# Double Days Spring 2016 (former R.I.P.)



## KmH (Feb 13, 2016)

Double Days.


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## Palmetto (Feb 13, 2016)

Excuse me? I don't get it.


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## AmtrakBlue (Feb 13, 2016)

I'm guessing he's saying there will no longer be AGR Double Days


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## TinCan782 (Feb 13, 2016)

source?


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## Devil's Advocate (Feb 13, 2016)

Welcome to AGR half days where you earn half the points during busy travel periods.


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## TinCan782 (Feb 13, 2016)

Devil's Advocate said:


> Welcome to AGR half days where you earn half the points during busy travel periods.


And the redemption costs you twice as much!


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## KmH (Feb 14, 2016)

FrensicPic said:


> source?


The AGR web site.

See any mention of a Spring, Double Days promotion?


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## Eric S (Feb 14, 2016)

Absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence.

Have we had any actual confirmation that Double Days will no longer occur? (Given the way the changes have been rolling out I wouldn't be surprised if it just disappears, but I'm just wondering if there has been any information about this.)


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## AmtrakBlue (Feb 14, 2016)

KmH said:


> FrensicPic said:
> 
> 
> > source?
> ...


I'd expect to see a spring double days before I'd see a fall double days for 2016. Plus I think it's a little early to see the spring one which usually occurs in May.


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## TinCan782 (Feb 14, 2016)

KmH said:


> FrensicPic said:
> 
> 
> > source?
> ...


Fall? That is behind us/way ahead in time. I can't recall how early registration begins but, I'm not expecting to see the spring announcement quite yet.


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## benale (Feb 14, 2016)

In the past Double Days have started in mid March. Still a bit too early for an announcement. With the new AGR in place, it might not happen at all. I used to love Double Days when the 100 point minimum still existed. By taking weekly $11 round trips on the Keystones I would get 450 points. With the new system it would be 60 during the promotion.. I understandAmtrak's reasoning for dropping the 100 point minimum, but it will certainly affect me. This will be my last year as Select. .


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## Acela150 (Feb 14, 2016)

This is how bad rumors start. Let's not jump on the no more double days promotion band wagon yet. As mentioned they normally kick in around Mid to Late March with the announcement coming a week or so before hand. Let's not start bad info.


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## jis (Feb 14, 2016)

Yup. This falls in the particularly egregious unfounded rumor category for now.


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## KmH (Feb 14, 2016)

My bad. Meant Spring.

IIRC, last year Spring Double Days ran from March 16 to May 16.

So they would be advertising/promoting Spring Double Days _now_.


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## TinCan782 (Feb 14, 2016)

KmH said:


> My bad. Meant Spring.
> 
> IIRC, last year Spring Double Days ran from March 16 to May 16.
> 
> So they would be advertising/promoting Spring Double Days _now_.


I recall Spring DD running into May...one of my spring trips was to LAUS for National Train Day which was held early May.

Last fall's DD still shows up on my account...I registered on 9/8/15 and the fall promo ran 9/21 to 11/21. Don't recall when registration began.


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## the_traveler (Feb 14, 2016)

And I registered on 9-9-15, so maybe 2-3 weeks before it began does registration open. If the Spring DD period begins on (say) 3/21/16, it's still beyond the 2-3 weeks beforehand!


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## rtabern (Feb 16, 2016)

Devil's Advocate said:


> Welcome to AGR half days where you earn half the points during busy travel periods.


Half?? That is being generous. Maybe one-tenth!!

Glenview to Chicago used to earn me 100 points. It is now worth 9 points. More than a 90% reduction.

Yep... just about done with AGR... just waiting until 1/1/17 to transfer most of my remaining points in another batch over to Choice Hotels (and then over to Southwest Airlines)


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## jebr (Feb 16, 2016)

Where are you getting $4.50 tickets for Chicago - Glenview? I've always gotten it for $9 or so, which should earn 18 points.


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## the_traveler (Feb 16, 2016)

I think he means $9 each way. (He did say GLN-CHI and 100 points not 200 points.)


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## jebr (Feb 16, 2016)

Still, $9 each way should earn 18 points. Two points per dollar, if I remember correctly.


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## Manny T (Feb 17, 2016)

I assume the purpose of Double Days was to promote extra travel during slow periods. Why would Amtrak not want to do that now, especially when a leaner AGR program will not cost it as much in doubled points? I'm guessing there will be Double Days. And hoping.


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## Devil's Advocate (Feb 17, 2016)

Manny T said:


> I assume the purpose of Double Days was to promote extra travel during slow periods. Why would Amtrak not want to do that now, especially when a leaner AGR program will not cost it as much in doubled points? I'm guessing there will be Double Days. And hoping.


I don't think we know for certain what is going to happen with double days as of yet. That being said, nearly everything Amtrak has done over the last few years has left me riding less and less. Higher fares, higher mileage requirements, reduced amenities, lower service levels, lower earning levels, and worse scheduling have really taken a toll on my Amtrak travel. On the plus side Amtrak staff turnover seems to have increased of late and resulted in younger and friendlier staff, at least in my experience.

Here on AU the conventional wisdom is that no matter how many members Amtrak disappoints there will be a nearly inexhaustible supply of new passengers ready and willing to take their place. While I suppose anything is possible I actually think AU members are some of the least demanding and most understanding passengers on Amtrak when it comes to general expectations. Sometimes we get kind of crazy about esoteric logistical analysis and Monday morning quarterbacking, but when it comes to basic service satisfaction our members are probably among the easiest for Amtrak to please.

In my view any sincere heartburn felt here on AU is likely to be amplified elsewhere. Or at least that would be my expectation. I would imagine the commuter operations side of Amtrak is likely to enjoy a more loyal following over time, but out here on the LD network Amtrak does not match up well with alternatives such as driving and flying. Nor does Amtrak do much of anything to promote or recognize loyalty in any practical sense.

