Best 2 zone award?

[manderson]

That's because CO and UA merged and is now known as United. There is no more Continental Airlines!

I understand! But I was asked where I got the reservation & it was on the CO Site! The airline reservation prices change a heck of a lot faster than Amtrak!!!! :lol:

Any honorable mentions for New Orlean's hotels?

Thanx

I like Prytania Park in the Garden District. Very reasonable rates, and on the St. Charles streetcar line.

 

[VentureForth]

Well, I guess I answered my own question! I just got off the phone with AGR & they gave me ELP-LAX-PDX-CHI-NOL ( 5 nites in roomette) for 20k! I consider that a pretty good deal!!!

Someone help me understand the rules. I was under the impression that you HAD to pick from a route offered when you plug in start to finish on the reservations page. In other words, if you had to have an overnight somewhere OR if you had to use Multi-City to book it, I though it was not available for AGR redemption.

So, in other words, if I wanted to go from Savannah to Albuquerque, do I have to go SAV-WAS-CHI-ABQ or SAV-NYP-CHI-ABQ or can I somehow dot across the NE and sightsee some?

And one more clarification - does a roomette redemption cover two people or just one? And a coach redemption just for one or can it be used for two?

 

[Rail Freak]

Well, I guess I answered my own question! I just got off the phone with AGR & they gave me ELP-LAX-PDX-CHI-NOL ( 5 nites in roomette) for 20k! I consider that a pretty good deal!!!

Someone help me understand the rules. I was under the impression that you HAD to pick from a route offered when you plug in start to finish on the reservations page. In other words, if you had to have an overnight somewhere OR if you had to use Multi-City to book it, I though it was not available for AGR redemption.

And one more clarification - does a roomette redemption cover two people or just one? And a coach redemption just for one or can it be used for two?

It depends on the agent and/or supervisor you talk to! This time the agent asked her supervisor & she said they would allow it, sooo I got very lucky!

I'm also booked out of ELP on a day the SL isnt running east bound!

A roomette ticket is for up to 2 people but each person is charged a rail fare. Coach tikets are for 1 person

 

[MrFSS]

A roomette ticket is for up to 2 people but each person is charged a rail fare. Coach tikets are for 1 person

He's asking about AGR redemptions. A roomette AGR redemption is for up to two people. A coach AGR is for only ONE person.

 

[Ispolkom]

Someone help me understand the rules. I was under the impression that you HAD to pick from a route offered when you plug in start to finish on the reservations page. In other words, if you had to have an overnight somewhere OR if you had to use Multi-City to book it, I though it was not available for AGR redemption.

You have to get past the notion that there are rules for AGR, or that if there are rules, we know them. The supposed rules certainly aren't published anywhere, after all, and if they do exist they are subject to change without notice.

All you have are people's experiences, and they are different. I can't get an overnight stay in the middle of an AGR redemption to save my life. Yarrow has no trouble booking through Los Angeles with an overnight stop. I've gotten the same circuitous trip quoted as a one-zone, a two-zone, and a three-zone award. Naturally in that case I booked with the agent who said one zone, and now kick myself that I only booked one bedroom, not a bedroom suite.

What's true is that you should have the least amount of trouble booking a route that appears on the reservation page (though I had one agent who insisted I had to book the first choice). It certainly isn't true that routes displayed are you only opportunities. I think of AGR as a quantum awards program. You don't know for sure what's possible until you try it. Even then there are various possible outcomes. I see this as a feature, not a bug.

 

[VentureForth]

You have to get past the notion that there are rules for AGR, or that if there are rules, we know them. The supposed rules certainly aren't published anywhere, after all, and if they do exist they are subject to change without notice. <SNIP> I think of AGR as a quantum awards program. You don't know for sure what's possible until you try it. Even then there are various possible outcomes. I see this as a feature, not a bug.

I think the previous post illustrated that quite well. Maybe that's where the fun is in buying AGR points in addition to earning them, and using those points for booking. Sounds like you get a heckuva lot more mileage out of doing so.

 

[PJnVA]

A roomette ticket is for up to 2 people but each person is charged a rail fare. Coach tikets are for 1 person

He's asking about AGR redemptions. A roomette AGR redemption is for up to two people. A coach AGR is for only ONE person.

Correct me if I am wrong but an ARG redemption of 20K for a roomette covers the rail fare and the roomette for 2.

