Consumer complaint received 2025-08-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year>, I booked a round-trip flight through Capital One Travel for XXXX XXXX service from XXXX ( XXXX ) to XXXX ( XXXX ), departing XX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX ) and returning XX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX ). The Capital One Travel confirmation number is XXXX, and the airline confirmation is XXXX. I used {$420.00} in Capital One travel credits and paid the remaining {$750.00} with my credit card. 

The trip was originally planned for my stepdaughters volleyball tournament in XXXX. However, on XX/XX/XXXX, I learned the tournament had been unexpectedly relocated to XXXX a change entirely outside my control. I still needed to travel on the same dates and with the same airline, just to a different destination. I was not asking for a refund and was even willing to accept a partial loss in value or pay a reasonable change fee. At the time, flights to XXXX were significantly cheaper than the original itinerary. I simply hoped to apply the fare I had already paid toward a revised trip. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Capital One Travel for help rebooking. They told me they couldnt assist and referred me to XXXX XXXX. When I contacted XXXX, they said that had I booked directly with them, they could have offered a travel credit or allowed a change. However, because the booking was made through Capital One Travel ( which uses the third-party platform XXXX ), they were unable to make any changes. On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted Capital One again and explained what the airline had told me, but Capital One continued to claim they were simply following the airlines policy. They would not address the contradiction. 

XXXX XXXX acknowledged that they offer flexibility under certain circumstances, but Capital Ones platform prevented that flexibility from being honored. I asked Capital One for a clear explanation or documentation showing that the entire fare would be forfeited, and none was provided. The terms displayed at checkout were confusing and ambiguous. Under Basic Economy, it showed both same-day change for a fee and changes not allowed, which is contradictory. In addition, no refunds was clearly listed under Main Cabin fares but not under Basic Economy, which gave the impression that a total forfeiture was not guaranteed in all cases. At no point was it made clear that no changes would mean complete loss of fare, especially for a change requested well in advance of the travel date. 

Had Capital One clearly stated that a change in destination well in advance of travel would result in the full loss of the fare, I would have booked differently. That level of transparency is essential and was not provided. 

Again, I did not wish to cancel or be refunded. I still intended to travel with XXXX XXXX on the same dates, just to a different city. I simply wanted to use the money and points I had already spent toward a new flight. Instead, I was left with no flexibility at all and no meaningful support from either Capital One or the airline. I ultimately had to make alternate arrangements. I flew standby using a family members employee benefits, and my partner and stepdaughter had to purchase new tickets to XXXX on XXXX XXXX, costing {$620.00} out of pocket. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from XXXX XXXX stating : Are your plans flexible? You can move flights at no charge. I called Capital One Travel again on XX/XX/XXXX, and asked if they could follow up with XXXX XXXX about receiving a flight credit or refund. I was told that if I selected the credit option in the email ( which was for {$600.00} ), according to XXXX XXXX, you will be credited that. I voiced concerns that I didnt believe this would happen, and they reassured me repeatedly, even telling me to call them back if I didnt receive the credit. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I followed up again, having received no credit. As expected, Capital One took no accountability for what they previously told me. They provided no clear answers, and the customer service was dismissive and condescending. I was told things like you should research Basic Economy before you book and book a different class next time. I found this deeply inappropriate, especially after I made it clear that this situation caused me to lose trust in the Capital One Travel platform, which undermines the value of my Venture X card membership entirely.

At one point during this ordeal, Capital One issued me a {$100.00} travel credit and then another {$50.00} travel credit as a form of compensation. While I appreciated the gesture, it felt more like a token effort to pacify the situation rather than a meaningful resolution. This amount does not remotely account for the value of the original fare I forfeited, the out-of-pocket expenses I incurred, or the time and effort I spent trying to resolve the issue through the proper channels. The minimal compensation, combined with the dismissive customer service I received, only deepened my frustration and eroded my trust in Capital Ones travel platform.

I now understand the limitations of Basic Economy, but never would I have expected the consequences to be this extreme or to receive this level of poor service from a premium travel rewards program. Ironically, the agents suggestion that I should have done outside research only supports my core point : the terms were not clearly presented at booking. If even Capital Ones agents believe external research is required to understand the fare rules, that speaks volumes about the lack of transparency on their platform.

To further support my case, I filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation, and XXXX XXXX responded. In their reply, they stated : When a reservation is made through a travel agency such as Capital One Travel, that agency retains full control over the ticket, including any modifications or credits. As such, they are best positioned to assist you. We regret that this has resulted in a back-and-forth experience and apologize for any added stress this has caused.

This confirms that Capital One Travel had the authority to help, but refused to do so and instead sent me in circles between them and the airline. That failure, combined with confusing fare descriptions and poor customer service, resulted in both financial loss and a breakdown in trust.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief