When using your Float card, you might notice that some charges get "stuck" in pending. This can happen for a few different reasons, and some types of merchants — like airlines and car rental companies — behave a little differently. Let’s walk through what’s happening.
What It Means When a Transaction Is Pending
Pending authorizations are noted with an amber clock icon in the status column:
A pending transaction means the merchant has authorized a charge on your card, but hasn’t finalized or posted it yet. Your available balance reflects this pending amount, but it’s not officially billed to your Float account.
For a full explanation of how pending and posted charges work, check out Understanding the difference between Pending and Posted charges.
Why Transactions Stay Pending
There are a few reasons why a transaction might stay pending longer than usual:
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Merchant Delays
Some merchants take their time submitting the final charge. Hotels, gas stations, airlines, online retailers, and car rental companies are common examples. -
Authorization Holds
Certain merchants place a temporary authorization that doesn’t match the final amount. For example:-
Hotels may place a larger hold upfront to cover potential extras like minibar charges.
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Gas stations might hold a flat amount, like $150, until they process the actual fuel charge.
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Car rental companies often authorize a large amount at the start of your rental, which might stay pending until the car is returned and the final amount is calculated.
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Special Cases: Airlines
Airlines are a little different. They will typically authorize your card when you book your flight. However, the pending transaction might not move to posted until your flight is completed. In some cases, especially with travel booked far in advance, the authorization may expire before posting happens, causing the original pending charge to fall off. If this happens, the merchant (airline) will post a new transaction later when it finalizes. -
Merchant Never Captures the Transaction
Occasionally, a merchant might not complete the charge at all. If this happens, the pending authorization will eventually expire and disappear from your account.
How Long Do Pending Transactions Last?
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Most pending charges settle within 7 days.
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Some charges, especially for things like car rentals and airline tickets, can take up to 30 days to post.
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If the merchant never captures the funds, the pending transaction will automatically expire and your available balance will update.
What You Can Do About Stuck Pending Transactions
In most cases, you don't need to do anything — pending transactions will either post or expire on their own.
However, if a pending transaction is causing confusion or affecting your available balance, you can:
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Contact the Merchant
Ask the merchant directly to finalize the transaction. -
Reach Out to Float Support
If a transaction has been pending for more than 30 days, or if something seems unusual, contact our Support team at support@floatfinancial.com.
Please include transaction details like the merchant name, transaction amount, and date when you reach out.