# Double Days?



## benale (Sep 8, 2015)

Last year the Double Points fall promotion began on September 8,today. Labor Day was six days earlier in 2014, so possibly they will begin next week. For the Spring promotion, I got an E Mail two weeks prior, Now, nothing, With the way Amtrak is cutting corners and with the new AGR rules upcoming, I wonder if Amtrak will even do Double days this month?

It would be nice to take advantage of the 100 point minimums while we can, but I have a feeling Double Days won't be happening. Hope I'm wrong.


----------



## OlympianHiawatha (Sep 8, 2015)

Double Days are now likely things of the past.


----------



## Ryan (Sep 8, 2015)

Do you have any info that backs up that supposition, or is that just a guess?


----------



## hessjm (Sep 8, 2015)

Double Days runs September 21 - November 21 this year, just got the email.


----------



## George K (Sep 8, 2015)

hessjm said:


> Double Days runs September 21 - November 21 this year, just got the email.


Okaaayyyy.

So, I'm traveling on the 18th, the 22nd and 26th of September.

2 out of 3 ain't bad.


----------



## City of Miami (Sep 8, 2015)

So I registered for the DD promotion. But I'm not really interested, am I? I'm busy burning points before the deadline, not earning points.


----------



## Devil's Advocate (Sep 8, 2015)

I suppose if someone outside of the usual corridor services really wanted status then this would probably be the best and last time to bother with it. As for me there is no particular need, no practical method, and no obvious benefit to doing so. YMMV.


----------



## JayPea (Sep 8, 2015)

If you add all the TQP'S total since joining AGR eight years ago, I wouldn't have enough to reach Select. However, it just so happens I am traveling from Seattle to Spokane on the 21st so did go ahead and register for the promotion.


----------



## AmtrakBlue (Sep 8, 2015)

It's right after Train Day in Philly. Guess I'll take SEPTA which won't cost me anything <extra> because I have a monthly pass.


----------



## tonys96 (Sep 8, 2015)

Ryan said:


> Do you have any info that backs up that supposition, or is that just a guess?


I think since he said "likely" it was a guess?


----------



## chrsjrcj (Sep 8, 2015)

is the promotion TQP?


----------



## BCL (Sep 8, 2015)

chrsjrcj said:


> is the promotion TQP?


That's only Fast Track to Status. I didn't think multi-rides counted, but I got the points. They also counted as redemption points.

Double Days only doubles your standard points. Any bonus for S/S+/SE don't double. So a 100 point ride for S+ would be 100+100+50.


----------



## Blackwolf (Sep 8, 2015)

Yup, they're back! Just registered.


----------



## Bob Dylan (Sep 8, 2015)

The AGR Rep registered me for Double Days while I was cancelling and rebooking AGR Redemptions in October.

I have 2 Paid trips during the Gathering, but since I'll not be gaining any AGR Status again, it won't do me alot of good!

Just got the E-mail, it must have gotten lost on the way to Texas! LOL

Last Rodeo Boys and Girls! Get 'em while you can!


----------



## BuffaloBoy (Sep 8, 2015)

Double miles is on folks! Heard a lot of opinions about it lately and I just sat back and waited instead of speculating. Sept. 21st is the day and pre-registration is happening. Time to take some point runs my friends, might be the last chance we get. :giggle:


----------



## benale (Sep 8, 2015)

Might as well gain as many points as I can while the 100 point minimum is still around, add what I'll earn to what I have and book a nice trip using the zones before the new AGR takes effect.


----------



## Ryan (Sep 9, 2015)

tonys96 said:


> Ryan said:
> 
> 
> > Do you have any info that backs up that supposition, or is that just a guess?
> ...


Well that and the fact that it turned out to by completely wrong pretty much settles it.


----------



## rrdude (Sep 9, 2015)

Wierd, in either Chrome or Safari, each time I try to register, it bumps me back to a log in page, endless loop. Guess I'll wait a few hours n try again


----------



## Ryan (Sep 9, 2015)

Sounds like the same issue people had trying to check transactions (there is a recent thread). Try adding or removing a www from the URL as needed.


----------



## Jim G. (Sep 9, 2015)

09/21...11/21/2015. According to Amtrak Guest Rewards site. Get em' while the gettin's good!


----------



## OlympianHiawatha (Sep 9, 2015)

I was really surprised to see this figuring AGR seems to be on track to drying up the Points Kitty as much as possible. Maybe, just maybe, they will do a farewell Points Purchase Bonus, perhaps 2 for 1....


----------



## Devil's Advocate (Sep 9, 2015)

I wonder if they'll simply call it a "Full Days" promotion next year to account for the fact that points are worth half as much for purposes of longer trips and status.


----------



## George K (Sep 9, 2015)

Devil's Advocate said:


> I wonder if they'll simply call it a "Full Days" promotion next year to account for the fact that points are worth half as much for purposes of longer trips and status.


