Did AGR pull 'a TQP fast one'?

[bratkinson]

I've only ridden Amtrak once so far this year, but have now loosened up a bit and booked 2 one-day Acela trips in the next 5 weeks to get a boost on achieving AGR Select Plus status for 2022. So, for the first time this year, I looked at my AGR points posting from January to today, August 8. I was surprised what I found.

I have no idea how or why, but there's a 'mystery' 2400 TQPs there since last November. I thought TQPs go away every year. Guess not.

I have spent considerably using the annual fee Amtrak card, and should be seeing two 1,000 TQP awards since the beginning of the year. Not a one has shown up! Instead, on March 1, I got an otherwise unexplained 'regular' 1,000 added in. No second 1,000 in June or July. The only NEW TQPs I got this year is from a 5% redemption 'bonus' and those for the train #67 roomette in April I paid for.

'Regular' AGR points have posted normally, subject to the 1-2 point 'rounding error' at BofA where the number of points transmitted are plus/minus 1 or 2 each month of actual dollars spent.

I just finished sending an email to Amtrak. It'll be interesting to see how they respond. I would think that the AGR 'point accumulator' software would keep a running total of all credit card usage and when it hits a multiple of $5,000 (points, actually), it would trigger a 1,000 TQP. Apparently not.

So, for anyone who's used their AGR card regularly, go double check your AGR transactions to make sure you have all the points, both regular and TQPs!

 

[MARC Rider]

Double TQP (amtrak.com)

They have a double TQP program going on. I think I just hit Select Plus, and all I have are 4,000 TQP from the credit card, 2 Acela trips, a couple of NER trips to Washington, a NER trip to Princeton Jct/Philly, my Pittsburgh circle (all coach and cheap discount fares) and my LSL circle (mostly coach, and really cheap discount fares). I'm now debating whether to just use points for any trips I take for the rest of the year, or just keep going and try to make Select Executive.

 

[Trollopian]

For what it's worth...

I regretfully haven't ridden Amtrak since the start of the pandemic, so all of my new points come from using my AGR Rewards Mastercard.

Through April 2021 every month's credits show up as "BankOfAmerica Platinum." Then they abruptly switch to "AMTRAK - Base 1x Retail Spend." There doesn't seem to be any other difference. I'm getting one point per dollar charged.

Thanks, though, for reminding us to check our accounts. My beloved cat died in February 2020 and, without the responsibility of caring for a senior pet, I planned to make my long-dreamt train circuit using points. Cardinal! California Zephyr! Coast Starlight! Empire Builder! Even the names evoke romance. Well, I'm still gonna make that circuit. Someday. And with even more points.

 

[Just me]

So sorry for the loss of your beloved Sidney.