AAA 10+10 discount

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the_traveler

the_traveler

Engineer
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Nov 15, 2007
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Whatever siding I'm sitting on!
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Hmm? Wonder if I should do a points run to ALX to try out some BBQ chicken.
 
jimhudson said:
AmtrakBlue said:
Hmm? Wonder if I should do a points run to ALX to try out some BBQ chicken.
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Betty: If you're gonna do a Points run for Bar-B-Q take the Texas Eagle to Taylor! :giggle:
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Well, I'm waiting to hear how someone enjoyed the BBQ recipe I sent to him recently. I haven't made it in years. I'm far from being a connoisseur of BBQ or anything else, for that matter.
 
thanks for pointing out the discount. we had a trip reserved from spk-vac in feb. called and got the added discount for a savings of 30 bucks. but we are doing this trip on a voucher so the agent made it so we don't have to go down to the station and pay until we go down for our trip. so we, as yet, have no e-ticket. how would someone who already paid by cc and this had their e-ticket get the added discount. would amtrak just credit the $30 back to the credit card?
 
the_traveler said:
http://www.amtrak.com/aaa-membership-deals-save-extra-train-fares-to-nyc-chicago-la?WT.mc_t=AAALDPromo_HP4_A_WSP&WT.mc_n=AAALDPromopage&WT.mc_r=365&tiid=53107&audienceId=0&rtTracking=1
Just saw this. AAA discount of 10% off in addition to the regular 10% off on many routes!

I noticed one of the routes was the Palmetto from NYP-MIA! :eek: I thought that route was discontinued years ago? :giggle:
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So AAA members get 10% additional off plus the regular 10% discount and everyone else gets 20% off the original with the winter special. Wow! Tough decision for us AAA members 10+10 from AAA or 20% without it. I majored in EE in college and grad school but this math is too advanced for me. Are there any PhDs in math who can figure out the better deal?
 
So I must ask... are the restrictions on the deals pretty similar? I have taken a look at both so I see there are a few differences but if qualify for both would there be any advantage (besides for price) in taking one of the other?

I mean I would assume one would take the 20% instead of the 10% + 10% if the choice was there unless I'm missing something?

$100 fare with 20% off would be an $80 fare ($20 discount) where as that same $100 fare with 10% + 10% would be $81 ($19 discount).

I mean I'd use the 10% + 10% if I take the SJ or PS as I often do since the 20% isn't valid on those routes. Just seems like having two similar deals out at the same time, yet one offers a slightly higher discount, seems a bit redundant.
 
I was thinking this must really be 20% total discount with a cute name. Then I looked up a fare and it was 81% of the regular fare. I suppose it might make a difference wit AGR points, but who would pay more just to get points?
 
At quick glance in additon to the purchase by dates and travel dates (Im too tired to type the date details) the valid routes are slightly different. The unique AAA routes are the Piedmont, San Joaquin, and Pacific Surfliner, the regular 20% off sale includes the Auto Train.

This reminds me, I have a trip I think I will be taking in June on the Surfliner, could I save an extra 10% by booking it now for Februay and using the ticket in June?
 
SubwayNut said:
At quick glance in additon to the purchase by dates and travel dates (Im too tired to type the date details) the valid routes are slightly different. The unique AAA routes are the Piedmont, San Joaquin, and Pacific Surfliner, the regular 20% off sale includes the Auto Train.This reminds me, I have a trip I think I will be taking in June on the Surfliner, could I save an extra 10% by booking it now for Februay and using the ticket in June?
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The terms are travel by Feb 28. San Joaquin is reserved coach. I thought if you buy a ticket and don't use it, the ticket is automatically canceled. I know Capitol Corridor tickets are valid for a year on any future train on the route.
 
The Surfliner is unreserved so in theory the ticket would be valid for a year if not used on the date of travel unless there is a restriction tied with the offer on ticket validity. If there is not then you could do that. I know on Capitol Corridor it has been done before to avoid upcoming fare increases. For example if the fare was set to go up on Feb 1, people would buy one-way tickets in bulk for dates before that and then not show up for those rides as the tickets were still valid for a year. I can't recall if they started doing a cut off, say that all old value tickets must be used by June but I don't think they ever charged anyone the difference afaik.
 
Sorry - brainlock due to lack of coffee. My brain locked in on San Joaquin for some reason.
 
