# Maxing out my Rewards



## Long Train Runnin' (May 13, 2014)

The time has finally arrived to turn the point balance I have into a trip that finishes most of the missing pieces I have inside of the Amtrak system. While taking advantage of the overnight stop overs that are allowed in certain destinations. I have finally nailed down what I think will be the most effective use of my points. Although I am having trouble getting routed the way I really would like to go.

My ideal trip would be

LSL NYP-CHI

CONO CHI-NOL

SL NOL-LAX

CS LAX-SEA

EB SEA-CHI

CL CHI-WAS

SM WAS-MIA

Would it be possible to get this routing if I called and agreed to picking up my own over nights in NOL, LAX, SEA and CHI? I have enough points for two 3 zone redemption.


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## the_traveler (May 13, 2014)

LAX I doubt would be allowed as a stopover, since the SL arrives around 5 am and the CS arrives around 10 am that day. And NOL is hard to get to on the CONO from BOS. A routing to LAX would either be routed on the Crescent via ATL and NOL or the SWC via CHI and ABQ or the TE via CHI and FTW - but not on the CONO.

The others there are workaround to make it work.


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## tomfuller (May 13, 2014)

The SL gets into LAX early enough so that you have time to get a great breakfast at Phillippe's on Alameda before getting on the CS. (I've done it).

It's hard to say what is going to happen with the connections at both ends of the EB but plan on a night in SEA and CHI.

Your other option would be to take the CZ back to CHI from EMY.

The overnight in New Orleans has always been at your own expense. If you wanted to bypass CHI you could use the Crescent to get to NOL.


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## Bob Dylan (May 13, 2014)

Stephen: I agree with Dave that AGR won't approve this "Custom" Route!

There are some workarounds and require less Paid Nights in Hotels on your Dime as well as using Less Points!

If you're interested PM Dave or me a d well let you know what we've done in similar circumstances!


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## saxman (May 17, 2014)

Basically you're redemptions would have to look like this:

NYP-CHI-NOL = 20,000 points

NOL-LAX = 20,000 points

Total: 40,000 points

Or you'd have to take the Crescent, NYP-NOL-LAX for 35,000 on one booking. So 5,000 extra points for one extra night


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## bama (May 19, 2014)

jimhudson said:


> Stephen: I agree with Dave that AGR won't approve this "Custom" Route!
> 
> There are some workarounds and require less Paid Nights in Hotels on your Dime as well as using Less Points!
> 
> If you're interested PM Dave or me a d well let you know what we've done in similar circumstances!



Is the cono amtrak's redheaded stepchild? I'm having trouble routing a much simpler agr 1 zone trip, tuscaloosa, al to chicago. Amtrak doesn't want me to use the cono, either. It wants me to do a 2 zone trip involving the cap ltd instead. :unsure:


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## the_traveler (May 19, 2014)

bama said:


> Is the cono amtrak's redheaded stepchild? I'm having trouble routing a much simpler agr 1 zone trip, tuscaloosa, al to chicago. Amtrak doesn't want me to use the cono, either. It wants me to do a 2 zone trip involving the cap ltd instead. :unsure:


The reason it shows the WAS connection is due to the overnight in NOL required on your own dime. Many people will be very upset if they booked that and the found out they have to pay for the hotel also! Especially after arriving in NOL.
The routing via WAS does not require an overnight hotel stay.


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## bama (May 19, 2014)

the_traveler said:


> bama said:
> 
> 
> > Is the cono amtrak's redheaded stepchild? I'm having trouble routing a much simpler agr 1 zone trip, tuscaloosa, al to chicago. Amtrak doesn't want me to use the cono, either. It wants me to do a 2 zone trip involving the cap ltd instead. :unsure:
> ...


Hadn't thought of that and guess it makes sense but the other option would be nice to have. It's just as direct as the other. And the published one involves more zones if you're using agr.

I'm not going to do it but out of curiosity, would the WAS route be a 2 zone award or a 3 zone? Starts central, then eastern, then central again. If that's 3 zones I'd be totally insane to go that way. thanks


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## Long Train Runnin' (May 20, 2014)

Thanks everyone I was given some help via PM and was able to secure the routing I was hoping for.


