On The Border

[sechs]

I'm looking at booking rewards to travel LAX-NOL via PDX. Given recent postings, it seems unlikely that AGR would give that to me as a two-zone reward. So, the logical next choice is to book two one-zone trips, with the break at the zone border, Wolf Point.

Has anyone done this recently? Any pointers or comments?

 

[the_traveler]

I doubt very much that AGR would allow that as a 2 zone trip!

The only "problem" with booking it as 2 1-zone awards is you'll be spending more points! A 1-zone roomette costs 15,000 points, while a 2-zone roomette is only 20,000 points. a 1-zone bedroom costs 20,000 points, while a 2-zone bedroom is 30,000 points. Thus, either way 2 1-zone awards would cost 10,000 points more!

 

[Anderson]

You might consider booking LAX-Hammond, LA and then covering the last leg with cash. If the cost is less than $100, you'll come out ahead the nominal value of the points for the two one-zone rewards in terms of gift cards, and almost regardless of the cost, you'll be ahead on the effective value of the points when properly redeemed.

 

[Ryan]

That won't help, that just gets you 4/59. To get the Empire Builder, you need to break the trip up there somewhere. The logical place to do that is on the zone border so you redeem 2 one-zones instead of a one and a two.

 

[Anderson]

Ah, ok. I wasn't sure how picky the system was about some of that stuff (and whether it was just trying to force him onto the Sunset).

Randomly, in the department of "I can't make this booking up", put in EMY-NOL on Amtrak's booking for December 29. I just love those odd out-of-the-way routings that you get sometimes.

 

[boxcar479]

try booking to Slidell,La. You can book 1 zone to WPT. and either another 1 zone via CONO or a 2 zone via Cardinal(on the right day) and the Crescent

 

[sechs]

In case folks haven't figured it out, Arrow won't spit out the itinerary that I want without resorting to multi-city.

I am looking at taking the City of New Orleans, as every time in the past that I have attempted to take it, something has stopped me. I'm hoping that this won't be one of them. I took the Slidell loophole, when it was a loophole.

Will I be able to book this in one call, or should I do one per half?

 

[rrdude]

Ah, ok. I wasn't sure how picky the system was about some of that stuff (and whether it was just trying to force him onto the Sunset).

Randomly, in the department of "I can't make this booking up", put in EMY-NOL on Amtrak's booking for December 29. I just love those odd out-of-the-way routings that you get sometimes.

I love the #6 to #50 to #19 routing!

 

[boxcar479]

If you plan on using a sleeper for this trip, you are going to have to call AGR any. I would make the reservation to WPT, get the itinary with car and room number. Then call back and book second half of your trip and request the same accomodations. Or just call and ask for the trip you really want LAX-NOL via empire builder. It probably doesn't pop up on Arrow because of arrival/departure time are to close together, although I have seen tighter connections that show up on Arrow and have booked them myself i.e. 421 TE to 14 CS to 28 EB

 

[sechs]

The connections are valid all the way around. Arrow will give LAX-CHI and PDX-NOL. I have no idea which of its limitations stop that itinerary from appearing in the list.

 

[Ryan]

Likely the fact that there are many other shorter reservations that get you from LAX to NOL. There has to be some limitation to the number or duration of trips that it will spit out.

LAX-NOL returns:

2 (on the right days), ~46 hours straight through

4/59, which is 62.5 hours, with a 4:45 layover (67.25 hours total) (it also returns a result with a bus connection near CHI that has the same overall duration)

Bus/San Joaquin/Bus/6/59, which involves a little over 73 hours on the train, 3 hours on buses and 6.5 hours of layover time for a trip total of about 82.5 hours.

It does not offer 14/28/59, which would be 94 hours on a train with only about 5 hours layover time (including a pretty tight 1h05 in PDX)for a total of 99 hours.