How best to use points

[Lazy Z]

OK..taking a trip next summer. Had planned to make reservations this month and just be done with it. Then I looked into the AGR program and went ahead and applied for the credit card. So, my points right off will be:

12,000 for getting the card

6,000 I can transfer from my Hilton account

Realistically, I can use that credit card for a bunch of stuff and could easily accrue 1,000 - 2,000 points each month (fuel, groceries,business expenses, etc). I want tog get more points to use, but also do not want to wait too long to make my reservations. Can I make the reservations, then at some point, as it gets closer, use my points and re-buy it?

The basic route we are going to take is, will a few days off the train at each stop:

FUL-ORL

ORL-SAV

SAV-WAS

WAS-NYP

NYP-FUL

I will also be reserving a bedroom from at least CHI - FUL and Roomettes probably on ORL-SAV and SAV-WAS.

What is the best way to save and use some points?? If I wait and earn points for 6 months, will that still be enough time to get the rooms? I imagine I can get my points up to 30,000 in 6 months if I try really hard

Could I use the points on the NYP-FUL, but only for the CHI-FUL part? Maybe I could get that sleeper? Any thoughts, sharing your experience would be appreciated! I am confused!!

THank you!

 

[the_traveler]

The best way to accumulate AGR points is to use the AGR MC for EVERYTHING you can! (If I can, I even use mine to buy a cup of coffee or even a newspaper!) I also earn $1K-$2K each month.

Be award that on an AGR award, no stopovers are allowed.

So for the list you posted, it would take 5 separate awards!

(Assuming you'll be stopping a few days at each city.)

The transfer from Hilton to AGR would only get you IIRC 1,250 AGR points. From now on, if your going to travel Amtrak a lot and stay at a Hilton property, you may want to make your "preferred airline" to be Amtrak. That way you'll get 500 AGR points plus HHonors points for the same stay!

 

[RRrich]

There are disadvantages to my method but many credit cards give you a bunch of points which are convertable to AGR points. Examples are Continental Airlines and SPG/Amex.

 

[Ispolkom]

To figure out what sections to book using AGR, look at zone boundaries. If you're traveling Fullerton - Orlando, you don't want a 2-zone award Fullerton-Chicago. Wouldn't it be much better to have one Albuquerque-Chicago-Washington-Orlando? That's also a 2-zone trip. I'd think that would be a better deal than New York-Chicago-Albuquerque, also a 2-zone award.

Like The Traveler I don't especially like the transfer rate from Hilton. I'd think it would be better to use those points for a big city downtown hotel, like the Palmer House in Chicago.

 

[AlanB]

One takes a major hit when transferring HH points to AGR. Of course if that's the difference between not having enough points for the trip and having enough, then it may well be worth it.

To your other question, it is possible to book your trip via a paid reservation and then once you have enough points call up to switch things around. But be aware that the "switch" means that the agent must actually cancel the paid reservation and then switch screens to go grab the room as an AGR award. While it is a slim chance, there is nonetheless a chance that someone comes along during those few seconds and grabs the room out from underneath you.

So while I'm not telling you to forget that idea, you do have to realize that there is at least a small element of risk.

 

[Lazy Z]

To figure out what sections to book using AGR, look at zone boundaries. If you're traveling Fullerton - Orlando, you don't want a 2-zone award Fullerton-Chicago. Wouldn't it be much better to have one Albuquerque-Chicago-Washington-Orlando? That's also a 2-zone trip. I'd think that would be a better deal than New York-Chicago-Albuquerque, also a 2-zone award.

Like The Traveler I don't especially like the transfer rate from Hilton. I'd think it would be better to use those points for a big city downtown hotel, like the Palmer House in Chicago. This might be true. I have 45,000 hilton points, which would give me 6,000 AGR or a hotel in one of those expensive east cost cities we will be visiting!!

hmmm, I like that. So happy to have found this forum, because I am very overwhelmed with planning this!

