2-zone travel from ATL - Possible?

[DennisInGeorgia]

When I called AGR to book a 2-zone award trip from ATL to LAX back in August, I was told that in this instance I'd be routed through WAS and CHI via the Crescent, the Cap and the SWC. Now I need to cash in another 2-zone award to LAX but the last 2 agents have given me that routing again, but now it's a 3-zone. Did I not get the right agent? Is it still good to keep calling to get what I want, as usual? OR... is it even officially possible any more to book a 2-zone award trip (per the zone map)from ATL to anywhere at all? I'm taking family this time and points are critical. Anyone know the latest AGR whim?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Since New Orleans is Allegedly the Only Place where AGR allows an Overnight Layover (on your Own Nickel), you should be able to Book the Crescent #19 ATL-NOL,Spend a Night, then the Sunset Ltd. #1 NOL-LAX, just Remember that # 1 Only Runs 3 Days a Week! This would be a 2 Zone Award trip! I'd call back and ask for a Supervisor if you get one of those Agents that Wings it as the Calls come in!

A possible Problem would be that Track Work is being done between ATL and NOL with No Alternate Transportation, and these are Days where the Crescent only Runs between ATL and NYP??? :unsure:

 

[TVRM610]

Atlanta is my "home" station... What I usually do is just foot the bill ATL-NOL and then book whatever I want from there. You could go NOL-CHI-LAX for only 2 zones for instance. The coach fare ATL-NOL is pretty cheap.

I've never been able to get an agent to book me through NOL with an overnight.. they always say that is not possible. I HAVE had an agent book me from Denver to Birmingham on ONE ZONE because they were both in the same zone (i.e. the way it USED to be) as of a few months ago, so you might get lucky and get an agent that will let you book ATL-LAX for 2 zones.

 

[Guest]

Another suggestion . . .

Drive to somewhere on the CONO route (Greenwood, Memphis, etc.), park your car there (or rent and drop off), and redeem a two-zone, three-night or four-night trip from there through CHI to LAX.

 

[AlanB]

Dennis,

You got lucky in August, that agent is the one who was wrong. For many years when AGR first started, it was possible to book that trip as a two zone award. But due to abuse, AGR changed that policy and it is now a 3 zone award.

Is there a chance that you might luck out and get an agent who does it wrong again? Sure. Anything is possible. But I wouldn't want to bet on it. The only way you're going to get a 2 zone award is by going through New Orleans and paying to spend 1 night in a hotel in NOL on your dime.

I think it's unfair that you do get dinged for that extra zone when you go through DC, but I also do understand why AGR made the change a few years ago. I wish that they could make things more dynamic, as in those who have a Atlanta area address can book it as a 2 zone, while those who don't live in the area and are just trying to game the system get dinged for the 3 zone award.

 

[fairviewroad]

I think it's unfair that you do get dinged for that extra zone when you go through DC, but I also do understand why AGR made the change a few years ago. I wish that they could make things more dynamic, as in those who have a Atlanta area address can book it as a 2 zone, while those who don't live in the area and are just trying to game the system get dinged for the 3 zone award.

Furthermore it would seem that with the advent of e-ticketing, the need to close this loophole in the first place has disappeared. Because if people were booking ATL-WAS-west coast as a 2-zone, then throwing away the ATL-WAS leg and boarding in WAS...well, wouldn't that person be thwarted nowadays since their entire itinerary would be canceled once they failed to board in ATL?

 

[Guest]

I think it's unfair that you do get dinged for that extra zone when you go through DC, but I also do understand why AGR made the change a few years ago. I wish that they could make things more dynamic, as in those who have a Atlanta area address can book it as a 2 zone, while those who don't live in the area and are just trying to game the system get dinged for the 3 zone award.