If my position is correct then I would imagine that over time Amtrak is likely to begin reversing course and seeing continued reductions in passenger miles as passengers revisit their assumptions and reevaluate their options. In any case things are likely to get a lot more interesting as Amtrak tries to budget cut their way to breaking even.


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## Carolina Special (Feb 17, 2016)

If passenger traffic is falling as noted in the recent infamous Boardman letter, it seems likely that they would try to increase traffic with promotions like Double Days. But we'll see in a couple of weeks if this is the case.


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## tonys96 (Feb 17, 2016)

Devil's Advocate said:


> Manny T said:
> 
> 
> > I assume the purpose of Double Days was to promote extra travel during slow periods. Why would Amtrak not want to do that now, especially when a leaner AGR program will not cost it as much in doubled points? I'm guessing there will be Double Days. And hoping.
> ...


^THIS^


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## KmH (Feb 19, 2016)

Last year I got Spring Double Day points for a short, same day round trip on March 30.

Double days gave a minimum of 100 pts. So any fare under $50 fare would garner 100 pts.

Spring Double Days last year was from March 16 to May 16.


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## benale (Feb 19, 2016)

"Garner" is the operative word. The 100 point minimum is gone, so I would imagine if Double days return it would be strictly double the point value and nothing more. I used to get 225 one way on a short hop on The Keystones. Under the new system it would be 24 points. I'm not sure if the Select Status(25%)would double or not. If it did I would get 30 points.


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## Carolina Special (Mar 7, 2016)

2016 Double Days are 3/21 to 5/21. Registration starts 3/8. Or so the web site says.


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## CCC1007 (Mar 7, 2016)

So the funeral was held way to early...


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## tim49424 (Mar 7, 2016)

Here's where to register!

https://www.amtrakguestrewards.com/doubledays


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## neroden (Mar 7, 2016)

I find it curious that Amtrak has not been running Double Days during January and February which are the lowest-travel months. But whatever...


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## TinCan782 (Mar 7, 2016)

Carolina Special said:


> 2016 Double Days are 3/21 to 5/21. Registration starts 3/8. Or so the web site says.


About the same days as in years past.


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## JoeBas (Mar 9, 2016)

CCC1007 said:


> So the funeral was held way to early...


Or as the old saying goes, it was only MOSTLY dead...

... of course, when you're facing a 90% base devaluation, it's hard to get all excited about a "Double Days" promotion that makes it only an 80% devaluation... somewhere under the category of "Thank you Sir, may I have another???"...


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## benale (Mar 9, 2016)

Without the 100 point minimum, my point runs using the Keystones..450 points with select round trip for $11.90 are over. Same trip now E:LT-HAR during the promotion would be 60 points. I do have some legitimate trips next month that will garner some points, but i really took advantage of the 100 point minimum to rack up those points. Another way of looking at it..it would cost me $100 to get 450 points during Double Days, instead of $12.

Yeah those Point Runs were great. They enabled me to do some really nice cross country trips in a roomette, usually taking the longest route possible.


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## KmH (Mar 9, 2016)

Coo Coo La Rue ! ! ! !

Double Days *Double Days* are alive and well.

I'll be going for a train ride to get me some double points.


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## Tennessee Traveler (Mar 9, 2016)

Yay, my ride on the CONO and Empire Builder New Orleans to Seattle March 29-April 1 is Double Days. Unfortunately, my return trip on CS, CZ, and CONO is AGR award so I guess no Double Days;.


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## Carolina Special (Mar 13, 2016)

The 100 points minimum is gone, but the limits on four one-way segments per day still applies to qualify for the offer. Why is the segment limitation still in place under 2.0? Is there some "gamey" strategy I'm missing that Amtrak is still trying to prevent?


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## the_traveler (Mar 13, 2016)

I didn't notice that, but they probably just forgot to remove that statement.

Under 1.0, a $15 fare would have earned 100 points (doubled) up to the limit and 30 points (doubled) after that. Under 2.0, all those trips would earn 30 points (doubled).


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## KmH (Mar 13, 2016)

I bet the lack of the 100 point minimum is going to cost Amtrak in the long run.


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## penguinflies (Mar 31, 2016)

Hi Ladies and Gents,

Just a followup. Double days is on and I rode the lincoln service. Just got my first posting and it doubled regular points, not TQP on the base fare and not on the business class bonus. So for a $48.00 fare in business class I got 3 entries. So not really double days, but more like 1.75 days.

03/25/2016 Double Days Other Earning 96

03/25/2016 Business Class Type Bonus Other Earning 24 24

03/25/2016 St. Louis, MO (STL) - Chicago, IL (CHI) Travel Earning 96 96


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## the_traveler (Apr 1, 2016)

How do you figure it is 1.75 days? :huh:

You received 220 points. In the old days with the 100 point minimum, your $48 fare would have given you only 200 points.


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## penguinflies (Apr 1, 2016)

eh, it didn't double the full trip points earned (120) if it was in the normal time period. And I am assuming this is normal: that double days is not double TQP days.


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## AmtrakBlue (Apr 1, 2016)

penguinflies said:


> eh, it didn't double the full trip points earned (120) if it was in the normal time period. And I am assuming this is normal: that double days is not double TQP days.


I've always assumed it was just double "redeem for travel" points, not TQPs. But then I never have enough TQPs to care.


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## the_traveler (Apr 1, 2016)

The 2X is only on the base points, never on any bonus points. Under 1.0, only the 100 point minimum was doubled, never the bonus points for being Select or above. Under 2.0, you receive a 25% bonus for BC.


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