 

[Ispolkom]

Correct me if I am wrong but an ARG redemption of 20K for a roomette covers the rail fare and the roomette for 2.

You are correct.

 

[Aaron]

I think of AGR as a quantum awards program.

This is the best description I've heard yet!

 

[calwatch]

That was my impression too - you had to book what popped out of the system. I am looking at LA to New Orleans via Sacramento, Portland, and Chicago but the EB does not pop up as an option. Of course you have to snag a room on that one sleeper car out of Portland - which seems virtually impossible in the month of September - but glad to know that others have tried it.

 

[Shortline]

Norman OK to SEA is a nice 2 Zoner as well, and the return gives you the option of doing the California Zephyr. Out and back gives you a total of 7 train nights.

How you do the return? when I try and view trips SEA-OKC, it tells it "can't find train service matching my request".

We've considered OKC-LAX-SEA though. I think we're going to (as time permits!) do our orignal trip OKC-CHI-NOL we had booked for a few weeks ago, but then bought a house, and ended up moving in that week.....It's about as good a 1 zone award as you can get, especially since we could leave from home, rather than fly at both ends.

But would really LOVE to do the California Zephyr, but going West, there is no connection from the TE.....so, how do I do it coming East? There is aparently a way to connect to the TE via bus Galesburg-Springfield, but really DO NOT want to break the trip up with a bus ride, and can't see a way to do it from Seattle-OKC in any event. I think our best option, is to do a 1 zone OKC-CHI, stay a day or two overnight, then another 2 zone CHI-EMY. But that burns nearly a full week, when you factor in a day to fly back......one of these days......

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Norman OK to SEA is a nice 2 Zoner as well, and the return gives you the option of doing the California Zephyr. Out and back gives you a total of 7 train nights.

How you do the return? when I try and view trips SEA-OKC, it tells it "can't find train service matching my request".

We've considered OKC-LAX-SEA though. I think we're going to (as time permits!) do our orignal trip OKC-CHI-NOL we had booked for a few weeks ago, but then bought a house, and ended up moving in that week.....It's about as good a 1 zone award as you can get, especially since we could leave from home, rather than fly at both ends.

But would really LOVE to do the California Zephyr, but going West, there is no connection from the TE.....so, how do I do it coming East? There is aparently a way to connect to the TE via bus Galesburg-Springfield, but really DO NOT want to break the trip up with a bus ride, and can't see a way to do it from Seattle-OKC in any event. I think our best option, is to do a 1 zone OKC-CHI, stay a day or two overnight, then another 2 zone CHI-EMY. But that burns nearly a full week, when you factor in a day to fly back......one of these days......

I literally just stepped back into the house a couple hours ago from my 2 Zone redemption on this run and here is how to get the Zephyr on return-if you try to book to OKC, it shows not available, BUT if you book to FTW, the routing shows. And since FTW-OKC is a valid connection, a live agent can quickly build it in for you. In summary, you take the Eagle/Sunset connecting to the Starlight going to SEA and the Zephyr option coming home. And the van pool from Galesburg to Springfield is not bad at all.

 

[Shortline]

Norman OK to SEA is a nice 2 Zoner as well, and the return gives you the option of doing the California Zephyr. Out and back gives you a total of 7 train nights.

How you do the return? when I try and view trips SEA-OKC, it tells it "can't find train service matching my request".

We've considered OKC-LAX-SEA though. I think we're going to (as time permits!) do our orignal trip OKC-CHI-NOL we had booked for a few weeks ago, but then bought a house, and ended up moving in that week.....It's about as good a 1 zone award as you can get, especially since we could leave from home, rather than fly at both ends.

But would really LOVE to do the California Zephyr, but going West, there is no connection from the TE.....so, how do I do it coming East? There is aparently a way to connect to the TE via bus Galesburg-Springfield, but really DO NOT want to break the trip up with a bus ride, and can't see a way to do it from Seattle-OKC in any event. I think our best option, is to do a 1 zone OKC-CHI, stay a day or two overnight, then another 2 zone CHI-EMY. But that burns nearly a full week, when you factor in a day to fly back......one of these days......

