# Newbie with ???'s



## scrollmaster (Mar 5, 2018)

New to train travel and Amtrak Guest Rewards and trying to figure both of them out. Just received my first statement from the Amtrak guest rewards MasterCard I'm still trying to figure out tier qualifying points as opposed to other points and how all of this will work together. This is from the reward summary on the last page of my statement.




Are the Base Purchase Points same as Tier Qualifying Pts?.. And the Bonus Promotional Points what I would redeem for travel?.. Really kind of confused.

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## pennyk (Mar 5, 2018)

Tier Qualifying Points are earned by Amtrak travel (and by > $5,000 in spending if you have the paid card).

The base points are computed on your monthly spending. The total amount of points may be redeemed for travel. Log into your AGR account on Amtrak website and you will see your cumulative amount of points.


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## scrollmaster (Mar 5, 2018)

I logged into my AGR website and shows my mrmber number but still shows 0 points. Do I have to do something to tie my member number to my Amtrak MasterCard?

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## Tennessee Traveler (Mar 6, 2018)

If you did not furnish your AGR number when you obtained the card, you should call AGR and have the your card linked to your AGR member number. If you did, the Bank of America MC points usually post to your AGR account within a couple days after your received the on line bill. Note, none of your credit card points are "tier" points. Basically, the base points are actually $$ charged to the car that month and the bonus points are just that. If you have the fee card offering 3 points per dollar charged then one point will be the base points and the other 2x points will be bonus points and that is how they post to AGR. If that's your AGR number on the report you posted then your card is already identified to your member number and should be posted in the list of "transactions" on your AGR. Nothing will post to your tier credits from your credit card unless you charge $5,000 or more in a AGR member year.


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## scrollmaster (Mar 6, 2018)

Thanks a million guys.. that helps. Seems I get 1000 TQPs at $5000 and two payments so far add $4967.. guess be next month till any TCPs show up.

Also about to pay for long train trip with 6 nights sleeper, hotels at stops, and Cruise to Alaska so that should boost my TQP's to select or whatever. The part how train travel builds TQPs I don't see anything that explains that.

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## scrollmaster (Mar 6, 2018)

Are TQPs for travel based on how much you pay for the Amtrak portion of the trip? Would any of my cruise payment build TQPs?

I know these are probably dumb questions but right now that's where I am.

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## TinCan782 (Mar 6, 2018)

scrollmaster said:


> Are TQPs for travel based on how much you pay for the Amtrak portion of the trip? Would any of my cruise payment build TQPs?
> 
> I know these are probably dumb questions but right now that's where I am.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G955U using Amtrak Forum mobile app


TQP's are from paid Amtrak travel and those earned from $5000 spends on the credit card. TQP's earned from the credit card are NOT redeemable for travel; they only affect your AGR status (Select, Select Plus, etc.) along with TQP's earned from Amtrak travel.

My AGR points earnings are primarily from credit card and shopping portal use rather than from Amtrak travel. My current Select Plus status is from a combination of TQP's earned from Amtrak travel and credit card usage earning TQP's.


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## Tennessee Traveler (Mar 6, 2018)

Your AGR points for travel only post after you actually travel and not when you pay for the travel. Now it is my understanding you earn 2x cost you pay for the trip. So for a $100 ticket you will earn 200 AGR tier points which also add to your total AGR points available to redeem for future travel.


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## pennyk (Mar 6, 2018)

Here is a link to frequently asked questions:

https://amtrakguestrewards.com/faqs

The first question pertains to Tier Qualifying Points


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## scrollmaster (Mar 7, 2018)

Using round numbers for ease. I am about to pay to Amtrak World Card....

$7000 - Travel Agent booked through Amtrak and includes 6 nights sleeper car and 5 nights hotels. Earns 3pts per $1spent (2 bonus pts + 1 base pt)

$3000 - Travel Agent booked through Princess Cruise. Earns 2pts per $1 spent (1bonus + 1 base pt)

If I understand correctly the $7000 @ 2pts per $1 Amtrak travel earns 14,000 TQPs.. and total spending of $10,000 would earn me 2000 additional TQPs for total of 12,000 TQPs.

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## scrollmaster (Mar 7, 2018)

And I do appreciate everybody's time and patience. Spent a lot of time in the last several days reading and researching trying to understand the program

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## Ryan (Mar 7, 2018)

Did you pay the travel agent, or did you pay Amtrak directly with your card?


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## scrollmaster (Mar 7, 2018)

You know I did pay the deposit with thetravel agent but he was on the phone with Amtrak at the time so I'm not sure how that was processed.

