see BOOKING.COM or BKNG* on your statement, you paid Booking.com — not the hotel. This happens when you book a prepaid rate. If you had chosen a "pay at the property" rate, no charge would appear on your statement at the time of booking, and the hotel's own name would show up when you checked out. Check your booking confirmation to see which payment type you selected.

How do I get a refund from Booking.com?

Log into booking.com, find the reservation, and review the cancellation policy — each booking has its own terms ranging from fully flexible to non-refundable. If you are within the free cancellation window, you can cancel online immediately for a full refund. Outside that window you can still contact the property directly to request a discretionary waiver, or contact Booking.com customer service who can sometimes help negotiate on your behalf.

Is a Booking.com charge a scam?

If you or someone you live with has recently booked accommodation, the charge is almost certainly legitimate — Booking.com is a well-established and trusted platform. Phishing emails that mimic Booking.com do exist, but they would not result in a direct bank charge unless your card details were entered on a fake site. If you genuinely made no booking, contact your bank immediately to dispute the charge and get your card details updated.