# General questions about earning points and status



## Just me (Jun 23, 2021)

Is there any other way to earn Tier Qualifying Points other than actual travel? 

Do points that you earn from the no-annual Amtrak credit card count as Tier Qualifying Points?

I need this clarified.

Thanks in advance for the help.


----------



## jis (Jun 23, 2021)

Just me said:


> Is there any other way to earn Tier Qualifying Points other than actual travel?


Using the annual fee AGR Credit Card. I believe every $5000 earns you 1,000TQP upto some limit per year, which I forget.


> Do points that you earn from the no-annual Amtrak credit card count as Tier Qualifying Points?


No


----------



## jebr (Jun 23, 2021)

jis said:


> Using the annual fee AGR Credit Card. I believe every $5000 earns you 1,000TQP upto some limit per year, which I forget.



It's up to 4,000 TQP per year (from $20,000 in spend.) Thus, in order to get Select someone still needs to earn 1,000 TQP per year from Amtrak travel (though Amtrak has sometimes bumped people up if they're close but not quite there, I've noticed.)


----------



## Brian Battuello (Jun 23, 2021)

That's correct. My problem is that I get so many points from the card, I never spend $1,000 on actual travel. In the beforetimes, my spouse would travel all over the world and expense her business class flights onto our joint Amtrak card and then get reimbursed. I rarely dropped under 100,000 points. Now if I could just get some credit for her zoom meetings...

By the way, I don't think the Select benefits are really all that exciting. 

*Two Single-Visit Passes* to Amtrak lounges
*Two One-Class Upgrade Coupons*
*Two coupons* for 10% off Amtrak travel
*25% Select point bonus* on Amtrak travel
*Priority call handling*
*Select-exclusive discounts* and bonus offers from our program partners
The passes and upgrades are ok, I guess, but I usually get into the lounge with my sleeping car ticket anyway. The upgrade coupons are okay for business class, but business class doesn't usually cost that much more anyway, and the *one* free soda is a joke compared to airline BC. I'd rather sit in the quiet car than BC with all the expense account types on the phone. 

I rarely travel Acela so the BC/FC upgrade isn't useful for me. Likewise, since I'm burning points most of the time, the 10% off and 25% bonus don't help. 

If I was in a position to frequently spend my own cash on Amtrak travel, I guess it would be worth it.

Now if I could use the Select to upgrade to a room...


----------



## Just me (Jun 23, 2021)

OK, here's another question.

Can someone transfer enough TQPs to you to bump you up a status? I am close to another tier (413 short) and wondered if that was allowed.

Thanks so much for everyone's help and advice. This is a great discussion board.


----------



## Cal (Jun 23, 2021)

Brian Battuello said:


> That's correct. My problem is that I get so many points from the card, I never spend $1,000 on actual travel. In the beforetimes, my spouse would travel all over the world and expense her business class flights onto our joint Amtrak card and then get reimbursed. I rarely dropped under 100,000 points. Now if I could just get some credit for her zoom meetings...
> 
> By the way, I don't think the Select benefits are really all that exciting.
> 
> ...


How does the upgrade work? I might have the opportunity to use it on Acela next month but I have no idea how it works


----------



## Bob Dylan (Jun 23, 2021)

Just me said:


> OK, here's another question.
> 
> Can someone transfer enough TQPs to you to bump you up a status? I am close to another tier (413 short) and wondered if that was allowed.
> 
> Thanks so much for everyone's help and advice. This is a great discussion board.


Not allowed, you'll need to book a $413+ Trip on Amtrak to get the TQPs or else do the required Spend if you have the BOA World AGR Card !


----------



## Brian Battuello (Jun 23, 2021)

See Amtrak eCoupons. Apparently coupons vary on the length of time ahead you can upgrade. You need to make the lower reservation first. You can upgrade from Acela BC to FC, which is actually a pretty good use for a coupon.


----------



## Cal (Jun 23, 2021)

Brian Battuello said:


> See Amtrak eCoupons. Apparently coupons vary on the length of time ahead you can upgrade. You need to make the lower reservation first. You can upgrade from Acela BC to FC, which is actually a pretty good use for a coupon.


Thanks. I;d be travelling with someone, round trip, would one coupon upgrade both of us for one way?


----------



## Brian Battuello (Jun 23, 2021)

I don't think so. One lounge coupon will get both of you into a lounge, however.


----------



## Cal (Jun 23, 2021)

Brian Battuello said:


> I don't think so. One lounge coupon will get both of you into the lounges, however.


Even if both are under one reservation?


----------



## Brian Battuello (Jun 23, 2021)

My upgrade coupons are electronic and can be applied on the app or web page. Here's the fine print:

Amtrak One-Class Upgrade Coupon - 12 hours
Apply this coupon to an existing reservation by logging into your account on Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app, calling 1-888-707-6600 or printing this coupon and presenting it to an Amtrak station agent.

