AGR fall promotion
- Thread starter jdcnosse
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the_traveler
Engineer
If you're talking about traveling, there is usually a 2x point bonus around the time of the Gathering in October. If you're talking of Buy Points, who knows?
Last year was the first time (that I'm aware of) that it was 50%!
OlympianHiawatha
Engineer
It's a crap shoot but usually just after you've maxed out on buying Points for the year, you can be sure a better offer will quickly come along. On the other hand, if you've already booked and paid for tickets and a 2 or 3x Promo comes up for your travel time, then you're automatically all set, provided you register for the Promo.
SubwayNut
Conductor
When the spring promo happened this year I was sitting on a train checking email on my iPhone quickly opened AGR and registered from the mobile site!
Acela150
Super Buff
Last year it was the 3rd week of September to the Day before Thanksgiving.. Smart business move there.. Although it would have been better off to go through the Holiday period to convince passengers to sign up for the program. Just saying.
benjibear
Conductor
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2011
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- 1,078
The promotions are to encourage people to ride. Amtrak is already packed Thanksgiving weekend and probably do quite well in December.
the_traveler
Engineer
Well, I hope that you and others maxed out for the year, because I'm still waiting for the better offer to come along!OlympianHiawatha said:
I am hedging my bets. I bought 5,000 points with 30% bonus and am hoping to buy another with 50% bonus.Well, I hope that you and others maxed out for the year, because I'm still waiting for the better offer to come along!OlympianHiawatha said:
OlympianHiawatha
Engineer
I am but in a few hours I'll be stepping on board the Heartland Flyer to begin consuming some of those miles on a nice 2 Zone to SeattleWell, I hope that you and others maxed out for the year, because I'm still waiting for the better offer to come along!OlympianHiawatha said:
Acela150
Super Buff
Yes the promotions are to encourage people to ride. Amtrak is packed during Thanksgiving but it would also encourage passengers to sign up for the rewards program. So when they ride during the holiday season.. They get double points. Why not?
the_traveler
Engineer
I know many have been waiting (including me) for a 50% bonus, but I personally rather doubt that there will be another bonus this year! I myself would rather get 30% than to get -0-% more!
Last year didn't they run two 30% buy points promotions, and then do a 50% buy points promotion before the second 30% was over? If not I thought the 50% promo came right on the heels of a 30% promo :help:
the_traveler
Engineer
But in 2012, haven't they already had 2 offers of 30% - and this will be the 3rd?
I'll hold steadfast until the 50% offer is repeated BUT the 30% bonus now goes to the end of Sept 2012. I would say that its probably a 50/50 shot at best that the 50% bonus will repeat but who knows? Since the points requirements have skyrocketed this year for AGR trips, I feel it necessary to get more points for my money. I'll hedge my bet that towards year end Amtrak will need to raise revenue and repeat the offer. We will see.
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I would wait with you, but I unfortunately can't wait too long...Christmas-time books up quick.
the_traveler
Engineer
Just keep in mind that last year was the FIRST time EVER (that I remember since AGR began) that a 50% bonus was offered! I personally would not count on it!
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
Maybe you should keep in mind that a 50% bonus at 2012 award rates is not all that different from a 30% bonus at 2011 award rates.
the_traveler
Engineer
That seemed like a personal attack with the italicized "you", but I will not play your game. I'll just say that I always redeem Roomette awards, and they (and coach awards) have not increased from last year, so it IS very different from the 50% of last year. (It's 20% less that i get, but I still pay for an award the same amount of points that I paid last year!)Texas Sunset said:
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
It's not my game so much as it's Amtrak's game. And, to be fair, most of the airlines play the same runaway inflation game themselves. I'm simply drawing attention to the fact that a 50% bonus isn't quite what it used to be in many situations.
That sentence is very confusing to me. For one thing coach class on some routes did in fact go up, by as much as 30-50%. So did Business and First Class. Of the three main bedroom types only one did not increase. But I suppose if we choose to focus entirely on how you travel and only how you travel then nothing has changed after all.
the_traveler
Engineer
Yes, some award rates on rooms (Bedrooms and Family Rooms), Special Routes and AE travel did rise in April, but 1, 2 and 3 zone coach and 1, 2 and 3 zone BC awards and Roomette or H-Room awards did not rise at all! Just looking at 1 sleeping car, 6 room rates did rise but 14 did not at all. Thus 65% of the car is still the same cost in points! And on a train with 2 sleepers, over 90% of the seats and rooms are the same award rate!
So it's not "just me"! And I bet if you poll most of the members on AU, I think you'll find many others who redeem Roomette awards also - so their award levels did not rise either!
And I won't post in this thread again.
So it's not "just me"! And I bet if you poll most of the members on AU, I think you'll find many others who redeem Roomette awards also - so their award levels did not rise either!
And I won't post in this thread again.
I'm just going to throw my two cents in there, and say that perhaps they also did the 50% bonus to get more people to ride...after all Amtrak did seem proud of the 30 million riders it accomplished last year...maybe that was part of it. I would love another 50% bonus...but seeing as buying points is already a heck of a lot cheaper the paying full-fare for a sleeper accommodation, I really doubt they'd do it too often...I feel like they'd lose too much money on it...and as we all know, Amtrak (at least the LD trains) are always losing money unfortunately.
That's what transportation is. A big money pit. Too bad we don't have teleportation devices yet haha
That's what transportation is. A big money pit. Too bad we don't have teleportation devices yet haha
