Newbie question: what does free change mean?

[troo troo tcrane]

Just found out because I waited a few days too long the price of our trip already went up another $100! So now I want to book the trip before the price goes through the roof!

A roomette sleeper for two from Miami to NYC and then two coach tickets from NYC to Boston (have decided to drop the Downeaster leg for now).

Question is: the trip is for next fall. If in case my plan needs to change, what kind of changes are considered eligible as free?

Can I change to a less expensive date and get money back with no change fee?

Can I change to completely different trip with different start or end stations and only pay the difference or get money back if the new trip costs less?

Can I change the names on the tickets? e.g. if my husband can't travel, can I use the whole amount for trips for myself?

Probably have even more questions later.

Thanks!!!!

 

[cpotisch]

Just found out because I waited a few days too long the price of our trip already went up another $100! So now I want to book the trip before the price goes through the roof!

A roomette sleeper for two from Miami to NYC and then two coach tickets from NYC to Boston (have decided to drop the Downeaster leg for now).

Question is: the trip is for next fall. If in case my plan needs to change, what kind of changes are considered eligible as free?

Can I change to a less expensive date and get money back with no change fee?

Can I change to completely different trip with different start or end stations and only pay the difference or get money back if the new trip costs less?

Can I change the names on the tickets? e.g. if my husband can't travel, can I use the whole amount for trips for myself?

Probably have even more questions later.

Thanks!!!!

Amtrak has an incredibly loose change policy, so you can get away with a lot of changes to your itinerary without any outright fee. The basic rule of thumb is that you can modify your reservation for no fee other than any price difference so long as your start and/or end points stay approximately the same. Now, if your new itinerary is cheaper than what you already have, and you are in a sleeper or Saver coach seat, you can get the full price difference back as an e-voucher (not cash). You can do this just by calling Amtrak and asking them to *modify* your ticket to the lower fare. Unfortunately you have to remember that Amtrak phone agents are wrong about things a lot of the time, so it's likely that you might get one that tells you there's fee when you modify your ticket, in which case you should just call back and try with a different agent. And as far as I know, you can change the name on a ticket for no fee.

 

[the_traveler]

However, you can’t change the end points generally. 

If you’re booked from NY to Miami, you can not change it to NY to Chicago with no fee. And definitely not Washington to Cleveland without cancelłing the other reservation and incurring a change fee.

 

[cpotisch]

However, you can’t change the end points generally. 

If you’re booked from NY to Miami, you can not change it to NY to Chicago with no fee. And definitely not Washington to Cleveland without cancelłing the other reservation and incurring a change fee.

From what I've heard, asked about, and tried doing, this is not the case. So long as at least one end stays the same, they really could care less about how much you're changing your reservation, so long as you pay the difference. YMMV, I guess.

 

[the_traveler]

 Maybe NY to Chicago vs NY to Miami, that could be true. However how could NY to Miami and Washington to Cleveland be considered as having the same end points?

 

[troo troo tcrane]

Thanks guys!

I think the flexibility I care about the most is name change. That way, if my husband can't get time off I will travel by myself.

However, another thing is a ticket for one is likely a little cheaper. If I can get the rest as an e-voucher for another trip that would be great.

 

[cpotisch]

 Maybe NY to Chicago vs NY to Miami, that could be true. However how could NY to Miami and Washington to Cleveland be considered as having the same end points?

I think they would probably say that doing WAS-CLE instead of NYP-MIA is too big a change, though I guess you could possibly do it in two steps by changing one end at a time...

 

[cpotisch]

Thanks guys!

I think the flexibility I care about the most is name change. That way, if my husband can't get time off I will travel by myself.

However, another thing is a ticket for one is likely a little cheaper. If I can get the rest as an e-voucher for another trip that would be great.

A ticket for one would definitely be at least a fair bit cheaper. But unless I'm  misunderstanding that wouldn't really count as a name change, but rather just the removal of a passenger from the ticket altogether.

 

[troo troo tcrane]

A ticket for one would definitely be at least a fair bit cheaper. But unless I'm  misunderstanding that wouldn't really count as a name change, but rather just the removal of a passenger from the ticket altogether.

In your experience, would I be able to get the difference in the form of e-voucher if the second passenger can't make it?

 

[cpotisch]

A ticket for one would definitely be at least a fair bit cheaper. But unless I'm  misunderstanding that wouldn't really count as a name change, but rather just the removal of a passenger from the ticket altogether.

