Originally Posted by dbayeddy2
For example, if you have a card with a $2000 credit limit, and you have a balance of $1,900 if you pull up to a gas pump, you will have a 72 hour authorization that will ding your remaining credit for $75 on average although you actually buy only $20 in gas.
99% of pay-at-the-pump gas stations only authorize a credit card for $1, with the real amount posting to the account (and the $1 auth dropping off) after a couple of days. Every time I've used my Starwood Amex or a Visa/MC to buy gas, my available credit has only dropped by $1.
Most Hyatt hotels also authorize a CC for only $1 upon check-in, just to verify that it is valid. Other hotels tend to authorize for the price of the room (unless it's prepaid) plus $50 or $100 to cover incidentals.
It'd be nice if Amex could give us a way to see authorizations and pending charges online; Bank of America and Wachovia (for debit cards) do so on their Web sites.