So, if I did FUL-ABQ, then ABQ-ORL - would I have to book the bedroom from FUL-ABQ to make sure I got it for ABQ-ORL, or is it fine to just book it for that part? I can get a roomette for the first part, for around $150 I think, but it is more like $450 for the bedroom. It would be worth the extra $300 if the chance of of not getting the bedroom was higher. Would I re-check in in ABQ?

I am fiddling around now on amtrak.com and cannot believe the dates are finally available.!!.

 

[Lazy Z]

There are disadvantages to my method but many credit cards give you a bunch of points which are convertable to AGR points. Examples are Continental Airlines and SPG/Amex.

I have an AMEX card and it just gives us some shopping points. Maybe I can change it to one that will help with this trip?

 

[Lazy Z]

The best way to accumulate AGR points is to use the AGR MC for EVERYTHING you can! (If I can, I even use mine to buy a cup of coffee or even a newspaper!) I also earn $1K-$2K each month.

Be award that on an AGR award, no stopovers are allowed.

So for the list you posted, it would take 5 separate awards!

(Assuming you'll be stopping a few days at each city.)

The transfer from Hilton to AGR would only get you IIRC 1,250 AGR points. From now on, if your going to travel Amtrak a lot and stay at a Hilton property, you may want to make your "preferred airline" to be Amtrak. That way you'll get 500 AGR points plus HHonors points for the same stay!

Thanks for the tip. I went online and put in Amtrak as my preferred airline (which is good, because I have not flown since about 2000, and have no plans to in the future!!)

 

[the_traveler]

I can get a roomette for the first part, for around $150 I think, but it is more like $450 for the bedroom. It would be worth the extra $300 if the chance of of not getting the bedroom was higher. Would I re-check in in ABQ?

I am fiddling around now on amtrak.com and cannot believe the dates are finally available.!!.

You could, if you want. save money and get a roomette to ABQ and then use points and get a bedroom from ABQ!

(That is assuming that both are available.) ABQ is a long stop, and even if you have to move between cars, this can be done while the train is stopped.

And you don't have to "check-in" like at an airport at any time.

Also, since it sounds like you just signed up for AGR, remember to take a trip on Amtrak within 90 days of registering, or else you will not get the 500 point sign-up bonus. And it does not need to be a long trip - or even round trip! I believe you're from Fullerton. All you need to do is take Amtrak to like LA or Anaheim , and take Metrolink back!

 

[Dovecote]

I can get a roomette for the first part, for around $150 I think, but it is more like $450 for the bedroom. It would be worth the extra $300 if the chance of of not getting the bedroom was higher. Would I re-check in in ABQ?

I am fiddling around now on amtrak.com and cannot believe the dates are finally available.!!.

You could, if you want. save money and get a roomette to ABQ and then use points and get a bedroom from ABQ!

(That is assuming that both are available.) ABQ is a long stop, and even if you have to move between cars, this can be done while the train is stopped.

And you don't have to "check-in" like at an airport at any time.

Also, since it sounds like you just signed up for AGR, remember to take a trip on Amtrak within 90 days of registering, or else you will not get the 500 point sign-up bonus. And it does not need to be a long trip - or even round trip! I believe you're from Fullerton. All you need to do is take Amtrak to like LA or Anaheim , and take Metrolink back!

I second the recommendation of that of The_Traveler. As a matter of fact, I did the exact same thing earlier in the year on a LD trip from FUL to ATL. One suggestion I would make is to book the roomette reservation (FUL>ABQ) ASAP to get the low bucket fare. Then when you have the necessary AGR points call AGR to make the bedroom reservation (ABQ>ORL). Make sure you tell the agent you already have a FUL>ABQ reservation in a roomette and you would like the bedroom reservation ABQ>ORL to be located in the same car. The agent was able to handle this request on my itinerary and I was fortunate to use the bedroom earlier than the ABQ arrival. My trip report of this event can be found here.

