Upgrade/Companion/Lounge Coupons: seeking, available, questions

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I am taking a Monday/Tuesday trip from Pittsburgh to NY/PHL on the Pennsylvanian. Am I wrong that I should be able to apply my 48 hour upgrade coupons to BC in the app? I tried to upgrade exactly 48 hours before the 7:30 departure but when I pulled up Trip Tools this was not an option. Retried for several minutes. Impatient, I called in at the regular number bcause AGR was not open yet and got somebody who seemed to be challened with this process. After giving him the long coupon number, he said there was an error. We repeated the number so I know it was legit. I have three, so I gave him another which worked, yet he had me on hold for more than 10 minutes to set it up. I have another I want to apply tomorrow for Tuesday's segment. Any ideas how to make this process more efficient? Thanks.
If there aren't any available seats, then the upgrade option won't appear.
 
Are you able to buy 2 rooms and use one of your Companion Coupons for the second room?
No, you can use it to add a second person to 1 room, however.
The coupon does say it works with bedroom suites, per the coupon restrictions. However, I’d assume a) you would still have to pay for the accommodation charge of the second room (but rail fare would be free) and b) you would have to call to set that up.

Coupon Restrictions​

  • Coupon valid for one (1) free companion rail fare with the purchase of one (1) regular (full) adult rail fare. Free companion and paying passenger must reserve at the same time and travel together at all times.
  • Each coupon is valid for travel as one (1) one-way reservation.
  • Travel blackouts apply: November 22-23, 2022; November 26-28, 2022; November 21-22, 2023; November 25-27, 2023.
  • Valid for travel on all Amtrak service except train/Thruway series 7000-8999.
  • Free companion offer is not combinable with any discount, coupon, or Amtrak Guest Rewards® redemption travel.
  • The Coupon# is unique to your coupon and valid for one use only. Buying or selling this coupon is prohibited and will invalidate the coupon. Coupon may be transferred to a family member or friend.
  • Offer valid for Coach class or Acela Business class. Upgrade to Business class or Acela First class is available upon full payment of applicable accommodation charges.
  • Offer also valid for private rooms including Roomettes, Bedrooms, Bedroom Suites and Accessible Bedrooms; offer excludes Family Bedrooms.
  • Other restrictions may apply.
 
I have two lounge passes available, valid until December 22, which I won’t use, if anyone would like one.
I could definitely use one. I wasn't able to qualify for Select Plus and didn't get the bump up from Select (I was a few thousand short of the 10,000). I travel the NEC often. Thank you for offering them to the group.
 
I have a question about using a companion coupon. If I use a companion coupon and my companion has to cancel their trip, is the companion coupon restored to my account? Does the cancellation of the companion's trip have any effect on my ticket (and my existing fare)?

Thanks.
 
This is an interesting question. I know that if the whole reservation is canceled, the coupon will be restored to your account immediately, but I'm not sure what happens if just the companion ticket is canceled. I assume the same. The cancelation of theirs shouldn't have any effect on your ticket or fare.
 
This is an interesting question. I know that if the whole reservation is canceled, the coupon will be restored to your account immediately, but I'm not sure what happens if just the companion ticket is canceled. I assume the same. The cancelation of theirs shouldn't have any effect on your ticket or fare.
As a follow-up, I wanted to note that I spoke with an Agent about this recently and she indicated that if the companion ticket was cancelled to be sure that the companion coupon is restored to my account.

(I don't know if others are having this problem or not, but I found that I was unable to apply a companion coupon when trying to make a reservation online and had to speak with an agent who was able to apply the companion coupon.)
 
I have the annual fee version of the Amtrak Chase credit card, and my companion certificates always have an August to August validity period. The problem I have is using these certificates to book cross county travel around Christmas. I want to book travel now (in February) for December/January, but I can't use the current companion certificate as it is only valid through August and likewise won't receive the new companion certificate until August. Does anyone have any experience with booking a cash ticket and later applying the newly issued companion certificate later, without having to reprice the reservation at then current accommodation charges? I am hoping that somehow they can just "refund" the companion fare, instead of cancelling and rebooking, but suspect this won't be possible.
 
I have the annual fee version of the Amtrak Chase credit card, and my companion certificates always have an August to August validity period. The problem I have is using these certificates to book cross county travel around Christmas. I want to book travel now (in February) for December/January, but I can't use the current companion certificate as it is only valid through August and likewise won't receive the new companion certificate until August. Does anyone have any experience with booking a cash ticket and later applying the newly issued companion certificate later, without having to reprice the reservation at then current accommodation charges? I am hoping that somehow they can just "refund" the companion fare, instead of cancelling and rebooking, but suspect this won't be possible.
You can use your current companion coupon for December travel, as long as you book your travel by the time your coupon expires in August.

See also: post 124: https://www.amtraktrains.com/thread...eeking-available-questions.74966/post-1023471
 
With and without a companion coupon, one adult and one youth are the same price. Tried with two adults and same price with or without companion coupon applied. Tried in both the app and online. It says its valid on sleeper accommodations like the Roomette I was looking at. Is that something I have to talk to an actual human to have properly applied?

EDIT: Figured it out. I was originally trying to book a trip on the Eaglette from DAL to GRR which involved a transfer to another train from CHI to GRR. When I tried booking with and without the coupon from DAL to CHI the price was lower with the coupon. I made an assumption that the system was smart enough to apply the discount to the Eaglette portion then add the Pere Marquette. I have no idea why I would have ever thought their system was that intelligent.
 
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