are you limited to certain routes within a zone?

[amtrakmichigan]

I called AGR and asked the agent the following questions. The agent didn't seem too sure of herself with the answers she gave me. So let me fire them off here and see what you guys think.

I am looking to use 20,000 points toward travel in one zone in a bedroom. I will be traveling from WTH (Winter Haven, Fl) and DER (Dearborn, Mi.). Are you only limited to travel between 2 cities bassed on how the reservation system says you can travel ? The reservation system online says I have 3 choices on the date of my travel. The most logical of the 3 is SM WTH - WAS, CL WAS - TOL, BUS TOL-DER However I want to route it a different way. I would like to take the SM WTH - NYP, and then the LSL NYP - TOL and BUS TOL - DER. The agent says I can route it however I would like, but like I said she did'nt seem to sure. I can book this route under "multi city trip".

Second question....When a second person is riding in a sleeper with the AGR member, does the the second person just pay the base rail fare as usual? Remember the AGR member (me) is using the points for free travel.

 

[Cascadia]

Second question....When a second person is riding in a sleeper with the AGR member, does the the second person just pay the base rail fare as usual? Remember the AGR member (me) is using the points for free travel.

Can't help with the first part but the good news on the second part is that the award is for a roomette, and the roomette is for two people, and your companion is included in the award.

When using AGR points to book a roomette, you certainly get a better value when two travel than if you go alone!

 

[AlanB]

Second question....When a second person is riding in a sleeper with the AGR member, does the the second person just pay the base rail fare as usual? Remember the AGR member (me) is using the points for free travel.

Can't help with the first part but the good news on the second part is that the award is for a roomette, and the roomette is for two people, and your companion is included in the award.

When using AGR points to book a roomette, you certainly get a better value when two travel than if you go alone!

Just make sure that you tell the AGR agent at the time of booking that you will have a companion with you and be prepared to supply their name.

 

[AlanB]

I am looking to use 20,000 points toward travel in one zone in a bedroom. I will be traveling from WTH (Winter Haven, Fl) and DER (Dearborn, Mi.). Are you only limited to travel between 2 cities bassed on how the reservation system says you can travel ? The reservation system online says I have 3 choices on the date of my travel. The most logical of the 3 is SM WTH - WAS, CL WAS - TOL, BUS TOL-DER However I want to route it a different way. I would like to take the SM WTH - NYP, and then the LSL NYP - TOL and BUS TOL - DER. The agent says I can route it however I would like, but like I said she did'nt seem to sure. I can book this route under "multi city trip".

I'm pretty sure that they can indeed book things they way you want. I've never tried, but it should be doable, assuming that you get an agent that knows what they are doing.

 

[the_traveler]

The easiest way to see what routes you can book as an AGR award is to enter on amtrak.com "FROM" and "TO". If a routing comes up, AGR can book it as an award. If it does not come up, AGR can not book it as an award. (Example: If you want to go from ORL to CHI you will not see a choice via BOS - AGR could not book it as 1 award.)

AGR can no longer book a single award as piecemeal - using a multi city booking. They see the same screen as you see when you put is A to B on the regular screen.

 

[sechs]

In my experience, AGR won't book anything that Arrow doesn't give. The problem is that the agents there have no idea what's a valid connection, and so could otherwise build an itinerary that is not guaranteed.