# Winter 2010 Promo



## jmbgeg (Dec 13, 2009)

Anybody remember what the winter 2009 promo was and when it began? I have an Empire Builder, Capitol Limited and Silver Meteor LD trip in a bedroom beginning 1/2/10 and wonder whether they will have a winter promo in place by then based upon past history.


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## the_traveler (Dec 13, 2009)

Offhand, I don't recall, but if you're traveling in 1/2/10, it will be *extremely unlikely*, as 1/2/10 is essentially part of the holiday travel period. I'm not saying this is the date, but it's more likely to begin like on 1/10 or 1/15!


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## jmbgeg (Dec 13, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> Offhand, I don't recall, but if you're traveling in 1/2/10, it will be *extremely unlikely*, as 1/2/10 is essentially part of the holiday travel period. I'm not saying this is the date, but it's more likely to begin like on 1/10 or 1/15!


I am traveling the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th on the EB, CL and SM, to FTL. Return trip is AGR, so no points. Would have been a nice trip for double or triple miles round trip. One way fare is $2,644.


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2009)

jmbgeg said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > Offhand, I don't recall, but if you're traveling in 1/2/10, it will be *extremely unlikely*, as 1/2/10 is essentially part of the holiday travel period. I'm not saying this is the date, but it's more likely to begin like on 1/10 or 1/15!
> ...


Dear god that is a lot to travel. If it were me I would fly or if I really wanted to take the train badly do a SEA (or wherever you are coming from up there) to ATL as an AGR ticket, rent a car and drive to Savannah, spend the night there, catch the Silver Meteor to FTL the next day on a paid ticket. Return is the reverse. It would cost 10K more points and a little bit of a hassle, but there would be a lot less Benjamens flying out of your wallet


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## the_traveler (Dec 14, 2009)

Guest said:


> jmbgeg said:
> 
> 
> > I am traveling the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th on the EB, CL and SM, to FTL. Return trip is AGR, so no points. Would have been a nice trip for double or triple miles round trip. One way fare is $2,644.
> ...


That is true, but it would also get Select by 1/6/10 - and it would be good thru 2/28/12!


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> Guest said:
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> 
> > jmbgeg said:
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2 years of Select is not worth $1500 (the approximate difference between the OP plan and mine).


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## Ryan (Dec 14, 2009)

That's debatable.


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## Ispolkom (Dec 14, 2009)

In any case, January 3-4, 2010 are blackout days for AGR awards, so Guest's plan wouldn't work.

If it were not for that, I'd think that a easier and possibly cheaper way would be to do two two-zone awards Wolf Point - Fort Lauderdale and Fort Lauderdale - Wolf Point, and then pay for the Spokane - Wolf Point legs. No car rental or night in Savannah, and I'd imagine Empire Builder tickets would be low-bucket in early January.


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## jmbgeg (Dec 14, 2009)

Guest said:


> jmbgeg said:
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> > the_traveler said:
> ...


Not sure that I understand the Atlanta angle. It is still a three zone trip.

My outbound trip is during the blackout period. My business schedule would not allow me to wait until later in January after the blackouts are gone. Had I been able to do so, I had enough points for a free roundtrip AGR award in a roomette (70,000). I prefer bedrooms. A three zone roundtrip bedroom award is 100,000. My point balance is in the middle. I chose to purchase a ticket outbound and use an award on the return.


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## the_traveler (Dec 14, 2009)

jmbgeg said:


> Not sure that I understand the Atlanta angle. It is still a three zone trip.


Because ATL is a border city, it is considered both in the eastern zone and midwest zone. (It doesn't matter that you have to travel thru the eastern zone to get there - thus the loophole!) So from SPK or SEA, you start in the western zone and end in the midwest zone - thus it is only 2 zones! If you start in WPT (another border city), from WPT (where you start in the midwest zone) to ATL (where you end in the midwest zone) would be only a 1 zone award! 

But being that you have to board 1 or more trains on a blackout date, you couldn't do it anyway!


