Capital One Travel-Rant

[beejaybee]

We booked 2 multi-city airline tickets using Cap1 "miles" and cash. Paid $95@ for "cancel anytime": AerLingus SOU-DUB/DUB-ORD-CLE. The DUB-ORD-CLE was code-shared with AA. Received a notification from AA yesterday that our ORD-CLE leg was changed from 6:30pm departure to 9:00pm. I checked AA's flight schedule and saw there were two flights departing prior to the one we were moved to.

Online change was not possible so I called Cap1. The agent insisted there'd been no change to our original flight. Wrong! Nevertheless, I asked to be moved from that to one of the earlier departures. That was a no because those were not code-shared with AerLingus. OK then I'd take advantage of cancel anytime and re-book on my own since while on the phone (with frequent holds) I was able to find the same itinerary on AerLingus SOU-DUB only better with a now direct DUB-CLE flight.

The agent explained there were two options for me. The miles could be redeposited at 80% of their original value or take an AerLingus voucher at the dollar value of the miles I'd used originally. That sounded perfect since I knew I could obtain flights under that amount so I said that would be my choice. I then asked for the voucher # so I could book those flights my own on the AerLingus website. Sorry, but flights would have to be booked via the Cap1 travel agent. Ok then, these are the flights I want.

The agent came back and informed me that he could only find a higher class of service and to book those tickets I'd need to cough up and additional $300pp! By this time I was so frustrated I hung up. Meantime, my friend traveling with us who booked the same original itinerary chose the 80% option for cancelling because then she could use Cap1's "eraser" option and easily booked the SOU-DUB/DUB direct to CLE.

So later I called Cap1 travel back. Got the same run-around that they were unable to find any availability for the flights I had up on my computer for AerLIngus!
I then asked that the voucher be voided and my miles re-deposited at the 80% value. NO! Asked to be connected to a supervisor. NO. So then I started asking him to find various options such as forgetting the SOU-DUB portions and looking for flights on AerLIngus DUB to various airports from which we could easily book a flight to CLE.

I must have really frustrated that supervisor because after about 15 minutes looking for flights he came back to me and said my miles would be redeposited and the voucher voided!

Beware that Cap1 Travel has limitations. Why they couldn't see the flight change that prompted my call is beyond me. Yes, the terms and conditions for the "cancel" surcharge were there so my bad for not paying attention. However, the b.s. around redeeming the voucher is IMHO a scam.

Thanks for reading my rant. My miles are back in my Cap! account. I booked us on AerLingus paying with my Cap1 cc from SOU-DUB/DUB-CLE at the Smart rate for not much more than the Saver rate we'd originally booked with Cap1 Travel! Hope my friend is correct about using mileage eraser when the bill comes in!

 

[Carolinian]

I use the cash rather than "miles" option on my Cap One cards. The airline miles programs have all deteroriated badly since I started playing that game, and I have little confidence in the bank version.

 

[klpca]

I agree that it is always a crapshoot when using a third party agent such as Capital 1 or Chase. They retain control over the reservation and when changes happen for any reason, you are at their mercy to fix things. We flew to Calgary last year and during our trip WestJet went on strike. I couldn't do anything on my own - changes had to be made through Chase and in the beginning, their reps were clueless. To be fair, as the strike went on, they became much more knowledgeable about the situation.

Btw, I suspect that the issue with them not being able to find the same tickets as what you can see is a fare bucket issue. Your original tickets may be a very restricted fare bucket and the tickets that you see currently are less restricted. It should be more transparent than it is because it makes everything so confusing.

 

[Timeshare Von]

For airline tickets, I ALWAYS book directly with the airline and not a 3rd party. It's horrible the run around you get when there is a middle man.

 

[DRIless]

Don't feel alone. AMEX travel where you can used the 1point you earn for each dollar spent on the Platinum Business Card has a subset of the flights you can see on the airline's websites shown in their travel search to use your points. They show NO Basic Economy fares, when I called them on this, they said, yes they could book BE fares for me but only on Delta, which may be the only airline who uses AMEX for their loyalty card. This Platinum Card I'm discussing is a straight business card not associated with the Delta Branding.

 

[dioxide45]

For airline tickets, I ALWAYS book directly with the airline and not a 3rd party. It's horrible the run around you get when there is a middle man.

The problem for the OP was they wanted to use cash + miles/points from their credit card. That saved them money and that savings causes you to lose some freedom in the booking. They had no other choice other than pay full cash price or use all airline miles. If they even had the airline miles to do so.

 

[Timeshare Von]

The problem for the OP was they wanted to use cash + miles/points from their credit card. That saved them money and that savings causes you to lose some freedom in the booking. They had no other choice other than pay full cash price or use all airline miles. If they even had the airline miles to do so.

I get it . . . and we all have choices to make.

 

[Carolinian]

For airline tickets, I ALWAYS book directly with the airline and not a 3rd party. It's horrible the run around you get when there is a middle man.

I always at least price the airline's own site. With some airlines, they are the same price or extremely close as the third party sites.