Furthermore it would seem that with the advent of e-ticketing, the need to close this loophole in the first place has disappeared. Because if people were booking ATL-WAS-west coast as a 2-zone, then throwing away the ATL-WAS leg and boarding in WAS...well, wouldn't that person be thwarted nowadays since their entire itinerary would be canceled once they failed to board in ATL?

I don't think the throw away part was a concern of Amtrak's. If the room is empty, they don't have to feed anyone, so it costs them less. I think the changes were done because you could redeem a one-zone award and get a three-night trip from say MOT to ATL.

 

[Ispolkom]

I can say from experience that not many people other than Mrs. Ispolkom and I traveled ATL-MOT, given the difficulty with which they found a yellowed and dusty MOT luggage tag at the Atlanta station. I liked that trip because it allowed the Cavalcade of Bedrooms, with a Viewliner Bedroom on the Crescent, a Family Bedroom on the Capitol Limited, and a Superliner Bedroom on the Empire Builder.

I think it's unfair that you do get dinged for that extra zone when you go through DC, but I also do understand why AGR made the change a few years ago. I wish that they could make things more dynamic, as in those who have a Atlanta area address can book it as a 2 zone, while those who don't live in the area and are just trying to game the system get dinged for the 3 zone award.

Furthermore it would seem that with the advent of e-ticketing, the need to close this loophole in the first place has disappeared. Because if people were booking ATL-WAS-west coast as a 2-zone, then throwing away the ATL-WAS leg and boarding in WAS...well, wouldn't that person be thwarted nowadays since their entire itinerary would be canceled once they failed to board in ATL?

But what if you booked Chicago-Washington-Atlanta and then didn't bother to board the Crescent? You would have gotten a two-zone trip (Chicago-Washington) for a one-zone award.

 

[fairviewroad]

But what if you booked Chicago-Washington-Atlanta and then didn't bother to board the Crescent? You would have gotten a two-zone trip (Chicago-Washington) for a one-zone award.

Precisely. Not only was the loophole allowing people to redeem a two-zone trip for a one-zone award, it also meant that Amtrak was missing out on revenue

from people who couldn't book ATL-WAS due to the intentional no-shows.

 

[KrazyKoala]

I don't think the throw away part was a concern of Amtrak's. If the room is empty, they don't have to feed anyone, so it costs them less. I think the changes were done because you could redeem a one-zone award and get a three-night trip from say MOT to ATL.

I think it would be of the CEO's concern. That's an entire room that could have been sold to someone else for cash. We have to remember, trains so use that much energy per pound. Like airplanes do in order to stay in the air. Meaning the only money they'd be saving is the wholesale cost on the food and a few cents on fuel. If they can book that room for $350-600 and get someone to fill it, their fuel costs only go up a few cents and they profit by keeping all the rooms full.

 

[AlanB]

I don't think the throw away part was a concern of Amtrak's. If the room is empty, they don't have to feed anyone, so it costs them less. I think the changes were done because you could redeem a one-zone award and get a three-night trip from say MOT to ATL.

Actually it was a major concern for Amtrak. If the room goes empty because it was never booked, or if a reservation was cancelled with sufficient warning, then you'd be correct.

But when someone no shows like was happening with this type of booking being discussed, Amtrak had based staffing in the dining car based upon the expected passenger loads. Meals were loaded on based upon that expected load, meals that might end up going to waste because they didn't get eaten and Amtrak got no revenue for them.

And of course this type of booking was effectively screwing Amtrak out of revenue. While the zone system unfortunately invited that type of abuse, Amtrak started out by being the nice guy and not charging people extra because the skeletal system often forces people to go out of their way to get where they are going. But as the abuses mounted, and people made it worse by demanding that Amtrak honor reservations that invited abuse, Amtrak decided to close the loophole.

This is also similar to the recent proposed change that would have seem one forfeiting their points for last minute cancellations on sleepers. This costs Amtrak money when people book 2 trains on subsequent days trying to hedge their bets on which day they'll be able to travel and then they cancel one at the last minute.