----------



## jis (Sep 9, 2015)

Well my Acela ride on Saturday of the Gathering instead of riding on Baltimore LRT becomes that much more valuable I guess. A thousand extra points to burn off before 25th of Jan Hopefully both the Gathering organizers and the OTOL Fest organizers will have the Amtrak itineraries in place before then so I can burn off my entire stash on Fests and Gatherings in 2016.

Upon further consideration, I have now backed off from gratuitously burning any points before 25th Jan. Actually most of my most common trips come out even or a bit cheaper. So why cut my nose to spite my face? I do not really travel by sleepers on multi night trips that often, for me to worry about what happened to awards in that context.


----------



## neroden (Sep 27, 2015)

Devil's Advocate said:


> I wonder if they'll simply call it a "Full Days" promotion next year to account for the fact that points are worth half as much for purposes of longer trips and status.


Nice snark. But Amtrak can still reward double points (effectively 11.6% rebate instead of 5.8% rebate) and will probably do so. Under the new system, however, it would make the most sense for Amtrak to run the promotion during *normally-low-traffic* time periods, to fill up the January trains and even out the seasonal imbalance in riders...


----------



## siberianmo (Sep 27, 2015)

My two cents:

Double Days is the twice per year "event" wherein Guest Rewards members can stock up for future travel. I have been registered for this fall's offering

since it was announced on the web site.

If not for "burning through" my Rewards points under the soon-to-be phased out Guest Rewards card from Chase, I would have booked at least two long

distance trips under the Double Days promotion; as it stands now - just one round trip STL-CHI-SAC-STL in sleepers.

Of course, after acting rather quickly with the cashing in of my points, the new BOA card arrived with all the straight-skinny - it too will pretty much provide

what the former card offered. I just did not want to be on the short end of having the Chase points somehow disappearing . . . better safe than sorry I

suppose. I digressed there!

Next promotion will be in the spring 2016 - if what I have been told by the Guest Rewards people holds true. As with the weather, change is the only thing

one can count on.

Book your trip(s)!


----------



## oregon pioneer (Sep 28, 2015)

I finally registered for the promotion because I realized I have two paid segments booked on November 20 & 21 -- the last two days!

I made the reservation some months back, but I checked, and my AGR number is on the e-ticket (easy, because I made the paid reservation at the same time as a redemption).

So my question is: does any paid segment on Amtrak, with the AGR number on the reservation, count as a "qualifying reservation?"


----------



## Bob Dylan (Sep 28, 2015)

oregon pioneer said:


> I finally registered for the promotion because I realized I have two paid segments booked on November 20 & 21 -- the last two days!
> 
> I made the reservation some months back, but I checked, and my AGR number is on the e-ticket (easy, because I made the paid reservation at the same time as a redemption).
> 
> So my question is: does any paid segment on Amtrak, with the AGR number on the reservation, count as a "qualifying reservation?"


Yep, you're good to go!


----------



## publife (Sep 30, 2015)

How long are segments taking to post these days?


----------



## rogers55 (Oct 1, 2015)

I just registered myself and wife for promotion. By coincidence we will be traveling LAX to IND R.T. in October. On the Double Days Terms & Conditions they don't define "qualifying Amtrak travel" or "qualifying one-way segments". They also state "Other terms and conditions may apply." Looks like a lot of loop holes.


----------



## oregon pioneer (Oct 1, 2015)

rogers55 said:


> I just registered myself and wife for promotion. By coincidence we will be traveling LAX to IND R.T. in October. On the Double Days Terms & Conditions they don't define "qualifying Amtrak travel" or "qualifying one-way segments". They also state "Other terms and conditions may apply." Looks like a lot of loop holes.


My take on it (after JimHudson's answer) is that it needs to be PAID travel, and your AGR number needs to be on the reservation.

The "other terms and conditions" may refer to whether or not you get any sleeper portion of the ticket doubled (my guess is not), or even get points at all for any sleeper portion. Others obviously know more about this than I do.


----------



## AmtrakBlue (Oct 1, 2015)

oregon pioneer said:


> rogers55 said:
> 
> 
> > I just registered myself and wife for promotion. By coincidence we will be traveling LAX to IND R.T. in October. On the Double Days Terms & Conditions they don't define "qualifying Amtrak travel" or "qualifying one-way segments". They also state "Other terms and conditions may apply." Looks like a lot of loop holes.
> ...


In the past, you got double points for your rail fare and room fee. And if there was a 2nd person on the rez, they got double points for their rail fare only.


----------



## the_traveler (Oct 2, 2015)

I believe that the "other terms and conditions" are things like:

1) If it's an AGR award (not paid travel), you don't earn double points.

2) If it's part of a group or package, you don't earn double points.

3) If you traveling on an employee (or former employee) pass for free, you don't earn double points.

Etc...

Generally, you will earn double points if it's PAID travel.


----------



## oregon pioneer (Oct 2, 2015)

the_traveler said:


> I believe that the "other terms and conditions" are things like:
> 
> 1) If it's an AGR award (not paid travel), you don't earn double points.
> 
> ...


:hi: Thanks!


----------