One thing I have seen on some third party sites is cobbling together an itinerary that mixes fulls service airlines and LCC's. If there is a scheudle change or delay on one flight that impacts another flight with a different type of carrier you can have real problems.

 

[easyrider]

We booked 2 multi-city airline tickets using Cap1 "miles" and cash. Paid $95@ for "cancel anytime": AerLingus SOU-DUB/DUB-ORD-CLE. The DUB-ORD-CLE was code-shared with AA. Received a notification from AA yesterday that our ORD-CLE leg was changed from 6:30pm departure to 9:00pm. I checked AA's flight schedule and saw there were two flights departing prior to the one we were moved to.

Online change was not possible so I called Cap1. The agent insisted there'd been no change to our original flight. Wrong! Nevertheless, I asked to be moved from that to one of the earlier departures. That was a no because those were not code-shared with AerLingus. OK then I'd take advantage of cancel anytime and re-book on my own since while on the phone (with frequent holds) I was able to find the same itinerary on AerLingus SOU-DUB only better with a now direct DUB-CLE flight.

The agent explained there were two options for me. The miles could be redeposited at 80% of their original value or take an AerLingus voucher at the dollar value of the miles I'd used originally. That sounded perfect since I knew I could obtain flights under that amount so I said that would be my choice. I then asked for the voucher # so I could book those flights my own on the AerLingus website. Sorry, but flights would have to be booked via the Cap1 travel agent. Ok then, these are the flights I want.

The agent came back and informed me that he could only find a higher class of service and to book those tickets I'd need to cough up and additional $300pp! By this time I was so frustrated I hung up. Meantime, my friend traveling with us who booked the same original itinerary chose the 80% option for cancelling because then she could use Cap1's "eraser" option and easily booked the SOU-DUB/DUB direct to CLE.

So later I called Cap1 travel back. Got the same run-around that they were unable to find any availability for the flights I had up on my computer for AerLIngus!
I then asked that the voucher be voided and my miles re-deposited at the 80% value. NO! Asked to be connected to a supervisor. NO. So then I started asking him to find various options such as forgetting the SOU-DUB portions and looking for flights on AerLIngus DUB to various airports from which we could easily book a flight to CLE.

I must have really frustrated that supervisor because after about 15 minutes looking for flights he came back to me and said my miles would be redeposited and the voucher voided!

Beware that Cap1 Travel has limitations. Why they couldn't see the flight change that prompted my call is beyond me. Yes, the terms and conditions for the "cancel" surcharge were there so my bad for not paying attention. However, the b.s. around redeeming the voucher is IMHO a scam.

Thanks for reading my rant. My miles are back in my Cap! account. I booked us on AerLingus paying with my Cap1 cc from SOU-DUB/DUB-CLE at the Smart rate for not much more than the Saver rate we'd originally booked with Cap1 Travel! Hope my friend is correct about using mileage eraser when the bill comes in!

I had a bad experience with the Capital One travel rep. So bad I canceled the card after using the award points.

Bill

 

[dougp26364]

This a a good example of why I don’t use third party service and prefer to book my own flights direct through the carrier. I’ve had to many issues over the years with the corporate middle man. For me any savings just aren’t worth it anymore when it comes to airlines, if only because there will almost always be a flight change with a good chance it won’t be favorable. Being able to fix my own problems directly, either online or on the phone is benefit no amount of savings is worth.

 

[beejaybee]

I had a bad experience with the Capital One travel rep. So bad I canceled the card after using the award points.

Bill

I will be doing so too! Half of our fare using Cap1 miles was from the new cardholder mileage bonus we received when I opened the card.
Re: using 3rd party- I am opposed to this in principle, e.g. no Viator, Booking dot com, Expedia, etc. for me. Even Tours by Locals is 3rd party, like the Two Men and a Truck moving franchise!
We used UA ff miles to head to England for part one of this trip and decided to change Flights to be with friends who'd also booked with their miles. Done in under 5 minutes online, no fee and no fuss!

 

[Timeshare Von]

<<SNIPPED>>
Re: using 3rd party- I am opposed to this in principle, e.g. no Viator, Booking dot com, Expedia, etc. for me.
<<SNIPPED>>

Viator and Trip Advisor are the worst! Just book direct.

Case in point, I have booked a full day tour while in Moab. Booking with a consolidator was $30-$80pp more than booking direct with the tour company itself. The ONLY difference was that with Viator & T/A, it was a 24 hrs cancellation policy (for a "no charge") but booking direct with the company it was 48 hrs. That small difference is definitely something I can live with especially if I'm saving 10-25% of the tour price.

 

[rickandcindy23]

The car rentals are great through Capital One, and I am able to cancel >48 hours, if I find a better deal. I never find a better deal. I don't think I would book airfare with them.

 

[Talent312]

I will waive my personal rule to always book direct for flights inside Europe.
Expedia had better codeshare fares than the airlines' websites, and when
one flight cancelled, they stepped in book a new flight that fit my itinerary.

 

[am1]

Only option is to keep pressing. Too many people just give up and pay. It's a fine line as we need suckers but not pushovers who are not willing to fight.