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## the_traveler (May 20, 2014)

bama said:


> would the WAS route be a 2 zone award or a 3 zone? Starts central, then eastern, then central again. If that's 3 zones I'd be totally insane to go that way. thanks


It would be 2 zones. You count the zones you pass thru - Central and Eastern. You do not count the central zone a second time. Another way to count is how many border cities you pass thru. (In this case Atlanta and Toledo = 2 zones)


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## OlympianHiawatha (May 20, 2014)

the_traveler said:


> bama said:
> 
> 
> > would the WAS route be a 2 zone award or a 3 zone? Starts central, then eastern, then central again. If that's 3 zones I'd be totally insane to go that way. thanks
> ...


I was under the impression you get counted for* EACH *Zone you pass through, even if you come back to it; hence the end of 1 Zone from Kansas City to Columbus WI. For example if I want to travel from Norman OK to New Orleans a couple of the legal options offer connections to the _*Crescent*_ in WAS, meaning I travel from Central to East and back to Central. Should be 3 Zone but if I can nip it as a 1 or 2 Zone I'd be interested.


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## the_traveler (May 20, 2014)

Norman to NOL would be 1 zone if you go via SAS or via the the CONO. If you go via WAS or CVS to the Crescent, it would be 2 zones.


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## OlympianHiawatha (May 21, 2014)

the_traveler said:


> Norman to NOL would be 1 zone if you go via SAS or via the the CONO. If you go via WAS or CVS to the Crescent, it would be 2 zones.


Thanks! That makes it a run worth considering because even though I can make the drive in 10 hours or connect after a hard overnight in SAS why would I want to do that when I can take the long way around and enjoy 3 nights on the train each way


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## crescent2 (May 21, 2014)

Does this mean you don't have to count the beginning zone, if you re-enter it later in the trip? I had thought these would have to be three-zone trips, too.

If not, that saves a lot of points!


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## the_traveler (May 21, 2014)

Essentially you don't. You can Count it the second time but not the first time, or the first time but not the second time. It's easier to just count the times you pass thru the border city.


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## Devil's Advocate (May 21, 2014)

How does passing through another zone on the way back to the original zone not fail the "no circle trip" rule?


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## the_traveler (May 21, 2014)

A circle routing is one like NOL-LAX-PDX-MSP vs NOL-CHI-MSP. But BHM-CVS-IND is not because that is the only way to be routed, even though you must pass thru another zone.


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## Ispolkom (May 21, 2014)

the_traveler said:


> A circle routing is one like NOL-LAX-PDX-MSP vs NOL-CHI-MSP. But BHM-CVS-IND is not because that is the only way to be routed, even though you must pass thru another zone.


That is not AGR's definition:



> A circle trip is a travel itinerary comprised of a series of segments that exit, and later re-enter, the same zone.


You can certainly find agents who don't seem to follow this guideline, but that doesn't mean the guideline doesn't exist.

ETA: Here's a quote from *AGR Insider*, from a thread from last year:



> *Circle trip rule stands as written...Going from central zone to western zone, then back to central zone, cannot be done on the same redemption. Same PNR or reservation, sure, but not the same point redemption. *


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## Ryan (May 21, 2014)

And "as written", the circle trip rule says:



> Circle trips are not permitted using a single redemption. A circle trip is a travel itinerary comprised of a series of segments that exit, and later re-enter, the same zone.


Norman to NOL via WAS or CVS would definitely meet that criteria.

Edit: As written, that means that it's not legally possible to start a redemption in the central zone cities of the Crescent to anywhere in the Central or Western Zones. Very few published routes go through NOL because of the overnight, and anything going through WAS bust the circle trip rule.

Incidentally, that was a popular area to start loophole trips for that same reason.

Hopefully in practice the people that actually live in that part of the world get friendly agents that help them. It would suck if the loopholers screwed them out of being able to redeem awards to anywhere but the east coast.


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