Can my portal check that a hotel room is still available before my customer pays?

Yes, the portal can usually check the room again before the booking is confirmed. Hotel availability can change quickly because the same room may be offered through several sales channels, so a room shown in the search results is not guaranteed to remain available while the customer enters their details.

Before confirmation, the hotel booking API can request the latest availability, price, room details and cancellation terms from the supplier. If anything important has changed, the customer can be asked to review the new information before continuing. If the room has sold out, the booking should stop instead of appearing to be confirmed.

The exact check depends on what the supplier and its API support. Some suppliers return updates immediately, while others may provide availability that is slightly delayed. A booking is only secure when the supplier accepts it and returns a confirmed booking reference. Even after confirmation, any later change or cancellation by the hotel will follow the supplier's process and notification method.

Ask glideFares which availability checks are supported by your chosen hotel suppliers, and confirm how your portal handles a price change or sold out room before you begin taking live bookings.