How long do refunds take?
Once your cancellation is confirmed, your refund is on its way. Here's what to expect.
Refund timeline
Refunds are processed within 5-10 business days after your cancellation is confirmed. Here's how that breaks down:
Withlocals processes your refund (1-2 business days)
After you cancel, we initiate the refund to your payment provider. This typically happens within 1-2 business days.
Your bank or card issuer returns the funds (3-10 business days)
Once we've processed the refund, your bank or card issuer needs time to credit it back to your account. This step varies by provider and can take an additional 3-10 business days.
Where to check
Your refund will appear on the same payment method you used to book. If you paid by credit card, look for a credit on your card statement. If you paid by iDEAL or Bancontact, the refund goes back to the bank account linked to that payment.
Keep in mind that the refund may appear under a slightly different name on your statement - look for "Withlocals" or your payment provider's name.
Still haven't received your refund?
If it's been more than 10 business days since your cancellation was confirmed, here's what to do:
Check with your bank first
Contact your bank or card issuer and ask about the status of the refund. Sometimes refunds are processed but take a few extra days to appear on your statement, or they may be listed under a different transaction name.
Contact our support team
If your bank confirms they haven't received the refund, get in touch with us. Include your booking reference number so we can look into it quickly.
Good to know
Refunds are always returned to the original payment method - we can't send refunds to a different card or account.
Business days don't include weekends or public holidays, so factor that in when counting days.
If your host cancels, you'll receive a full refund including the service fee - no action needed on your end.