A Great AGR Experience

[Chas]

I needed to book a trip from Colorado to Yuma, Arizona, using the Southwest Chief and the Sunset Limited, with a roomette on the SWC and an overnight break in Los Angeles on the way back.

The most helpful AGR rep (I believe her name was Deborah) walked me through the choices and made the reservation. And the whole trip is free, although I just used up something like 40,000 points.

I just wanted to say how well the whole experience went and how happy I am that the program exists.

 

[Bob Dylan]

If you had the AGR MC from Chase it would have cost 38,000 Points since you get a 5% rebate when booking AGR Travel on Amtrak!!

 

[Ryan]

True, but you still need to have the full 40k in the account to make the reservation, which is kind of annoying.

 

[PRR 60]

I needed to book a trip from Colorado to Yuma, Arizona, using the Southwest Chief and the Sunset Limited, with a roomette on the SWC and an overnight break in Los Angeles on the way back.

The most helpful AGR rep (I believe her name was Deborah) walked me through the choices and made the reservation. And the whole trip is free, although I just used up something like 40,000 points.

I just wanted to say how well the whole experience went and how happy I am that the program exists.

AGR is unusual in that it requires phone contact for many types of award reservations. I never had a bad experience dealing with an AGR agent. In fact, every experience I've had has been great. Now, I don't ask for anything demanding - just straight point-to-point often without even a single connection - but never one problem. I know that is not everyone's experience, but I'm a satisfied customer.

There are two Amtrak call centers that also handle AGR - Riverside CA and Philadelphia. I've always gotten a Phiily agent (I ask). That must explain it!

 

[the_traveler]

You mean "the City of Brotherly Love" has Amtrak love also? :huh:

 

[Bob Dylan]

Ditto to what PRR 60 said, but I've also had really good service from the California agents as well as the Philly folks!

 

[jebr]

True, but you still need to have the full 40k in the account to make the reservation, which is kind of annoying.

Well, if you book it as two one ways (probably needing two phone calls due to the delay,) you could do it with 39,000 points.

 

[tomfuller]

I hope you have someone to pick up up in Yuma about 2AM. There is a rather seedy motel about half a mile away from where they drop off. Last February I stayed on the SL to Tucson and rented a car to drive back to Yuma. Don't expect to see any taxi in Yuma.

 

[amamba]

Sometimes I can tell when I get someone in Philly from the accent. Sounds like home.

 

[Chas]

I hope you have someone to pick up up in Yuma about 2AM. There is a rather seedy motel about half a mile away from where they drop off. Last February I stayed on the SL to Tucson and rented a car to drive back to Yuma. Don't expect to see any taxi in Yuma.

I have family there, no worries.

 

[BLOND37]

Yea here too I've never had a bad experience with phone reps! I'm assuming that since I live in PVD my calls get routed to Philly?

 

[George K]

Yea here too I've never had a bad experience with phone reps!

I booked a round trip CHI to NOL last Thursday. I wanted to do it as two separate trips, and do each one with AGR. When the agent looked at the price of the trip back she was shocked at how low it was, and she encouraged me to pay for it with my credit card rather than waste the points. She was right. The dollars I spent were less than if I had bought the points (understanding that I can't buy more than 10K points per year, of course!).