Booking.com is one of the most widely used travel platforms in the UK, and many people have active accounts with pending reservations, saved payment methods, Genius loyalty status, and wallet credits. When someone dies, their family may need to act quickly – particularly if there are upcoming bookings that could still be cancelled for a full refund before the deadline passes.
This guide explains what to do with a Booking.com account after a death: how to cancel pending bookings, what refunds you can realistically expect, how to close the account, and what happens to Genius points and wallet credits. The honest summary is that Booking.com has no dedicated bereavement team or formal deceased-account process. The outcome on pending bookings depends heavily on the type of booking and how quickly you act.
Quick reference:
- Customer service: Live chat at booking.com/customer-service or via your booking page
- Phone (UK): +44 20 3320 2609 (24/7 for urgent matters)
- Data protection requests: dataprotectionoffice@booking.com
- Account deletion page: secure.booking.com/login.en-us.html?tmpl=profile/delete_account
- Genius points on death: Cancelled – not transferable, not refundable
- Wallet credits on death: Cancelled – not transferable to beneficiaries
- No formal bereavement process: Booking.com has no dedicated bereavement team; contact general customer service
The most time-sensitive issue: pending bookings
The first thing to check is whether the deceased had any upcoming reservations. Log into the Booking.com account (using the email address and password) and review the bookings section. The outcome depends almost entirely on what type of booking was made.
Free cancellation bookings
If the booking has a free cancellation window that has not yet expired, cancel it immediately through the account. You will receive a full refund to the original payment method within 5–15 business days (5 business days for credit and debit cards; up to 10 business days for bank transfers, though individual banks may add further processing time). This is straightforward: do it before the cancellation deadline, regardless of whether you have the death certificate yet.
Non-refundable bookings
Non-refundable rates are the more difficult category. Booking.com’s standard policy is that no refund is available on non-refundable bookings regardless of the reason. However, Booking.com’s published terms and conditions do acknowledge that certain exceptional circumstances – including the death of a guest or an immediate family member – are assessed individually. This is not a guarantee of a refund, but it is a recognised exception that can be pursued.
The process for requesting an exception:
- Log into the account and find the booking
- Open the booking and use the “Contact us” option for that reservation
- Explain the circumstances clearly and state that the account holder has died
- Ask for a compassionate cancellation and refund
- Provide a copy of the death certificate when requested
If you cannot access the account (because you do not have the login credentials), contact Booking.com directly via their customer service at booking.com/customer-service or by calling +44 20 3320 2609. Explain the situation and ask for the booking to be reviewed under exceptional circumstances.
Important: Act before the check-in date. Booking.com is unlikely to help retrospectively after a no-show has occurred.
What to expect with non-refundable bookings
There is no published refund guarantee for bereavement, and Booking.com’s response varies by case and by the individual property’s policies. In practice, the property itself often has the final say on whether to grant a refund – Booking.com can request a waiver on your behalf, but cannot override the property’s decision unilaterally.
The table below summarises the likely outcomes:
| Booking type | Cancellation deadline passed? | Realistic outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Free cancellation | No | Full refund – cancel immediately via account |
| Free cancellation | Yes | Case-by-case; contact customer service with death certificate |
| Non-refundable | No (before check-in) | Request compassionate exception via customer service; outcome uncertain |
| Non-refundable | Yes (no-show) | Refund very unlikely; escalate in writing |
| Prepaid non-refundable | Any | Contact customer service – outcome depends on property agreement |
Travel insurance: the more reliable route
If the deceased (or a co-traveller) held travel insurance, a bereavement cancellation claim is usually covered. Most standard travel insurance policies cover cancellation due to the death of the insured person or a close family member, even for non-refundable bookings that Booking.com declines to refund. Check the policy definitions for “close family member” – some policies include all immediate family; others are more restrictive.
If the deceased also had home contents insurance or annual travel insurance, check those policies too. Run the travel insurance claim alongside any request to Booking.com – you cannot recover the same amount twice, but if Booking.com refunds the booking cost, you may still be able to claim consequential expenses (such as new travel costs) through the insurer.
How to close the Booking.com account
Booking.com has no formal deceased-account closure process. The practical approach depends on whether you have access to the login credentials.
If you have the login credentials
The direct account deletion page is at: secure.booking.com/login.en-us.html?tmpl=profile/delete_account
Log in, navigate to the account settings, and select the option to remove the account. You will be asked to confirm the deletion and verify via email. Once confirmed, there is a 30-day grace period before the deletion becomes permanent.
Steps:
- Log into the account at booking.com
- Navigate to Account → Personal details
- Scroll to the bottom and select “Remove account”
- Confirm via the email verification link sent to the account’s registered address
- The account will be permanently deleted after 30 days
Note: you will need access to the registered email account to receive and action the verification link.
If you do not have the login credentials
Contact Booking.com customer service at booking.com/customer-service or by calling +44 20 3320 2609. Explain that the account holder has died and request account closure. There is no published process for third-party bereavement account closure, but customer service agents can escalate internally.
Alternatively, submit a data deletion request to dataprotectionoffice@booking.com under the UK GDPR (see the section below on personal data).
If the account was linked to Facebook or Google login, the account deletion through Booking.com’s system should be followed by disconnecting the app from those accounts via Facebook Settings → Apps, or Google Account → Security → Connected apps.
What happens to Genius points and status
Booking.com’s Genius programme is a loyalty scheme tied to the account. Members earn Genius Level 1 on joining, Level 2 after 5 completed bookings within 2 years, and Level 3 after 15 completed bookings within 2 years. Benefits include percentage discounts on stays, free breakfasts, and room upgrades.
