Update Payment Method

Update Payment Method

Keep your payment information up to date to ensure uninterrupted service. This article explains how to manage your payment method.

Payment Method Management

Stripe Customer Portal

All payment methods are managed through the Stripe Customer Portal.

Why Stripe?:

Updating Your Payment Method

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Navigate to Billing Portal

1. Log in to the LobbyFlight portal
2. Click "Billing" in the navigation
3. You'll see your current subscription status

2. Open Stripe Portal

1. Click the "Manage Subscription" button
2. You'll be redirected to Stripe
3. New tab opens: Stripe Customer Portal
4. Automatically logged in (no additional sign-in)

3. View Payment Methods

In Stripe Portal:
1. See "Payment methods" section
2. Current payment method(s) displayed
3. Default payment method marked with "Default"

4. Add New Payment Method

1. Click "+ Add payment method"
2. Choose type: "Card" or "SEPA Direct Debit"
3. Enter card details:
   - Card number (16 digits)
   - Expiration date (MM/YY)
   - CVC (3-4 digits on back)
   - Name on card
   - Billing address
4. Click "Add"
5. New card is added immediately

5. Change Default Payment Method

1. For new card: Automatically set as default
2. For multiple cards:
   - Click "•••" next to desired card
   - Select "Set as default"
   - Confirmation appears

6. Remove Old Payment Method (Optional)

1. Click "•••" next to old card
2. Select "Remove"
3. Confirm removal
4. Old card is deleted

7. Return to Portal

1. Close Stripe Portal tab
2. Return to LobbyFlight Portal
3. Changes are effective immediately
4. Email confirmation received

Supported Payment Methods

Credit Cards

Accepted cards:

Debit cards:

Prepaid cards:

SEPA Direct Debit (EU)

Availability: EU countries with SEPA support

Setup:

1. Open Stripe portal
2. "+ Add payment method"
3. Select "SEPA Direct Debit"
4. Enter IBAN (e.g., AT48 1234 5678 9012 3456)
5. Accept SEPA mandate
6. Confirmation via email
7. First debit after 5-7 business days

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Unsupported Methods

Currently not available:

Planned for future: PayPal, Apple Pay (2024 Q2)

Entering Card Details

Stripe Form

Fields:

Card number: [1234 5678 9012 3456]
Expiration: [MM / YY]
CVC: [123]
Cardholder name: [John Smith]

Billing address:
Country: [Austria ▼]
ZIP: [1010]
Address line 1: [Stephansplatz 1]
City: [Vienna]

Real-time validation:

Card recognition:

Security Features

3D Secure (3DS):

1. Enter card and click "Add"
2. If 3DS required:
   → Popup window opens
   → Bank authentication (SMS, app, etc.)
   → Enter code
   → Confirmation
3. Return to Stripe Portal
4. Card added

Supported 3DS methods:

Why 3DS?:

Multiple Payment Methods

Adding a Backup Card

Recommended: Store 2 payment methods

Advantages:

1. Primary card expires → Backup is used
2. Primary payment fails → Automatic retry with backup
3. No service interruption
4. More security

Setup:

1. Add primary card (default)
2. Click "+ Add payment method" again
3. Add backup card
4. Do NOT set as default
5. Done - Stripe uses automatically when needed

Changing Default Card

When needed?:

Process:

1. Add new card (automatically becomes default)
OR
2. For existing card: "•••" → "Set as default"
3. Old default card becomes backup

Removing a Card

Important: At least 1 payment method must remain

If default card:

⚠️ Cannot remove default payment method.
   Please set another payment method as default first.

[Cancel] [Choose New Default]

Process:

1. Set another card as default
2. Old card: "•••" → "Remove"
3. Confirm
4. Card removed

Automatic Payments

How Stripe Processes Payments

Monthly cycle:

Day 1 (Billing date):
→ Stripe creates invoice
→ Default payment method is charged
→ On success: Payment successful
→ On failure: Retry logic begins

Day 1-7:
→ Automatic retries (up to 4×)
→ Smart retry (at different times of day)
→ If backup card exists: Automatic switch

Day 7:
→ If all retries fail:
   → Subscription status: 'past_due'
   → Warning email sent to hotel
   → Display remains active (grace period)

Day 30:
→ If still unpaid:
   → Subscription cancelled
   → Display deactivated

Invoice Preview

See next payment:

Billing Portal → Current Plan:
"Next payment: €149.00 on January 15, 2024"

Stripe Portal → Upcoming invoice:
Date: January 15, 2024
Amount: €149.00
Payment method: Visa ending in 1234

Updating Expiring Card

Notifications

Stripe sends automatically:

30 days before expiry:
→ Email: "Your payment method is expiring soon"
→ Request: Update card

7 days before expiry:
→ Second email reminder
→ More urgent tone

On expiration date:
→ Final warning
→ Payment may fail

Visible in portal:

Billing → Payment Method:
⚠️ Your payment method (Visa ****1234) expires
   on 01/2024. Please update.

[Update Payment Method]

Update Card on Time

Best practice:

1. Receive new card from bank
2. Immediately add to Stripe portal
3. Set as default
4. Remove old card (after successful payment)

Don't wait until:

Troubleshooting

Problem: "Card declined"

Common reasons:

Solutions:

1. Check account balance
2. Correct CVC (3 digits on back)
3. Update expired card
4. Call bank: Activate card
5. Contact bank: Enable foreign payments
6. Call bank: Approve transaction

Problem: "Payment requires authentication"

Cause: 3D Secure (3DS) required

Solution:

1. Disable popup blocker
2. Try again
3. 3DS window opens
4. Complete SMS code/app confirmation
5. Complete payment

If popup doesn't open:

Problem: "Cannot save payment method"

Possible causes:

Solution:

1. Enable cookies
2. Pause ad blocker
3. Ensure stable internet connection
4. Try different browser
5. Try incognito mode

Problem: "Card already in use"

Cause: Card already in Stripe system (different account)

Solution:

Option 1: Use different card
Option 2: Cancel/remove old subscription
Option 3: Contact support to merge accounts

Security & Privacy

Where Are Card Details Stored?

LobbyFlight servers: ❌ Never

Stripe servers: ✅ Stored encrypted

We see:

Card type: Visa
Last 4 digits: ****1234
Expiration: 01/2025
Country: Austria

We do NOT see:

Why secure?:

GDPR Compliance

Your rights:

Delete data:

1. Cancel subscription
2. Wait 30 days (refund period)
3. Email info@lobbyflight.com
4. All payment data will be deleted

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay with PayPal?

Not currently. Only credit card and SEPA Direct Debit. PayPal planned for Q2 2024.

Are my card details stored securely?

Yes. Stripe (PCI-DSS Level 1) stores encrypted. LobbyFlight only sees last 4 digits.

What happens if payment fails?

Stripe automatically retries multiple times (4× over 7 days). With backup card: Automatic switch.

Can I store multiple cards?

Yes. Recommended: Primary + backup card for redundancy.

How do I switch from credit card to SEPA?

Add SEPA direct debit in Stripe Portal, set as default, remove old card.

Do I get an invoice for payments?

Yes. Automatically via email after each payment. Also downloadable in Stripe Portal.

Next Steps

Payment method updated?

Support

Problems with payment method?