AGR for cross-country in coach--worth it?

[Heading North]

This may be more of a general question than an AGR question, but here goes the conundrum:

I'm traveling from the east coast (DC/NY) to Victoria, BC for a wedding in June, and don't have a lot to spend--but would much rather take the train at least one way. I checked my AGR balance recently, and I have just enough points to make a one-way cross-country trip IN COACH (roughly 11k). Looking at the way points are structured, I'd have to use half my points just to get across one zone in coach (and don't have enough points to get a sleeper for any distance), so it's not really beneficial for me to try to break it up into segments.

The longest coach trip I've taken before was NYP-LNK a couple years ago (two days) and that was fine, but I don't know about whether a true cross-country trip would be too much without a sleeper... but, it would be free! And I don't anticipate earning enough points in the next year or two to really allow me to use the AGR points for something better.

Any thoughts?

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Check the prices for the dates you want. If they are in HIGH buckets then it becomes more useful. If they are all still in low buckets, then they're worth less.

Personally, I wouldn't use points unless:

A ) I needed to make a trip ASAP and had no money

B ) Made a nice little upgrade to make a planned trip more comfortable (going from coach to roomette on the Builder for instance)

 

[Upstate]

How are you going to return? If you are flying then RT tickets cost as much as one way tickets usually so you might as well fly. What you could do is fly to the west zone and use the AGR points to take you RT to Seattle and back. This would give you a lot of flexibility with airports so you could find the cheapest flight. Maybe fly to Denver and then use the 11K for RT on the CZ and CS.

Three days in coach would be miserable for me, but everyone is different.

 

[the_traveler]

I personally was a strong believer in traveling coach overnight. But my recent trip included coach for 1 night (NYP-CHI) and coach for a partial night (NOL-SAS with an arrival at 2 AM). I find coach is fine for 1 night (maybe 2) but 3 I think is too much. Depending on your age (25 or 85), you may think different.

I like the idea suggested of flying to the west coast (or part way) and taking the train from there. Unless you're flying on an airline like Southwest, a one way trip (on like American or United) may cost as much or more than a round trip flight! And if you fly round trip to a place such as DEN, ABQ, SAN, LAX or SFO, the train trip is only 1 zone. That would be 5,500 points for a one way trip in coach! (Hey - for your 11K, you could do a round trip! ) Or if you fly to say PDX or SEA, it's only 1,000 points each way!

 

[Tom K]

I personally was a strong believer in traveling coach overnight. But my recent trip included coach for 1 night (NYP-CHI) and coach for a partial night (NOL-SAS with an arrival at 2 AM). I find coach is fine for 1 night (maybe 2) but 3 I think is too much. Depending on your age (25 or 85), you may think different.
I like the idea suggested of flying to the west coast (or part way) and taking the train from there. Unless you're flying on an airline like Southwest, a one way trip (on like American or United) may cost as much or more than a round trip flight! And if you fly round trip to a place such as DEN, ABQ, SAN, LAX or SFO, the train trip is only 1 zone. That would be 5,500 points for a one way trip in coach! (Hey - for your 11K, you could do a round trip! ) Or if you fly to say PDX or SEA, it's only 1,000 points each way!

Other airlines that will sell a one way ticket are Midwest and Airtran

 

[MrFSS]

I personally was a strong believer in traveling coach overnight. But my recent trip included coach for 1 night (NYP-CHI) and coach for a partial night (NOL-SAS with an arrival at 2 AM). I find coach is fine for 1 night (maybe 2) but 3 I think is too much. Depending on your age (25 or 85), you may think different.
I like the idea suggested of flying to the west coast (or part way) and taking the train from there. Unless you're flying on an airline like Southwest, a one way trip (on like American or United) may cost as much or more than a round trip flight! And if you fly round trip to a place such as DEN, ABQ, SAN, LAX or SFO, the train trip is only 1 zone. That would be 5,500 points for a one way trip in coach! (Hey - for your 11K, you could do a round trip! ) Or if you fly to say PDX or SEA, it's only 1,000 points each way!

Other airlines that will sell a one way ticket are Midwest and Airtran

I have found, recently, that NWA is selling one-way tickets at very good prices. I think the airlines are seeing that one-way is a viable market.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

I personally was a strong believer in traveling coach overnight. But my recent trip included coach for 1 night (NYP-CHI) and coach for a partial night (NOL-SAS with an arrival at 2 AM). I find coach is fine for 1 night (maybe 2) but 3 I think is too much. Depending on your age (25 or 85), you may think different.
I like the idea suggested of flying to the west coast (or part way) and taking the train from there. Unless you're flying on an airline like Southwest, a one way trip (on like American or United) may cost as much or more than a round trip flight! And if you fly round trip to a place such as DEN, ABQ, SAN, LAX or SFO, the train trip is only 1 zone. That would be 5,500 points for a one way trip in coach! (Hey - for your 11K, you could do a round trip! ) Or if you fly to say PDX or SEA, it's only 1,000 points each way!

Other airlines that will sell a one way ticket are Midwest and Airtran

I have found, recently, that NWA is selling one-way tickets at very good prices. I think the airlines are seeing that one-way is a viable market.

After my transcon run on the CZ i flew home from Oakland to JFK on jet blue for under $200

 

[PRR 60]

...Unless you're flying on an airline like Southwest, a one way trip (on like American or United) may cost as much or more than a round trip flight! And if you fly round trip to a place such as DEN, ABQ, SAN, LAX or SFO, the train trip is only 1 zone. That would be 5,500 points for a one way trip in coach! (Hey - for your 11K, you could do a round trip! ) Or if you fly to say PDX or SEA, it's only 1,000 points each way!

Other airlines that will sell a one way ticket are Midwest and Airtran

I have found, recently, that NWA is selling one-way tickets at very good prices. I think the airlines are seeing that one-way is a viable market.

Generally, the availability of inexpensive one-way airfares is dependant on one of the low-cost carriers (LCC) being in the market. If Southwest or AirTran is flying a route, legacies in the same market will usually match fares, including one-way fares. With so many markets now being served by LCC's, good one way fares are pretty easy to find. That probably led to the demise of the old Amtrak - United rail/air package plan. In the later years of the plan you could often book your own rail-air trip at lower prices than the Amtrak package deal.