Question
Hi.. So, I have just found out that any travel I book through the CapitalOne Travel Center is non-changeable and non-upgradeable. Has anyone had any experience with this? Will the airline go ahead and make the changes on a full C class fare that has no restrictions?
Answer
The card redemption centers for all the banks with these types of quasi-mileage programs all say that, but in reality it's not true. Just "yes, I agree" them on the phone, and call the airline directly once the reservation has been ticketed. Never call the redemption center again after the initial reservation.
The bank buys tickets from the regular market that anyone can buy, so as long as the fare allows changes and you pay the fee, you're fine. Same goes for upgrades - I do this all the time for long flights.