Note: One Upgrade Coupon required per segment *and per passenger*. (If one of more segments is through-priced, manually price with Coupon passenger type to protect original rail fare)

Coupon valid for one (1) space-available, one-way, One-Class Upgrade.
Valid only from Coach class to Business class, or from Acela® Business class to Acela First class, on a single travel segment or leg.
Not valid for upgrade to sleeping car accommodations.
Not eligible for use with 10-trip, monthly or other multiride tickets.
Subject to availability; upgrade not available on all trains at all times.
Upgrade may be combined with corporate, senior, disabled and military discounts.
Upgrades cannot be combined with other discounts or coupons.
Not valid on Amtrak Guest Rewards redemption travel.
Travel blackouts apply: Nov. 23-24, 2021; Nov. 27-29, 2021.
Offer is not valid on the following services: Adirondack®, Auto Train®, California Zephyr®, Capitol Limited®, Cardinal®, City of New Orleans®, Crescent®, Empire Builder®, Keystone Service®, Lake Shore Limited®, Silver Meteor®, Silver Star®, Southwest Chief®, Sunset Limited®, Texas Eagle®, and train/Thruway series 7000 – 8999.
This 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.
Other restrictions may apply.


----------



## MARC Rider (Jun 25, 2021)

Brian Battuello said:


> See Amtrak eCoupons. Apparently coupons vary on the length of time ahead you can upgrade. You need to make the lower reservation first. You can upgrade from Acela BC to FC, which is actually a pretty good use for a coupon.


You bet. For my last trip I snagged a $116 BAL TO BOS on the Acela. Then I used a coupn and rode FC, which was being offered for over $300 if I paid out of pocket. Even with the guy next to me holding a Zoom meeting and the dominished food service, it was still a great deal.


----------



## Bob Dylan (Jun 25, 2021)

MARC Rider said:


> You bet. For my last trip I snagged a $116 BAL TO BOS on the Acela. Then I used a coupn and rode FC, which was being offered for over $300 if I paid out of pocket. Even with the guy next to me holding a Zoom meeting and the dominished food service, it was still a great deal.


I agree, thanks to an AU Friend's Executive Status 48 Hour Upgrade Coupon, I got to use the New Lounge and ride from Moynihan to BWI on Acela FC with a $69 BC Ticket.( FC Bucket was over $350 that day)

Had a really great Attendant, a nice Salmon Meal ( Best Flex Meal I had by Far!)and plenty of Baileys for my Coffee!


----------



## BCL (Jun 26, 2021)

Cal said:


> Even if both are under one reservation?



Lounge visits are actually independent of travel. All it requires is a coupon good for two people and (I think) any accompanying minors. I had two years of Select status and got them in the mail. They were printed but didn't have any kind of unique identifier like a barcode, so I guess the only way to send them was physically mail them to the member. This is the only photo I can find of them. I think this is a 5-pack of them from using 5000 points.




I've never actually used my coupons because I never travelled to any place I could use them. I think I gave a few away since I was never at a station with a lounge. Anyone with Select Plus or Exec status could conceivably go to one every day to pick up some coffee or snacks.

The only lounge experience I had with Amtrak was a single use of a United Club after a flight to Seattle when I had Select Plus status. Regular United Club membership itself requires paying an annual fee or using points in lieu of the annual fee.


----------



## BCL (Jun 26, 2021)

Bob Dylan said:


> Not allowed, you'll need to book a $413+ Trip on Amtrak to get the TQPs or else do the required Spend if you have the BOA World AGR Card !



Wouldn't it be $207, unless something has changed with 2 points per $1 spent? And of course not just book, but actually travel.

Of course losing 100 point minimum segments and combining that with multi-city trips to maximize segments has changed things. The days of getting 400 TQPs with special fares on certain routes (my lowest was $12) was insane. It's not as much fun now that the system can't be gamed like it used to.


----------



## BCL (Jun 26, 2021)

BCL said:


> Lounge visits are actually independent of travel.



I also haven't thought of this in a while. Did they change the rules? I remember when anyone with AGR lounge access could use it with or without travel. I see now that they say Select Plus/Executive members need a same-day ticket. However, the rules don't seem to have a travel requirement when a coupon is used. It was always same-day travel with sleeper of Acela First Class.









Amtrak Station Lounges


Looking for a place to relax while you're on your journey? Stop in and visit one of our private lounges in select stations across the country.




www.amtrak.com




*Who is Eligible for Lounge Access?*

Amtrak Guest Rewards members traveling with a same-day Amtrak ticket and valid Select Plus or Select Executive member card.
Amtrak passengers with a same-day travel ticket (departure or arrival) in First Class or sleeping car accommodations.
Amtrak Business class passengers with a same-day travel ticket (departure or arrival) may use the lounges in Chicago, Los Angeles, Portland and St. Louis.


----------

