# Trying to understand AGR redemptions



## JoeUrda (Aug 31, 2012)

I have been accumulating points for a few years now and will be close to 90,000 in a few months. My wife and I are hoping to use them next summer for a cross country trip from Syracuse to Seattle with a few days in off in Glacier National Park. From Seattle, south to California and then back to Chicago and Syracuse. I can't understand the zones. It looks like Chicago and Glacier are on the boarder of 2 zones. What is the deal?

With these points, will We have enough for roomettes for most of the trip? Sure would be nice.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Joe


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## amamba (Aug 31, 2012)

Hi Joe,

There are three zones - eastern, central and western. Chicago is in the central zone and Glacier is in the western zone. Wolf Point, MT is the zone border between western and central.

You need to figure out the segments you want and then we can help you with the zone pricing.

For example, Syracuse to Glacier would be a three zone trip in a roomette for 35K points. Alternatively, you could book the roomette through AGR to Wolf Point, MT for 20,000 points and then just pay for a coach seat or your roomette from Wolf Point to Glacier. This is a significant point saver.

Then, your trip from Glacier to Seattle would be 15,000 points in the roomette.

When you go to California, do you want to spend some time down there or do you just want to ride the Coast Starlight?

You can book SEA - CHI as a two zone trip with a routing through Sacramento on the southbound Coast Starlight and west bound California Zephyr.

If you wanted to spend some time in a city in California, that would of course break up your trip and require another redemption. It would be 15,000 points (one zone) for a trip from SEA to anywhere in California.

Then it would be three zones back to Syracuse from California through Chicago, assuming you don't stop in Chicago. If you do stop for a few days in Chicago, its a two zone trip from the west coast to CHI and then another two zone trip from CHI to Syracuse.


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## Ryan (Aug 31, 2012)

Zone cities can be in either zone, whichever is cheaper, but neither Chicago nor Glacier are on the zone borders.

Here's how I would do it:

1. 2 zone roomette from Syracuse to Wolf Point, Montana (zone border). Cost - 20,000 points

2. Paid ticket from Wolf Point to the Glacier stop of your choice.

3. 1 Zone roomette from Glacier to LA. Cost - 15,000 points

4. 3 zone roomette from LA to Syracuse. Cost 35,000 points.

Total cost, 70,000 points, plus the paid ticket from Wolf Point to Glacier.


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## PRR 60 (Aug 31, 2012)

JoeUrda said:


> I have been accumulating points for a few years now and will be close to 90,000 in a few months. My wife and I are hoping to use them next summer for a cross country trip from Syracuse to Seattle with a few days in off in Glacier National Park. From Seattle, south to California and then back to Chicago and Syracuse. I can't understand the zones. It looks like Chicago and Glacier are on the boarder of 2 zones. What is the deal?
> 
> With these points, will We have enough for roomettes for most of the trip? Sure would be nice.
> 
> ...


One thing that might help your planning is an AGR zone map that identifies the zone boundary cities. In another thread, *Ispolkom* posted a link to a web archive site that has such a map: AGR Zone Map

The Zone boundary for the Empire Builder in Montana is Wolf Point: about seven hours east of Glacier Park. If you want to have an AGR roomette award trip all the way to Glacier, then you will need to book a three-zone award to get from Syracuse to Glacier Park: 35,000 points. As an option, you could just book the AGR two-zone award to Wolf Point (20,000 points) and then pay for either the roomette the rest of the way to Glacier, or downgrade and pay for coach from Wolf Point to Glacier. That would save you 15,000 points.

The points required for the rest of your trip depends on where you want stopovers. If you want to spend time in Seattle, California, or somewhere else, that requires a separate AGR booking for each segment. For example, you could go from Glacier to California (via Portland) on a single one-zone roomette award (15,000 points), but if you want to spend a few days in Seattle, you will need a one-zone award between Glacier and Seattle, then a second award trip starting in Seattle for the trip down to California.

Let us know where you would like to spend time, and we'll be able to give you some advice on how to minimize the needed points.


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## amamba (Aug 31, 2012)

Here is what I would do:

Syracuse to Wolfpoint - 2 zone AGR roomette (20K points)

Wolfpoint to East Glacier - pay cash, low bucket could be as low as $250 in a roomette or $100ish in coach for two

Stay in East Glacier for a few days

East Glacier to SEA - 15K points

Stay in SEA a few days

then SEA - SYR 35K points in a roomette via the CS to Sac and then the CZ to CHI

total: 70K points and approximately $250

(or if you wanted time in San Franciso or LAX)

SEA - Emeryville - 15K points

Stay in California a few nights

Emeryville - Syracuse via the California Zephyr and LSL - 35,000 points

total:

85,000 points


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## JoeUrda (Sep 5, 2012)

I want to thank all of you who responded to my request for AGR information. What a wealth of information I received and so useful. I would have never thought of the Wolf Point connection.

I'll be sitting down and work up a spreadsheet of stops. The wife really wants to stay in San Fran a couple of days, so that will be added in to my itineray. Probably a good time to do laundry again anyway.

We're both excited about this trip. We've flown over the US but now it's time to see it from the ground.

Keep in touch as the plans progress.

Thanks again,

Joe


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 5, 2012)

:hi: Nice trip Joe!  Since you want to visit San Francisco, remember that the Coast Starlight will stop in Emeryville (Oakland) across the bay and you will transfer to an Ambus for the ride across the bay Bridge to the City! Same thing when you return if you are catching the Train to LAX (Coast Starlight!) Instead of going to LAX, I suggest you consider taking the California Zephyr via the Sierra Nevadas, the Rockies, Denver and on into Chicago!Best scenery in North America and a Don't miss Trip! Also, on your trip from Glacier Park, consider going to Portland, Oregon instead of Seattle, it's a matter of taste but lots of people consider Portland a nicer place to visit than Seattle!(Sorry Charlie! ^_^ ) You could also save AGR Points by riding the Empire Builder from Glacier Park to Portland (Train #27), then catch the Coast Starlight to the Bay Area that afternoon, this would be a One Zone Roomette Award for 15,000 Points!


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## amamba (Sep 5, 2012)

For San Francisco, you will take the Coast Starlight from Seattle to Emeryville. In Emeryville there is an amtrak bus connection that will take you to the Ferry building in San Francisco (and a variety of other stops).

Have a great time on your trip! Once you realize how AGR works, it is really great and a good value, IMO.


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