# 30% bonus ends today (9/30)



## boxcar479 (Sep 30, 2012)

So this is the last day for the 30% buy bonus on points. Is anyone rolling the dice and betting on a 50% bonus later on? I really think they might do the 50%, but if they don't...... :help:


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## rrdude (Sep 30, 2012)

boxcar817 said:


> So this is the last day for the 30% buy bonus on points. Is anyone rolling the dice and betting on a 50% bonus later on? I really think they might do the 50%, but if they don't...... :help:


I'm rolling the dice with ya this year............gimmie, gimmie, gimmie, 50% !


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## OlympianHiawatha (Sep 30, 2012)

If they do a 50% I'm hoping it is straight away early next year (provided the Maya don't come  ) as I'm already tapped out on purchased Points for this year.


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## the_traveler (Sep 30, 2012)

I really doubt that they will do a. 50% bonus this year. Last year was the first and only year it was done. And there have already been 3 bonus periods this year!

But there is always a .000000000000001% chance. But IMHO, I wouldn't count on it! I figure a 30% bonus is better than a -0-% bonus!


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## AlanB (Sep 30, 2012)

the_traveler said:


> I really doubt that they will do a. 50% bonus this year. Last year was the first and only year it was done. And there have already been 3 bonus periods this year!
> 
> But there is always a .000000000000001% chance. But IMHO, I wouldn't count on it! I figure a 30% bonus is better than a -0-% bonus!


I agree, I wouldn't bet the bank on a 50% coming out this year.


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## saxman (Sep 30, 2012)

It's almost the end of the year, and I'm betting no on the 50% bonus. I'm just going to buy some today.


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## Exiled in Express (Oct 1, 2012)

I got in with an hour left per the terms, maxed out my 2012 purchase. I was hesitant both on the elusive 50% offer and finding an appropriate use for my growing pile of points. PDX-MSP roomette is pricing at $440 for the date I am interested in, essentially a draw but the more flexible poitns cancellation works for me.


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## the_traveler (Oct 1, 2012)

Exiled in Express said:


> 1349078044[/url]' post='397005'] finding an appropriate use for my growing pile of points


If you need help spending them, transfer them to me, and they will be used up in a flash! So fast, you may need to call the fre department!


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## TimePeace (Oct 4, 2012)

OK given that a 50% bonus is most unlikely - does anyone think there might be another 30% bonus offered this year?


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## the_traveler (Oct 4, 2012)

I may be wrong, but I doubt it.


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## dlagrua (Oct 5, 2012)

If Amtrak offers the 50% bonus I will buy and if not I walk. The 30% bonus offer is not a good deal as you can buy a ticket for less.


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## amamba (Oct 6, 2012)

dlagrua said:


> If Amtrak offers the 50% bonus I will buy and if not I walk. The 30% bonus offer is not a good deal as you can buy a ticket for less.


You know that really depends. There have been people on here that have bought points for trips because buying the points was cheaper than buying a ticket. As you yourself have stated, those high buckets are coming out more often for many trips! If one is faced with a high bucket ticket, it is often cheaper to buy the points rather than the ticket.


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## Anderson (Oct 7, 2012)

Sans a bonus, 10,000 points at $275 is $.0275/point. At 30%, that's 13,000 for $275 (or $.0212/point); at 50%, it's 15,000 for $275, or $.0183/point. This translates into a theoretical $412.50 for 15,000 points at the "standard" cost, $318 at 30% off, and $275 for 15,000 at the 50% offer.

Taking buckets ORL-WAS on the Silvers in a roomette, you get the following, for roomette base/one person/two people:

$501/616/731

$426/541/656

$352/467/582

$277/392/507

$202/317/432

If you're going with one person, a "baseline" purchase makes sense if you're going to fill into the third bucket or higher, a 30% purchase is a tossup at the starting bucket, and 50% _always_ makes sense at the present time. Basically, if you're using your points wisely, it _always_ makes sense to buy on the specials, and can make sense even off of them.


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## the_traveler (Oct 7, 2012)

dlagrua said:


> 1349492220[/url]' post='397893']If Amtrak offers the 50% bonus I will buy and if not I walk. The 30% bonus offer is not a good deal as you can buy a ticket for less.


As stated, the rate is $.0212 per point. I normally receive redemption rates of over $.06 per point on my trips. I have even received in excess of $.12 per point! So are you still sure it's still not worth it?


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## OlympianHiawatha (Oct 7, 2012)

Plain and simple when I redeem Points, I do so on the longest trips I can plan, such as Norman OK to SEA as a good 2 Zone redemption. In this case the value of the trip, especially if there are 2 of us far exceeds the value of the Points.


