# AGR Points for family member's tickets?



## fredevad (Apr 16, 2010)

When I purchase tickets not just for myself but also other family members, should I be getting AGR points for those tickets?

I usually book online and have my profile setup with my AGR number. Occasionally, I'll travel with other family members and I want to be more conscious about making sure I get all the points I'm supposed to get.

Thanks!

P.S. I know I "should" read the guidelines, but I'm finding it's more fun to ask the forum.


----------



## AAARGH! (Apr 16, 2010)

fredevad said:


> When I purchase tickets not just for myself but also other family members, should I be getting AGR points for those tickets?
> I usually book online and have my profile setup with my AGR number. Occasionally, I'll travel with other family members and I want to be more conscious about making sure I get all the points I'm supposed to get.
> 
> Thanks!
> ...


No, you only get the points associated with your ticket, not those of your family. If you paid with an AGR MasterCard, then you of course get the points assiciated with the payment.

It might be worth it to you to sign up your family members and get the referral bonus for signing them up.


----------



## the_traveler (Apr 16, 2010)

As AAARGH! said, you can only the actual person traveling can earn AGR points for travel. If that person does not have an AGR account, those points are lost!  I sometimes travel with my sister (who doesn't ride Amtrak much  ), but she has already redeemed one award and has enough points for a second award! 

So my recommendation is to be sure to sign up everyone!  There is currently a promotion that if you're referred, and sign up by that link, you earn a 1,500 point sign-up bonus. (Otherwise, you only earn 500 points!  ) I'm sure AAARGH! would be glad to refer one. And I would be glad to refer the second person. If there are more, I'm sure most people on AU would be glad to refer you too! Just PM us their email address. (Each account needs a separate email address - you can get free ones at like yahoo or gmail.)


----------



## fredevad (Apr 16, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> So my recommendation is to be sure to sign up everyone!  There is currently a promotion that if you're referred, and sign up by that link, you earn a 1,500 point sign-up bonus. (Otherwise, you only earn 500 points!  ) I'm sure AAARGH! would be glad to refer one. And I would be glad to refer the second person. If there are more, I'm sure most people on AU would be glad to refer you too! Just PM us their email address. (Each account needs a separate email address - you can get free ones at like yahoo or gmail.)


Can my children (who are minors) have AGR accounts? With the 1500 point bonus, that's good for a one way on the Hiawatha and they seem to enjoy it when I pick them up "by train".

When I purchase tickets online, will I be able to enter their AGR account number as well?

Thanks for the offer on the referrals, but is there any reason why I can't refer them?

-- Thanks for the responses... and sorry how one simple question leads to 1,000 more... guess that's part of being in "Training" on this forum (couldn't resist celebrating my new group status!).


----------



## Guest (Apr 16, 2010)

Now if really want to get deep in the game dont forget that you can also sign up for AGR for Business, all you need is a EIN. Here is the great thing, anyone can get an EIN right over the internet. I have a AGR Business account and I have no business, but I listed all my family members as employees. It is pretty hard to get enough points for anything more than a special route since there are no promos.


----------



## the_traveler (Apr 16, 2010)

fredevad said:


> Can my children (who are minors) have AGR accounts? With the 1500 point bonus, that's good for a one way on the Hiawatha and they seem to enjoy it when I pick them up "by train".
> When I purchase tickets online, will I be able to enter their AGR account number as well?
> 
> Thanks for the offer on the referrals, but is there any reason why I can't refer them?
> ...


Yes, minors can have their own accounts, but I think I heard they must be 16 in order to sign them up online. You would have to call if they are younger.

You can add their ARG numbers online also. There is a space for each passenger.

Sorry about that!  Yes you can refer them yourself, but you can not refer anybody with the same email address.

Doen't worry about asking 1,000 questions. We have 1,000 answers - and most of them are right! :lol:


----------



## DivMiler (Apr 18, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> Yes, minors can have their own accounts, but I think I heard they must be 16 in order to sign them up online. You would have to call if they are younger.


However, the birthdate is not a required field when signing up online...


----------



## PRR 60 (Apr 18, 2010)

Immediate family members can earn and redeem points with one AGR account - if they happen to have the same name. 

I've heard that has been done, but then you need that other family member to actually want to ride Amtrak, and sometimes that is a problem.


----------



## fredevad (Apr 18, 2010)

PRR 60 said:


> Immediate family members can earn and redeem points with one AGR account - if they happen to have the same name.
> I've heard that has been done, but then you need that other family member to actually want to ride Amtrak, and sometimes that is a problem.


That's good news, since my kids have my last name. This seems much simpler than signing them up for their own accounts.

As far as _wanting_ to ride Amtrak: I told my kids that I wanted to take them with me on my trips out west (see my signature) and they seemed disappointed ... that they had to wait at least 2 years to go! Guess I'll just have to figure out something to do in the meantime!


----------



## printman2000 (Apr 18, 2010)

DivMiler said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, minors can have their own accounts, but I think I heard they must be 16 in order to sign them up online. You would have to call if they are younger.
> ...


I called to sign my younger kids up and they TOLD me to do it online and leave the birth date field blank.

I have since added their birth dates so they will get the b-day bonus points.


----------



## PRR 60 (Apr 18, 2010)

fredevad said:


> PRR 60 said:
> 
> 
> > Immediate family members can earn and redeem points with one AGR account - if they happen to have the same name.
> ...


What I meant (as a joke, of course  ) was that if you happen to have a relative who has the same name as you, say your son, you can have all the trips taken by both you credited to one account - yours. Of course, your son would actually have to ride Amtrak for that to work, and my son (who does share my name) does not ride Amtrak.


----------



## the_traveler (Apr 18, 2010)

Also, as the ID checks are *VERY* random (for me at least), if your name was David Smith and your son was Mark Smith, you could possobly pass for Mark and he would earn points! However I doubt (and I hope not  ) that you could pass for Jane or Sarah!


----------

