Bonus point match

[winterskigirl]

Has anyone else noticed that match points are getting stingier? It used to be a 30% flat match last year. I've heard even 50% from some of you old AGR members. Is Amtrak getting less generous because ridership is up? Just wondering.

 

[jerichowhiskey]

I see they broke it down into three categories. From what I understand it has always been 30% and the 50% offer was offered only once if I remembered right. However, 50% bonus points seems to be available through targeted emails which I happily claimed earlier this year. :giggle:

 

[AlanB]

Has anyone else noticed that match points are getting stingier? It used to be a 30% flat match last year. I've heard even 50% from some of you old AGR members. Is Amtrak getting less generous because ridership is up? Just wondering.

Only once, two years ago, did Amtrak ever offer a 50% match for buying points. All other times it has been 30% only. And the ability to buy points is actually still rather new; for the first 5 or 6 years there was no such option at all.

But the simple reality is that the program is too successful and they don't need to give away the store as it were. The tired approach gives us a break, while also meaning that one must commit a bit more to Amtrak. Am I thrilled? No. But I do understand and I remain grateful for the chance to still buy points at a cheaper rate.

 

[the_traveler]

And the tier bonuses have been here before - at least during the last point buying bonus period if not longer.

 

[AlanB]

And the tier bonuses have been here before - at least during the last point buying bonus period if not longer.

That's a new thing that they started this year. Last year it didn't matter how many points you brought, you still got the 30%.

 

[Bigval109]

I don't really like the tier bonuses because I can't always buy the whole 10,000 points at once to get the

30% increase. In the past I would buy maybe 5000 points at a time because of my finances. I'm hoping

they will go back to the way they did it in the past. And maybe a Christmas present of 50% would really help

if you had not already purchased your max.

 

[rrdude]

I don't really like the tier bonuses because I can't always buy the whole 10,000 points at once to get the

30% increase. In the past I would buy maybe 5000 points at a time because of my finances. I'm hoping

they will go back to the way they did it in the past. And maybe a Christmas present of 50% would really help

if you had not already purchased your max.

As an old restaurateur used to tell me about couponing, "Why give it away, if enough people are buying it already.....?"

As Alan stated, the AGR loyalty plan is working well, some might say "too well". Until and unless they need to ramp up membership/ridership, I wouldn't expect any generous offers in the future, that don't involve actual $$$ for Amtrak.

 

[Anderson]

Agreed. I could see some off-season redemption deals...but one thing to remember is that Amtrak wants to at least break even on the points offers: Yes, it's cash now, but it's also for an unredeemed reward liability later.