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## jmbgeg (Dec 14, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> jmbgeg said:
> 
> 
> > Not sure that I understand the Atlanta angle. It is still a three zone trip.
> ...


OK, so Alanta is like Wolf Point.


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## the_traveler (Dec 14, 2009)

jmbgeg said:


> OK, so Alanta is like Wolf Point.


Exactly!


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## Ispolkom (Dec 14, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> jmbgeg said:
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> 
> > OK, so Alanta is like Wolf Point.
> ...


This has to be the only place where that exchange could take place!


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## the_traveler (Dec 14, 2009)

Ispolkom said:


> the_traveler said:
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> 
> > jmbgeg said:
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And with "you-know-who"!


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 14, 2009)

IINM the OP should be Select Plus with that many points, isn't he exempt from the blackout dates as a Select + member?


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## jmbgeg (Dec 14, 2009)

jimhudson said:


> IINM the OP should be Select Plus with that many points, isn't he exempt from the blackout dates as a Select + member?


I am Select Plus but missed seeing where that skirted the blackout dates. Maybe someone who is a Select + can weigh in if they have overridden the blackouts. .


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 14, 2009)

jmbgeg said:


> jimhudson said:
> 
> 
> > IINM the OP should be Select Plus with that many points, isn't he exempt from the blackout dates as a Select + member?
> ...


It's under "Rule Buster" info for blackout dates. I'm not Select +, only lowly Select so can't access it but it's one of the benefits! You can look it up as Casey Stengel used to say, might save you some $$ too!


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## AlanB (Dec 14, 2009)

If you're Select Plus you can invoke the "rule buster" clause as it were, but it will cost you. You'll pay double points to make your reservation, assuming that space is even available.


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## jmbgeg (Dec 15, 2009)

AlanB said:


> If you're Select Plus you can invoke the "rule buster" clause as it were, but it will cost you. You'll pay double points to make your reservation, assuming that space is even available.


I had read the rule buster link after all. I don't have double the award points to qualify.


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## diesteldorf (Dec 15, 2009)

jmbgeg said:


> AlanB said:
> 
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> > If you're Select Plus you can invoke the "rule buster" clause as it were, but it will cost you. You'll pay double points to make your reservation, assuming that space is even available.
> ...



Of course, the "rule buster" clause can only be used on coach space and not sleepers, so that perk is of little value anyway IMO. I would guess that the majority on this board usually use points for sleepers anyway.


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 15, 2009)

Thanks for the clarification, since I can't access the Select Plus info as a lowly Select member, I had no idea the Rule Buster feature was limited to coach and @ twice the points is no real deal IMHO!


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## the_traveler (Dec 15, 2009)

diesteldorf said:


> I would guess that the majority on this board usually use points for sleepers anyway.


And some use them only for


sleepers,

the highest "cost"/point value,

the longest mileage trips for the least amount of points,

loophole redemption awards,

etc, etc, etc ...

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## diesteldorf (Dec 15, 2009)

jimhudson said:


> Thanks for the clarification, since I can't access the Select Plus info as a lowly Select member, I had no idea the Rule Buster feature was limited to coach and @ twice the points is no real deal IMHO!


SELECT+ RULE BUSTER REDEMPTIONS

While, I hope I am not violating any rules by posting this "top secret" info, here are the redemtion options and point values if you're curious. I would never use points anyway because they are so high. I would even be hard pressed to use AGR points for a coach redemption during non-blackout days.

Acela Express/Metroliner Business Class 14,500

Acela Express/Metroliner First Class 18,500

Business Class 1 Zone 11,500

Business Class 2 Zones 18,500

Business Class Special Northeast Zone 11,500

Coach Class 1 Zone 9,500

Coach Class 2 Zones 14,500

Coach Class 3 Zones 18,500

Coach Class Special Northeast Zone 5,500


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## OlympianHiawatha (Dec 15, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> diesteldorf said:
> 
> 
> > I would guess that the majority on this board usually use points for sleepers anyway.
> ...


Traveler, I'm with you on that! I couldn't dream of wasting points on a run of less than 5 days and I want that done for the fewest points possible :lol:


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