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roadman3313 said:
The Surfliner is unreserved so in theory the ticket would be valid for a year if not used on the date of travel unless there is a restriction tied with the offer on ticket validity. If there is not then you could do that. I know on Capitol Corridor it has been done before to avoid upcoming fare increases. For example if the fare was set to go up on Feb 1, people would buy one-way tickets in bulk for dates before that and then not show up for those rides as the tickets were still valid for a year. I can't recall if they started doing a cut off, say that all old value tickets must be used by June but I don't think they ever charged anyone the difference afaik.
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I'm wondering how it would work. The 10-rides are generally a better bargain even with a fare increase. I suppose one could be an occasional traveler, but what occasional traveler is going to think in these terms?

I have heard of people locking in prices before increases. People buying Disneyland annual passes can purchase before the price goes up and activate later, where the pass is good for one year from the date of activation.
 
The 10-ride passes are a better deal. Monthlies would go up at the time of scheduled increase so there wouldn't be a cost-savings. The 10-ride price would go up effective the date of the increase so you would in theory be able to use 10-rides for the following 44 days (given they expire in 45). So I would assume the single ride tickets would provide that slight discount after the 10-ride pass expired?

Why anyone would want a ton of single ride tickets, I have no clue, but I suppose if the single ride fare added up was lower than the new 10-ride price some might do it to save a few dollars and cents. Guess it all adds up after a while. Too much hasstle for me though!
 
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roadman3313 said:
The 10-ride passes are a better deal. Monthlies would go up at the time of scheduled increase so there wouldn't be a cost-savings. The 10-ride price would go up effective the date of the increase so you would in theory be able to use 10-rides for the following 44 days (given they expire in 45). So I would assume the single ride tickets would provide that slight discount after the 10-ride pass expired?
Why anyone would want a ton of single ride tickets, I have no clue, but I suppose if the single ride fare added up was lower than the new 10-ride price some might do it to save a few dollars and cents. Guess it all adds up after a while. Too much hasstle for me though!
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It would need to be a very unique set of circumstances to make it work out. As it stands, my combination of driving, Caltrain, Amtrak, BART, VTA, and foot power makes the 10-ride tickets ideal. Certainly my circumstances probably don't make the monthlies work and even with a 20% discount hoarding a bunch of CC tickets would seem odd.
 
Yeah... in my situation I also use the 10-ride tickets with my travel patterns. It provides the best overall value with about a 40% discount over the single-ride fare on a per ride basis (assuming you use all 10). Plus you get to see what punch the conductor has as well! Some have pretty odd shapes though my usual two have a ghost and a toilet respectively :p
 
Haha... that I could. I work at the transit agency where I go though so I get free transit around there anyway. Never occured to ask although I could always ask for one to use to show our operators what they look like and to actually accept them! But that's a whole other story... ;)
 
roadman3313 said:
Haha... that I could. I work at the transit agency where I go though so I get free transit around there anyway. Never occured to ask although I could always ask for one to use to show our operators what they look like and to actually accept them! But that's a whole other story... ;)
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I still can't find anything that definitively tells me how to use one of those transfers on VTA lightrail. I've used them on VTA buses, and I just flash it to the driver and put it back in my pocket. I think I'm just supposed to carry it and show it to the fare inspector on demand, but there's nothing on the VTA website that says what to do with a Capitol Corridor transfer.

I know they're supposed to be punched to be valid up to the next day, but I've gotten as far ahead as maybe three weeks. I've seen various combinations asked. One conductor might ask me if I just want one instead of the standard two. Some just pull a couple out of the breast pocket that have already been punched a few days/weeks in advance. One conductor asked if I wanted it punched for that day only. At the end of 2012 I even got one punched into January, even though the transfer said 2012 at the top. There doesn't appear to be any uniformity.
 
I can agree with that. When I have asked just to see each year's design I have received them pre-punched out of the Conductors pocket, dated sometimes up to a week in the future. I don't think the agency I'm at mentions it either. But I know you stick it into the fare box and it is valid for a local fare credit. You are able to add funds to receive a transfer as well. It is not valid on Transbay routes. WIth lightrail that seems a bit more difficult as they don't have a farebox. And who is to say if the transfer is dated in the future that you don't use the same one for days on end?

I think a lot of policies involving the Transit Transfer are not consistant as so many agencies are involved. But Capitol Corridor manages their program and the agreements with the agencies and sends their directives onto Amtrak.

At the agency level, the transfers are so rare compared to other fare media that they are often overlooked when listing fare information. I know where I work some operators know what to do with them and some are unsure what they even are of if we accept them. It is in their training book with a picture and description but those often aren't carried around on a daily basis by the average employee. I'd be curious to call VTA Customer Service and see what they say.
 
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