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## jdcnosse (Oct 7, 2012)

I usually buy points for full-zone trips. For example, I don't usually buy the 1,000 points that is necessary to complete the trip from GRR to CHI on the Pere Marquette (special route), but I would buy the 10,000 (with bonus) to get a one-way one-zone roomette (or round-trip one-zone coach) from CHI to ELP (on Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited) or CHI to ABQ (on Southwest Chief) because the points are definitely much cheaper.

For my latest trip, I chose to use points on a one-zone roomette (and coach from GRR to CHI) from GRR to ELP (because it's all the same zone). The same purchase with cash would have cost me twice as much.


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## TimePeace (Oct 8, 2012)

jdcnosse said:


> I usually buy points for full-zone trips. For example, I don't usually buy the 1,000 points that is necessary to complete the trip from GRR to CHI on the Pere Marquette (special route), but I would buy the 10,000 (with bonus) to get a one-way one-zone roomette (or round-trip one-zone coach) from CHI to ELP (on Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited) or CHI to ABQ (on Southwest Chief) because the points are definitely much cheaper.
> 
> For my latest trip, I chose to use points on a one-zone roomette (and coach from GRR to CHI) from GRR to ELP (because it's all the same zone). The same purchase with cash would have cost me twice as much.


I think that's the way to do it, on a route by route and bucket by bucket basis... sometimes it's a really good deal.


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## calwatch (Oct 8, 2012)

Buying points also helps greatly with trip planning. Never do I have to move the trip a day or two just to get a lower fare. It makes it easier to leave on the day I want, provided it is not on a blackout date, and allows me to book just a week or two in advance. Of course, there is going to be difficulty getting the roomette on the EB out of Portland or the Cardinal, but for most long distance trains where they run two or more sleeper cars, the flexibility is worth the cost of the points.


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## dlagrua (Oct 9, 2012)

the_traveler said:


> 1349628619[/url]' post='398104']
> 
> 
> dlagrua said:
> ...


OK please allow me to clarify. A one night two zone Amtrak trip can be WAS to CHI. It can also be a two night trip from CHI to LAX. Both trips require exactly the same AGR points, yet both have drastically different fare structures. I would have to agree that on the two night, two zone trips buying Amtrak points provides a better buy. Buying points can also sometimes make sense on the long one zone NYP to ORL trips. I do buy AGR points but only to make up a shortage for a specific trip. It appears that route, length of trip, zone(s)and buckets all influence whether buying points is cost effective or not.


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## the_traveler (Oct 9, 2012)

I'll agree that depending on the city pairs and buckets, it may not make sense to use points. Example is CLE to SOB is not a good use of a 2 zone award! However, MIA to DEN in a bedroom or Roomette at high bucket is well worth that same 2 zone award!


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## Shortline (Oct 9, 2012)

I didn't buy points, but would have if needed for our 2 zone 4 day 3 night trip. When priced out, bedroom and rail for 3 was just over $2,400. Only "cost" us 40,000'points. Assuming you could buy them all at once, even buying at the base rate would have saved a lot of cash. I earn more than enough through ther methods, but can certainly see why people buy them annually.


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## crescent2 (Oct 15, 2012)

I've never used AGR points. Can they be used no matter what the fare (or fare and sleeper cost) is? In other words, if you use points, can you get a high bucket trip for the same number of points as a low bucket date? Are there a limited number of seats or rooms on a train that can be reserved using points, or can you get anything that's available?

Thanks-


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## the_traveler (Oct 16, 2012)

crescent2 said:


> 1350356829[/url]' post='399489']I've never used AGR points. Can they be used no matter what the fare (or fare and sleeper cost) is? In other words, if you use points, can you get a high bucket trip for the same number of points as a low bucket date? Are there a limited number of seats or rooms on a train that can be reserved using points, or can you get anything that's available?
> 
> Thanks-


That's the great thing about AGR! As long as a room or seat is available on the train, you can book it using the same amount of AGR points as if you booked 10 months in advance!

A few years ago, I took a trip on 4 trains. On 2 of those, I got the *VERY* *LAST* room on the train! (Of course high bucket.) And just 2 weeks ago, i had an AGR agent who found me a room on a sold out train! (It Meant changing rooms mid trip.) But in both these cases, I only paid the "regular" AGR award rate - not double like you do on airlines once those 10–15 seats "at 25K" are sold!


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## crescent2 (Oct 16, 2012)

That is great news! Thanks! I have more questions which I'll post in a new thread.


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