Are payments automatic?
Yes. After you book, each payment is charged automatically to your card on file on its scheduled date, weekly or bi-weekly, until your trip is paid in full.
You don't need to do anything for a scheduled payment to go through. The one thing to keep an eye on is your card: if it expires or gets replaced, update it on your trip so your payments keep going through.
What does "card on file" mean?
Your card on file is the debit or credit card saved to your payment plan. Every plan needs one, because your payments are charged automatically on their schedule.
That's also why checkout asks for a card even when Defera Credit covers everything due today. The card is saved for your future payments, and it's charged $0 at booking when credit covers what's due.
How do I change my card?
- Open Trips and tap your trip.
- In the Payment Schedule section, tap Update Card.
- Enter the new card's details and save.
From then on, the new card is used for all your future payments. If a new card won't save, Updating your card has what to try.
What happens if I pay before a payment is due?
You can pay early at any time from Make a Payment on your trip, with no fee and no penalty. What happens to your automatic payments afterward depends on the option you choose:
| Option | What happens to your automatic payments |
|---|---|
| Pay ahead | Your next one or more payments are paid today, and your next automatic charge moves back |
| Principal | Your future payments get smaller, and their dates stay the same |
| Pay off | Your whole remaining balance is paid, so there are no more automatic charges |
In short: Pay ahead gives you breathing room later, Principal makes each future payment smaller, and Pay off finishes your plan.
For example, if your weekly payment is due this Friday and you cover it with Pay ahead on Monday, your card isn't charged on Friday. Your next automatic charge is the following Friday's payment.
What if a payment doesn't go through?
If an automatic payment fails, your trip isn't cancelled on the spot. Here's what happens:
- Your trip shows a past-due banner. The missed amount stays past due until it's paid, and it may be retried on your card.
- You catch up when you can. Tap Make a Payment and pay what's past due. You don't have to pay it all at once.
- Your plan picks up again. Once nothing is past due, your payments continue on their normal schedule.
If your card is the problem, Update Card is in the same section. A plan left past due for a long time can pause; if that happens, your trip shows Restart Plan to get your payments going again.
What if an upcoming payment looks hard?
It's worth looking at your options before the payment is due. Depending on your plan, you can skip your next payment for a $20 fee, or switch to smaller weekly payments with nothing charged today.