Modifying Existing Reservation with AGR

[getbent]

Good evening!

First things first- you guys are a wealth of information! I've been lurking for awhile and decided to sign up.

Question (one of many, before I head on my first cross country trip with my seven-year-old):

Our trip is such:

DEN-CHI- Coach

CHI-BOS- Roomette

Is there anyway to upgrade the DEN-CHI to a roomette with AGR points, while maintaining the rest of the reservation?

Thanks!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Good evening!
First things first- you guys are a wealth of information! I've been lurking for awhile and decided to sign up.

Question (one of many, before I head on my first cross country trip with my seven-year-old):

Our trip is such:

DEN-CHI- Coach

CHI-BOS- Roomette

Is there anyway to upgrade the DEN-CHI to a roomette with AGR points, while maintaining the rest of the reservation?

Thanks!

Easy! Just call AGR and explain you want to MODIFY an existing res. A good Agent should be able to get it done and the new paperwork into you e-mail in just a couple minutes. I actually made 2 different mods involving change of trains on an AGR a few weeks ago and they went off without a hitch.

 

[SubwayNut]

If your going straight through your award ticket and points redemption will also cover you on the Lake Shore all the way to Toledo, Ohio (the zone boundary) for the same number of points.

Just check the current fare of Toledo-Boston before you book and make sure its less than the CHI-BOS fare you've already paid, otherwise its not worth it.

 

[AG1]

I hope you are aware that you can go DEN-CHI-BOS in a roomette for the same number of points as CHI-BOS. Both are two zone redemptions for 20000 points.

Edited ,thanks to the _traveler.

 

[getbent]

Thanks, everyone. I finally had the fine print explained to me- it's a cash trip and no way can I combine AGR points on the trip. Rookie mistake, eh?

 

[the_traveler]

You can't combine a cash trip with AGR points, but because you have 2 trains, you could say use AGR points from DEN to CHI and cash from CHI to BOS! And a correction - DEN/CHI/BOS is a 2 zone award is only 20,000 points - only 5,000 more for BOTH of you!

 

[getbent]

Do you know if it would still count as one reservation? For instance, would our bags transfer at CHI as if we were on one trip?

I might stick with coach after all. My son thinks traveling in coach is going to be really exciting. I've only traveled on Amtrak once- for my honeymoon, where we sent Seattle-Sacramento and we had a bedroom. I'm almost curious myself to see if coach is okay, or if I will regret the decision. One way to find out, right?

 

[the_traveler]

Yes, ask for the reservations to be associated. Then when you check your bag(s), show ALL your tickets for that portion (DEN-BOS or BOS-DEN) and they will be checked thru to your final destination, and be transferred between trains for you!

Also, if you're going to do one segment coach and one AGR award sleeper, chose the least expensive one to pay and the most expensive one as the AGR award! And remember that the zone boundary is Toledo, OH (TOL). A trip from TOL to BOS is one zone, while a trip from CHI to BOS is 2 zones. (An award from DEN to BOS is also 2 zones!)

 

[getbent]

Thank you!