Most Bang for the Points

[sky12065]

Should we spend points now or save them for the future? That is the question!

We are planning to travel to Florida in 2010 and back using the AutoTrain (1 zone x 2) and we're wondering if it would be more efficient use points for that Florida trip or to pay cash and save the points for future plans to Austin from ALB (2 zones x 2) or Los Angeles from ALB. (3 zones x 2) All trips would be round trips in H Rooms.

I would appreciate your opinions along with the reason where possible. Thanks!

 

[RRrich]

I would use the points for the expensive trips - what are the low bucket prices? (I try to only buy low bucket) If you have to buy high bucket tickets they are prime candidates for AGR points.

 

[Ryan]

Save the points, pay cash for the Auto train - to book an award on the Auto train, you also need to burn points for your car/truck. That makes it pricey, pointswise.

 

[the_traveler]

I too would try to use the least amount of points for the most expensive trips. I try to get at least 4.5 cents/point (but may not)! I also would rather spend 20,000 points than 50,000 points!

Unless you have many points to get rid of - you may be able to do BOTH the AUS and LAX trips for the same cost as the AT trip!

 

[AlanB]

I've burned points on the Auto Train, but when I've done so it was because I was bringing along an army with me. Put another way, I used up 50,000 points to get an SUV onboard and 3 adults/3 kids in both a family room and a roomette. With that many people it was worth it to me to burn those points as it would have cost far more to get them all on the train and some of them probably would never have tried the train if they had to pay.

But for just two people in the H room, I'm not so sure that it would be the best use of points. Of course as they say, your mileage may vary. To each their own, but I'd probably be looking towards the next cross country trip as the place to burn those points.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Should we spend points now or save them for the future? That is the question!
We are planning to travel to Florida in 2010 and back using the AutoTrain (1 zone x 2) and we're wondering if it would be more efficient use points for that Florida trip or to pay cash and save the points for future plans to Austin from ALB (2 zones x 2) or Los Angeles from ALB. (3 zones x 2) All trips would be round trips in H Rooms.

I would appreciate your opinions along with the reason where possible. Thanks!

Joe Id agree with Alan and the traveler on this one! Save your points for the LD expensive trips~

 

[sky12065]

Thanks to all for the replies! I sort of thought as you did that saving the points for the longer trips would be best. So after reading all your replies I called the special number for the Autotrain and made my reservation for next years trip down to Florida. I could only make the resv. for the trip down and will have to wait to make the reservation for the trip back since I'm not yet within the 11 month period for the return trip date! Anyway, hopefully Amtrak won't mess up next year and someone else won't be in my room happened this year!

BTW, if you interested in knowing, the fee for the H room southbound was $432.50 with an oversized vehicle.

 

[Bigval109]

I've burned points on the Auto Train, but when I've done so it was because I was bringing along an army with me. Put another way, I used up 50,000 points to get an SUV onboard and 3 adults/3 kids in both a family room and a roomette. With that many people it was worth it to me to burn those points as it would have cost far more to get them all on the train and some of them probably would never have tried the train if they had to pay.
But for just two people in the H room, I'm not so sure that it would be the best use of points. Of course as they say, your mileage may vary. To each their own, but I'd probably be looking towards the next cross country trip as the place to burn those points.

I agree I only use my points on cross country trips. Hey I had a bedroom on my May vacation where as I could not have afforded it if I had to pay cash.