Instant booking on Sicarro lets you reserve a car and get immediate confirmation — no waiting for the supplier to approve your request. It's the fastest way to secure your rental, especially when you're in a hurry or planning a last-minute trip to El Salvador.
💡 In a Nutshell: Instant booking = book now, get confirmed now. No approval wait. Look for the lightning bolt icon on car listings.
What Is Instant Booking?
On Sicarro, there are two types of bookings:
1. Instant Booking
- Your reservation is confirmed immediately upon payment
- No need to wait for the supplier to manually approve your request
- Marked with a lightning bolt icon on search results and listing pages
- You receive instant confirmation via email and SMS
2. Request Booking (Standard)
- You send a booking request to the supplier
- The supplier has up to 24 hours to accept or decline
- Your payment is only processed once the supplier confirms
- If declined, you can immediately book another car
How Instant Booking Works
Step-by-Step
- Search for cars — use the search and filter tools as usual
- Look for the instant booking badge — a lightning bolt icon next to the car name or price
- Select your dates — choose your pickup and return dates/times
- Add any extras — child seat, GPS, insurance upgrades, etc.
- Enter payment details — credit/debit card or Bitcoin Lightning
- Click "Book Now" — your booking is confirmed instantly
- Receive confirmation — email, SMS, and in-app notification with all booking details
- Contact the supplier — use Sicarro chat to arrange pickup logistics
✅ Confirmed! Once you instant-book, the car is reserved for you. No one else can book it for your dates. You can start communicating with the supplier right away to confirm pickup details.
Which Cars Support Instant Booking?
Not all listings have instant booking enabled. It's an option that suppliers choose to activate on their vehicles.
How to Find Instant Booking Cars
- Filter by "Instant Booking" — toggle this filter in your search results to show only instant-bookable cars
- Look for the lightning bolt — visible on search result cards and listing pages
- Instant booking cars often appear higher in default search results
Why Some Cars Don't Offer Instant Booking
- The supplier prefers to review each renter's profile before approving
- The vehicle may have special conditions (e.g., high-value cars with specific driver requirements)
- New suppliers may start with request-based bookings before enabling instant
Benefits of Instant Booking
For Drivers
- Speed — book in under 2 minutes, confirmed immediately
- Certainty — no risk of the supplier declining your request
- Last-minute trips — perfect for spontaneous travel plans or when you arrive and need a car right away
- Peace of mind — your car is secured the moment you pay
- No back-and-forth — skip the waiting period of request-based bookings
Planning Advantage
Instant booking is especially valuable when:
- You're arriving in El Salvador soon and need a guaranteed car
- You're booking during peak season (holidays, Semana Santa, festivals) when cars go fast
- You found the perfect car and don't want to risk someone else booking it while you wait for approval
- You need to coordinate with flights or hotel check-in times
Instant Booking Requirements
To use instant booking, you need:
- Verified account — your identity verification must be complete and approved. See Identity Verification Guide
- Valid payment method — a credit/debit card on file, or Bitcoin Lightning wallet ready
- Meet the car's requirements — age minimum, license type, etc. as specified in the listing
- Good standing — your account must not have active restrictions (e.g., from previous policy violations)
⚠️ Get Verified First: You can browse instant booking cars before verification, but you must be verified to complete the booking. Verify your account ahead of time to ensure a seamless experience.
What Happens After Instant Booking
Immediate
- You receive a booking confirmation with a unique booking ID
- The supplier is notified instantly of your reservation
- A chat thread opens between you and the supplier on the Sicarro platform
- Your payment is processed and the security deposit is held
Before Pickup
- Message the supplier to confirm the pickup time and location
- Share any relevant information (e.g., your flight arrival time for airport pickup)
- Ask any questions about the car, pickup process, or local tips
- Review the rental contract that will be shared before or at pickup
At Pickup
- The standard pickup process applies — ID check, contract signing, vehicle inspection, and photos
- See our How to Rent guide for the full pickup walkthrough
Cancellation for Instant Bookings
Instant bookings follow the same cancellation policy as all Sicarro bookings:
| When You Cancel | Refund |
|---|---|
| 48+ hours before pickup | Full refund |
| 24-48 hours before pickup | Partial refund (50%) |
| Less than 24 hours before pickup | No refund |
For detailed cancellation information, see our Cancellation Policy.
⚠️ Remember: Because instant bookings are confirmed immediately, cancellation policies apply from the moment of booking. Make sure you're ready to commit before clicking "Book Now."
When to Use Request Booking Instead
While instant booking is faster, request-based booking can be better in some situations:
- You have questions first — if you want to ask the supplier about specific features, conditions, or custom arrangements before committing
- Special requests — if you need custom pickup locations, specific add-ons, or unusual rental terms that require supplier agreement
- Longer rentals — for multi-week or monthly rentals, you may want to negotiate a custom rate with the supplier first
- Budget-conscious booking — request-based listings may sometimes offer lower prices since the supplier has more flexibility
- Uncertain plans — if your travel dates are not yet firm, a request gives you a chance to discuss flexibility before your payment is processed
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I message the supplier before instant booking?
Yes! You can contact any supplier through the listing page before booking. However, your message does not hold the car — it remains available to others until someone completes a booking.
What if the supplier can't deliver the car after I instant-book?
This is rare but possible. In this case, the supplier must cancel the booking, you receive a full refund, and the supplier may face penalties on their account. Sicarro will help you find an alternative vehicle.
Is instant booking more expensive?
No. The price you see on the listing is the price you pay, whether it's instant or request-based. There is no extra charge for the instant booking feature.
Can I modify an instant booking?
Yes, modifications follow the same process as any booking. See our How to Modify a Booking guide.
Does instant booking work with Bitcoin payments?
Absolutely! Bitcoin Lightning payments are confirmed in seconds, making them a perfect match for instant booking. Your booking is confirmed as soon as the Lightning payment settles.