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## scrollmaster (Mar 7, 2018)

But that's a good point. The end user agreement for the world card shows travel agencies get paid the same as other travel companies such as cruises and Airlines so guess I would lose a point.

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## pennyk (Mar 7, 2018)

.... and the TQPs may not be credited to you after your trips if the tickets were considered purchased by the travel agency and not you. You should, at the very least, make sure your Amtrak reservations contain your AGR number and follow up after traveling.


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## JRR (Mar 7, 2018)

My experience is that the travel agent may not give your AGR number to Amtrak. I called Amtrak and gave them the number. I had to do the same with the hotels.

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## scrollmaster (Mar 7, 2018)

We've only paid the initial deposit so far and the travel agent did give the Amtrak representative our AGR# so hopefully good.

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## scrollmaster (Mar 7, 2018)

JRR said:


> My experience is that the travel agent may not give your AGR number to Amtrak. I called Amtrak and gave them the number. I had to do the same with the hotels.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Amtrak Forum


The travel agent asked for our AGR number while he was on the phone with Amtrak so I know they were given the number.
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## TinCan782 (Mar 7, 2018)

scrollmaster said:


> JRR said:
> 
> 
> > My experience is that the travel agent may not give your AGR number to Amtrak. I called Amtrak and gave them the number. I had to do the same with the hotels.
> ...


Well, you know you gave your AGR number to the travel agent but, do you know (for sure) it got passed to Amtrak? BTW, you can call Amtrak and have the number(s) added to your reservations, even after the trip if within a short time period. I don't use a TA for Amtrak so I have no firsthand experience with how that is handled.


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## scrollmaster (Mar 7, 2018)

Wife and I in his office when he gave Amtrak the AGR# so that should be good. I will call Rewards tomorrow to ask about all this.

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## scrollmaster (Mar 8, 2018)

Okay.. I had a long very productive talk with Amtrak guest rewards and had a really nice helpful lady. okay.. I had all along very productive talk with Amtrak guess reward and had a really nice helpful lady. My member number is indeed on record and she says I will get credit for my tier qualifying points.

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## TinCan782 (Mar 8, 2018)

It occurred to me after my last comment, your AGR number (if provided) will be on your ticket!

BTW, if you have a traveling companion, they should have their own AGR number to get (their) points for their portion of the ticket. If you book two people on a ticket and only you have an AGR number, you only receive the points for your portion of the fare. The companion points, in this case, would be lost. This applies only to the basic rail fare portion. The "accommodation" charge (sleeper) is entirely yours.


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## scrollmaster (Mar 8, 2018)

All thank you that is good information to have. I will get her to register and get an AGR number today

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## WindyCityTexan (Mar 9, 2018)

scrollmaster said:


> All thank you that is good information to have. I will get her to register and get an AGR number today
> 
> Sent from my SM-G955U using Amtrak Forum mobile app


You should log in to AGR. From there find the link to refer a new member, and enter your wife's email. If she signs up via the email link and travels within 90 days, you both get 500 bonus points.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts." -Mark Twain


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## scrollmaster (Mar 9, 2018)

WindyCityTexan said:


> scrollmaster said:
> 
> 
> > All thank you that is good information to have. I will get her to register and get an AGR number today
> ...


Thanks a million.. Just sent her the invitation.
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## scrollmaster (Mar 9, 2018)

I looked on the BOA app on my phone for the Amtrak Guest Rewards Card I have but don't see anything for referring a friend. Can I also get points for referring her for an Amtrak card?

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## scrollmaster (Mar 9, 2018)

Now this is interesting. My travel agent spoke with AGR again this afternoon and then forwarded an audio copy of the conversation to me. According to her(the AGR representative), because I have the paid Amtrak card I will receive a total of 5 Points in the end for the Amtrak portion that I pay with that card. Can anyone explain that breakdown to me. I expected three points not five.

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## TinCan782 (Mar 10, 2018)

scrollmaster said:


> Now this is interesting. My travel agent spoke with AGR again this afternoon and then forwarded an audio copy of the conversation to me. According to her(the AGR representative), because I have the paid Amtrak card I will receive a total of 5 Points in the end for the Amtrak portion that I pay with that card. Can anyone explain that breakdown to me. I expected three points not five.
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S8+


Two points per dollar from Amtrak; three points per dollar from the AGR credit card.


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## scrollmaster (Mar 10, 2018)

WoW!!.. I didn't realize that


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