Some Q's from a first-time redeemer

[domefoamer]

Greetings, oh wise ones! I'm up late scheming about how to cash in some AGR points and credit card points to fund a trip up to the Northwest next spring. My high school junior wants to visit some colleges in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. Perfect, since I really want to see that great land from a train window again!

Availability of trains is certainly no problem, and the timing looks good. Between my 850 AGR points and 30,000 Chase card points, which transfer with Amtrak 1:1, I have enough for the trip, I think. But here's the question: when Guest Rewards charges 15,000 points for one zone's travel, does that include sleepers for the two nights required, on the CZ and the CS? And will my daughter, sharing the roomette, pay just the coach charge of 5,500 points, or more?

I hope that's the case. Can't find anything that says differently in the posted rules, but surely some of you know from experience.

 

[Alice]

For one-zone roomette, the 15,000 points cover however long the trip takes for both of you legally sharing the sleeper. There are rules for the routing, such as you can't go from Portland to Seattle via Chicago for those 15,000 points, and you can't stop for a layover in all those cities. Your daughter does not need to hand over any points as long as you put both of your names on the reservation.

For the trains between Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, either pay cash, or 1,500 points per person per segment coach on the Cascades special route. Most people recommend cash.

Well, if your daughter has 5,500 points of her own, she can treat you to some Cascades travel!

 

[oregon pioneer]

Yes, the points charge for a roomette (15,000 for one zone) includes all travel and meals for one or two people occupying the sleeper. You don't say where you are traveling from, but if you're on the CZ route, and Denver or westward, the points will get you all the way to Seattle.

It is generally recommended to pay for shorter hauls, though you can figure out how many cents each point is worth in the exchange. If the tickets are worth more than 2.1 cents per point (the amount it costs if you buy 13,000 points for $275 during a bonus sale), most people would say the tickets are worth exchanging points for.

 

[the_traveler]

As Alice said, the Roomette award for 15,000 points includes the Roomette for 2, the "rail fare" for 2 and all meals in the Dining Car (or PPC on the CS) for 2 - each way! No stopovers are allowed on an AGR award, except to change trains. So you could not stop in say Portland, stay a few days, then go to Seattle, etc... Your award would end in Portland.

I personally would pay for the trip(s)on the Cascades instead of redeeming.

You didn't say where you're starting from, but you did mention the CZ. If you starting from Denver west, it would be a 1 zone award. Also for a Roomette award, you do have to call AGR anyway to redeem. May I suggest that you connect in either Davis (DAV - which is on the campus of UC - Davis), Martinez (MTZ) or Emeryville (EMY) instead of Sacramento (SAC). They may offer you the default connection of SAC, but the other 3 are legal and guaranteed connections also! And you will not have to wait at SAC until midnight to board and go to sleep. Also, besides a shorter connection time and an earlier chance to get into your room, if you connecting EMY you may get to board while dinner is still being served! If so, it's an included meal!

The best to both of you!

 

[domefoamer]

That's great news! This AGR points scheme looks like the only cost-effective way to ride first class. It's amazing that my 15,000 Chase points would convert to just $150 if cashed out, but can buy $1000 worth of rail travel. We'll start the final planning soon.

 

[domefoamer]

Wait, is there a catch? I'm unclear about Tier Qualifying Points. I've read Amtrak's site, and I'm still not sure what they are and how they work. As I said, my AGR points, earned from trips a few years ago on the Adirondack and Cardinal, number about 870. I planned to transfer Chase Preferred reward points into AGR points to pay for most of the upcoming trip. Do I need to earn a certain number of AGR points from rail travel before I can do this? I'd like to travel by train more, but from Denver, there's a short list of routs to destinations a long way away!

 

[AlanB]

No, you don't need to have any points from rail travel to make this happen. The only thing to be mindful of is the 3 year rule that says your points expire if you haven't taken at least 1 paid ride on Amtrak within 3 years.

Tier Qualifying Points or TQP's, are earned when you ride and are used to determine if you ride enough to gain a special status within the program. That status gives one extra perks; but none affect what you want to do with your trip.

 

[domefoamer]

Extra perks like what? I don't ask any more than a cozy bed and a Pacific Parlor Car!

 

[AlanB]

Extra perks like what? I don't ask any more than a cozy bed and a Pacific Parlor Car!

Special phone numbers to make reservations; free upgrades to either First Class on Acela or Business Class on other trains; Club Acela & Metropolitan Lounge Access at all times; bonus points for travel; etc.

Status in no way affects what happens on the train however.

 

[the_traveler]

The extra "perks" is earning Select, Select+ or Select Executive status in AGR. Those perks include having a dedicated line to AGR, earning additional (bonus) AGR points and coupons for upgrades to BC on trains (except Acela) that offer it and First Class on Acela (but not sleepers) and day passes to the Club Acela and Metropolitan Lounges. (The nearest ones to Denver are in Chicago, Portland and LA.

I would not worry about status too much unless you can make use of those benefits and/or travel to those cities often. Or if you just happen to travel enough to earn it. I myself live on the NEC, but in an area where the Acela does not stop, nor do I travel very often to BOS, NYP or another place I could use those coupons easily. So I don't try to earn the status.

 

[SubwayNut]

I'm Select+ and (it and SE) status is Amtrak's attempt at status like on an airline. To earn TQPs you need your butt on a paid reservation on a train to earn them (they can't just be purchased) really only effects the reservation process if you need to talk to a human (the priority numbers really help with minimal wait times and you don't even go through Julie having to say agent and get generally quite quickly connected to an agent) and give you unlimited lounge access in stations with ClubAcelas (in the NEC) or the minimal metropolitan lounges and first class lounges. These are privileges you get already by paying for or redeeming AGR points for sleeper or Aclea first class travel. My S+ card gives me access to a clean bathroom for example (and free soda machine) in Midtown Manhattan at anytime and I stop by there with some regularity even if I'm not actually taking the train anywhere.

On board though (after trying once when assigned an asile seat, all I wanted was a window) status gives you nothing and the crew don't know anything about it. Most of the LD crews have never even seen a Select/+/SE card before, when I've mentioned it in the diner.

You also get some coupons for free business or first class upgrades and buy-one-get-one-free companion coupons for non-sleeper travel only.

Since your trip is visiting colleges for your paid segments you can take advantage of a buy-one-get one ticket 50% of deal too!