I literally just stepped back into the house a couple hours ago from my 2 Zone redemption on this run and here is how to get the Zephyr on return-if you try to book to OKC, it shows not available, BUT if you book to FTW, the routing shows. And since FTW-OKC is a valid connection, a live agent can quickly build it in for you. In summary, you take the Eagle/Sunset connecting to the Starlight going to SEA and the Zephyr option coming home. And the van pool from Galesburg to Springfield is not bad at all.

Interesting, thanks! We've already booked our 2 zone for this year, OKC-MIA, but if that goes well, and they want to do it again, maybe we'll do SEA-FTW (then OKC) next year. Who knows, 4 days/3 nights on a train might just cure the family of ever doing this again, we'll see!

 

[dlagrua]

And I just made ELP-LAX-PDX-WPT for 1 zone! Well worth 15K!

Three separate train trips for 15,000 points? ELP-LAX LAX-PDX and PDX to WPT.

Then I assume another three train trips takes you back. WPT -CHI and CHI-NYP NYP-PVD

That sounds like a great trip although it would prove to be a long one for myself in coach .

 

[the_traveler]

1345750467[/url]' post='389101']

1342740453[/url]' post='381383']And I just made ELP-LAX-PDX-WPT for 1 zone! Well worth 15K!

Three separate train trips for 15,000 points? ELP-LAX LAX-PDX and PDX to WPT.

Then I assume another three train trips takes you back. WPT -CHI and CHI-NYP NYP-PVD.

Not quite, but I ain't telling!

 

[pennyk]

And I just made ELP-LAX-PDX-WPT for 1 zone! Well worth 15K!

I just got off the phone with an AGR agent who charged me a 2 zone trip (40,000 points in bedroom) for the SAME routing.

Dave, did you have to do something special for your agent to get her to charge you for 1 zone? (was she a 20 something year old Aussie woman :lol: )

Did Dave get lucky or did I get unlucky? Or have things changed in the last few months?

 

[the_traveler]

1350675714[/url]' post='400296']

1342740453[/url]' post='381383']And I just made ELP-LAX-PDX-WPT for 1 zone! Well worth 15K!

I just got off the phone with an AGR agent who charged me a 2 zone trip (40,000 points in bedroom) for the SAME routing.

Dave, did you have to do something special for your agent to get her to charge you for 1 zone? (was she a 20 something year old Aussie woman :lol: )

Did Dave get lucky or did I get unlucky? Or have things changed in the last few months?

You got unlucky - as always!

The agent was wrong as it is the only routing from ELP to WPT. Call again.

And she was not an Aussie babe but was a Southern California babe!

AGR is now in Riverside, CA.

 

[pennyk]

1350675714[/url]' post='400296']

1342740453[/url]' post='381383']And I just made ELP-LAX-PDX-WPT for 1 zone! Well worth 15K!

I just got off the phone with an AGR agent who charged me a 2 zone trip (40,000 points in bedroom) for the SAME routing.

Dave, did you have to do something special for your agent to get her to charge you for 1 zone? (was she a 20 something year old Aussie woman :lol: )

Did Dave get lucky or did I get unlucky? Or have things changed in the last few months?

You got unlucky - as always!

The agent was wrong as it is the only routing from ELP to WPT. Call again.

And she was not an Aussie babe but was a Southern California babe!

AGR is now in Riverside, CA.

I just phoned back and got another agent - probably a California Stud :lol: :lol: :lol:

who agreed with you (and me) that this should be a one zone trip and adjusted my account accordingly. Thanks. I will use the 15,000 points that I just saved to get home from NYP (since my cross country trip that I just booked starts in ORL and ends in NYP).

 

[PRR 60]

...

And she was not an Aussie babe but was a Southern California babe!

AGR is now in Riverside, CA.

And at the Amtrak call center in Northeast Philadelphia.

 

[crescent2]

Re hotels: We always liked the Bourbon Orleans, very good location in the French Quarter and is a historic building.

If you want a condo, we've also traded our Hilton timeshare time and stayed at Club LaPension on Decatur St. in the FQ. I think they will rent (not a timeshare exchange) some of their units but I'm not sure.

Enjoy your visit!

 

[amamba]

...

And she was not an Aussie babe but was a Southern California babe!

AGR is now in Riverside, CA.

And at the Amtrak call center in Northeast Philadelphia.

I often get folks in the Philly call center. Sometimes they have excellent Philly accents. I miss the philly accent up here. It reminds me of home. Like Jenn Carroll on "life after top chef", she has a great Philly accent.