Genius status and points are personal to the account. They cannot be transferred to another person, and they cannot be inherited. Booking.com’s terms are explicit: membership and rates are non-transferable.
When the account is closed, the Genius level and any associated benefits are cancelled with it. There is no mechanism to pass Genius status to a family member or to the estate.
This is the expected outcome for account-linked loyalty schemes: the status reflects the account holder’s own booking history, and it does not have a monetary value that can be extracted or transferred.
Booking.com Wallet and credits
Booking.com operates a Wallet feature that holds two types of credits:
- Travel Credits: Earned through promotions and offers; can only be spent on future Booking.com bookings
- Cash Credits: Earned as rewards that can, in some circumstances, be transferred to a credit or debit card
Booking.com’s Rewards and Wallet terms state explicitly:
“In the event of the death of a Member, Booking.com will close that Member’s account and cancel all Credits earned by the concerned Member upon receipt of the death certificate.”
The terms also state that the Wallet and credits “can’t under any circumstances be transferred, bequeathed, set over, encumbered, assigned, (re)sold, or combined, whether or not for valuable consideration, to any third party.”
Source: Booking.com Rewards & Wallet Terms (last verified May 2026)
In practice, this means:
- Travel Credits are cancelled on account closure – they have no cash value and cannot be refunded to the estate
- Cash Credits, even though they could in theory be withdrawn to a card while the account holder was alive, are cancelled on death and cannot be accessed by third parties or transferred to the estate
If there are substantial Cash Credits in the Wallet, it is worth contacting Booking.com customer service to explain the circumstances and ask whether any portion can be refunded to the estate. The terms suggest this will be refused, but it is a reasonable question to put in writing.
Personal data and UK GDPR
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), living individuals have the right to request deletion of their personal data from a company. The situation is less clear for deceased individuals: UK GDPR rights are personal rights that do not automatically pass to next of kin or executors. However, Booking.com, like most responsible companies, accepts data deletion requests from authorised representatives of deceased account holders as a matter of policy.
To request deletion of the deceased’s personal data, contact Booking.com’s data protection team directly:
Email: dataprotectionoffice@booking.com
In your request, include:
- The deceased’s full name and registered email address
- Your relationship to the deceased
- A copy of the death certificate
- A clear request for permanent deletion of all personal data
Booking.com’s own guidance notes a 30-day waiting period before deletion is made permanent. After deletion, booking history records tied to financial transactions may be retained for a period to comply with Booking.com’s own legal obligations (typically 7 years for financial records under UK law), but personal profile data will be removed.
Things to watch out for
Act before the check-in date. For non-refundable bookings, the window for any compassionate review is before the scheduled arrival date. Once a no-show has occurred, the likelihood of any refund drops sharply.
Saved payment methods remain active until the account is closed. If the deceased’s debit or bank card is linked to Booking.com (particularly if a subscription feature or automatic payment is set up), that card may continue to be charged. Close the Booking.com account promptly, and notify the deceased’s bank as part of the wider estate process. See our guide to what happens to bank accounts when someone dies for how to freeze or close bank accounts.
Booking.com has no dedicated bereavement phone line or team. Unlike some banks and utilities that have specialist bereavement departments, Booking.com’s customer service is general. You will be speaking to a standard agent who will need to escalate your case internally. Be patient, be clear about what you are asking for, and follow up in writing if you do not get a response within a week.
The property may need to be contacted separately. For accommodation bookings (hotels, apartments, holiday rentals), the booking is ultimately with the property. Even if Booking.com cannot authorise a refund, the property may agree to one directly, particularly for stays that have not yet taken place. Where Booking.com cannot help, contact the property directly.
Travel Credits cannot replace cash. If Booking.com offers to convert a non-refundable booking into a Wallet Travel Credit rather than a cash refund, be aware that those credits will be cancelled when the account is closed. A cash refund is the only outcome with practical value for the estate.
Booking.com Genius is not a financial asset. Despite the value Genius discounts can represent for a regular traveller, loyalty status is a contractual benefit rather than a property of the estate. It does not need to be declared on probate paperwork, and it cannot be realised as cash. For wider guidance on what counts as a digital asset in an estate, see our guide to what happens to digital assets when someone dies.
Summary
When someone dies with a Booking.com account, these are the steps to take:
- Log in and review pending bookings – identify free cancellation bookings and cancel them immediately before any deadline expires
- Contact customer service for non-refundable bookings – request a compassionate review with a death certificate; outcomes vary
- Check travel insurance – for non-refundable bookings, travel insurance is often the more reliable route to recovery
- Close the account – use the account deletion page if you have login access, or contact customer service or the data protection team if you do not
- Note that Genius points and wallet credits are cancelled – these cannot be transferred to beneficiaries or the estate
Booking.com is not a company with a well-defined bereavement process, and the honest message is that outcomes on non-refundable bookings depend on goodwill rather than policy. Free cancellation bookings are straightforward; non-refundable ones require persistence and documentation.
For related guidance, see our what to do when someone dies hub, our guide to cancelling a Ryanair booking when someone dies, our guide to notifying British Airways when someone dies, our guide to notifying Virgin Atlantic when someone dies, our guide to cancelling a TUI holiday when someone dies, our guide to closing an Airbnb account when someone dies, and our guide to what happens to bank accounts when someone dies. If the deceased also had a PayPal account with funds, see our guide to what happens to a PayPal account when someone dies.