In your experience, would I be able to get the difference in the form of e-voucher if the second passenger can't make it?

You should be able to do that. Just make sure you do that in advance - if he's just a no-show and you don't take him off the reservation beforehand, you won't get anything.

 

[PRR 60]

Removing one person from a two person reservation may be considered a cancellation with a 25% penalty applied to any refund or credit eVoucher.  Amtrak is inconsistent with application of refund penalties, so beware. 

 

[cpotisch]

Removing one person from a two person reservation may be considered a cancellation with a 25% penalty applied to any refund or credit eVoucher.  Amtrak is inconsistent with application of refund penalties, so beware. 

Could the OP possibly get an open sleeper ticket for her husband to get around this?

 

[pennyk]

From the Amtrak website, here is the refund policy, in part:

Paid Reservations




The cancellation policy for paid reservations (one-way, roundtrip or multi-city) is based on the type of fare purchased. Amtrak fares are grouped into different categories: Saver, Value, Flexible, Business, and Premium.




Saver Fares




Classes of Service: Reserved Coach, Acela Express Business Class

• Refunds: Full refund if canceled within 24 hours of purchase. Non-refundable 24 hours or more after booking.
  
• eVouchers Available: Full value, no fees within 24 hours of purchase. If canceled 24 or more hours after booking and prior to departure, 25% cancellation fee charged (75% credit on a non-refundable eVoucher available).
  
• No Change Fee
  
• “No Show” Policy: If not canceled before the scheduled departure from the origin, the ticket is forfeited and no funds can be applied toward future travel.
  
• Passenger type and promotional discounts are not valid with Saver Fares.
  

Value Fares




Classes of Service: Unreserved Coach, Reserved Coach, Acela Express Business Class

• Refunds: Full refund if canceled 8 days or more before departure. 25% cancellation fee charged if less than 8 days prior to departure. Unreserved tickets incur 25% fee an hour or more after purchase.
  
• eVouchers Available: Full value if canceled 8 days or more before departure. 25% cancellation fee charged if less than 8 days prior to departure. Unreserved tickets incur 25% fee an hour or more after purchase.
  
• No Change Fee
  
• “No Show” Policy: If not canceled before the scheduled departure from the origin, the ticket is forfeited and no funds can be applied toward future travel.
  

Flexible Fares




Classes of Service: Unreserved Coach, Reserved Coach, Acela Express Business Class

• Refunds: Full refund, no fees.
  
• eVouchers Available: Full value, no fees.
  
• No Change Fee
  
• “No Show” Policy: If not canceled before the scheduled departure from the origin, the ticket is forfeited and no funds can be applied toward future travel.
  

Business Fares




Classes of Service: Non-Acela Business Class

• Refunds: Full refund if canceled before departure.
  
• eVouchers Available: Full value, no fees if canceled before departure.
  
• No Change Fee
  
• “No Show” Policy: If not canceled before the scheduled departure from the origin, the ticket is forfeited and no funds can be applied toward future travel.
  

Premium Fares




Class of Service: Acela Express First Class

• Refunds: Full refund if canceled before departure.
  
• eVouchers Available: Full value, no fees if canceled before departure.
  
• No Change Fee
  
• “No Show” Policy: If not canceled before the scheduled departure from the origin, the ticket is forfeited and no funds can be applied toward future travel. 
  

Class of Service: Sleeper Accommodations

• Refunds: Full refund if canceled within 24 hours of purchase. After 24 hours of purchase, 25% cancellation fee charged if canceled 15 or more days prior to departure. No refunds if less than 15 days prior to departure.
  
• eVouchers Available: Full value, no fees if canceled within 24 hours of purchase. After 24 hours of purchase, 25% cancellation fee charged if canceled prior to departure.
  
• No Change Fee
  
• “No Show” Policy: If not canceled before the scheduled departure from the origin, the ticket is forfeited and no funds can be applied toward future travel.
  

 

[troo troo tcrane]

I have read the policy and it's the no change fee part I am not sure about.

Maybe an open sleeper is the way to go.

 

[cpotisch]

But I'm wondering if an open sleeper ticket goes by the Value fare change/cancellation policy because it's the low bucket Value coach fare, or if it would go by the sleeper change policy because you'll be occupying a room. Hmmm...