 

[Lazy Z]

I can get a roomette for the first part, for around $150 I think, but it is more like $450 for the bedroom. It would be worth the extra $300 if the chance of of not getting the bedroom was higher. Would I re-check in in ABQ?

I am fiddling around now on amtrak.com and cannot believe the dates are finally available.!!.

You could, if you want. save money and get a roomette to ABQ and then use points and get a bedroom from ABQ!

(That is assuming that both are available.) ABQ is a long stop, and even if you have to move between cars, this can be done while the train is stopped.

And you don't have to "check-in" like at an airport at any time.

Also, since it sounds like you just signed up for AGR, remember to take a trip on Amtrak within 90 days of registering, or else you will not get the 500 point sign-up bonus. And it does not need to be a long trip - or even round trip! I believe you're from Fullerton. All you need to do is take Amtrak to like LA or Anaheim , and take Metrolink back!

I second the recommendation of that of The_Traveler. As a matter of fact, I did the exact same thing earlier in the year on a LD trip from FUL to ATL. One suggestion I would make is to book the roomette reservation (FUL>ABQ) ASAP to get the low bucket fare. Then when you have the necessary AGR points call AGR to make the bedroom reservation (ABQ>ORL). Make sure you tell the agent you already have a FUL>ABQ reservation in a roomette and you would like the bedroom reservation ABQ>ORL to be located in the same car. The agent was able to handle this request and I was fortunate to use the bedroom earlier than the ABQ arrival. My trip report of this event can be found here.

So, I coud use the 2 zone bedroom AGR and not have to pay my rail fare or the bedrooms during the whole trip ABQ-ORL, is that correct?

 

[the_traveler]

Correct - for you OR the second person (if there is one)!

 

[Lazy Z]

Correct - for you OR the second person (if there is one)!

Wow! That is amazing! Yes, it will be my minor daughter and myself!

 

[Lazy Z]

Ready to go ahead with the reservations - am getting cold feet a bit! What want to do is pay for each leg separately, so I can print the tickets as I need them (so I can make changes easier if need be, and also to help me not lost the tickets).

What I finally came up with:

FUL - ABQ in a roomette

ABQ - ORL (bedrooms all the way, and once I get enough points hoarded, 30,000, I am hoping to call in and change the reservation to use those instead)

ORL - SAV in a roomette (stay a couple days)

SAV - WAS (stay a couple days)

WAS -NYP (stay about 5 days)

NYP - FUL (bedroom from CHI to FUL)

I really want to get it done and not think about it for a while. I am concerned with having to cancel the reservation to re-order it with the points. I understand they would need to cancel it because it would probably not let me book another reservation in my name while one for the same route exists, but what if I put the paid reservation for ABQ-ORL in my minor daughter's name? THEN, when I get the points, I can call and make the reservation in my own name and AFTER cancel the first one? Does that seem nuts?

I appreciate any suggestions.

Thank you!

 

[the_traveler]

If you want to change it from paid to using points (or anytime you redeem points for a sleeper), you MUST call AGR! They have no problem changing it from paid to points in your name. If you call to cancel your paid reservations first, there is a chance (a very small chance) that there will be no rooms left when you contact AGR - because someone grabbed your rooms, and that was the last one!

 

[AlanB]

If you want to change it from paid to using points (or anytime you redeem points for a sleeper), you MUST call AGR! They have no problem changing it from paid to points in your name. If you call to cancel your paid reservations first, there is a chance (a very small chance) that there will be no rooms left when you contact AGR - because someone grabbed your rooms, and that was the last one!

Even when calling AGR there is still a very slight chance that by the time the agent cancels the paid reservations, clears the screen and pulls up the screen to book the award that someone could grab the room. It's a very slight chance, but nonetheless still a chance.

The odds are still much more in your favor however calling AGR to do the cancel & rebooking than to first cancel and then call AGR.