# Double and Triple Points start today (3/14)



## Jim G. (Mar 14, 2012)

My AGR site announced that beginning today thru May 5th would be double point promotion and May 6th thru May 12th would be triple points in honor of NTD. Good news!


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## Steve4031 (Mar 14, 2012)

Oh heck yeah!!


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## Bob Dylan (Mar 14, 2012)

Jim G. said:


> My AGR site announced that beginning today thru May 5th would be double point promotion and May 6th thru May 12th would be triple points in honor of NTD. Good news!


  :wub: Start Booking those Point Runs Folks! Taylor Here I Come!!!


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## the_traveler (Mar 14, 2012)

> Register for the Amtrak Guest Rewards® Spring Line promotion and travel Amtrak® now through May 12, 2012. When you do, you'll earn double points on all Amtrak travel, through May 5, 2012. You'll also earn a 500-point bonus after 5 qualifying trips. And earn triple points May 6 – 12, 2012, in celebration of National Train Day.


Note the fine print!


> Terms and Conditions:Earn double points on qualifying Amtrak travel from 3/14/2012 12:00:00am CT through 5/5/2012 11:59:59pm CT and earn triple points on qualifying Amtrak travel from 5/6/2012 12:00:00am CT through 5/12/2012 11:59:59pm CT. Take five qualifying trips on Amtrak between 3/14/2012 12:00:00am CT and 5/12/2012 11:59:59pm CT and earn 500 bonus points. Qualifying trips for the Take 5 bonus points are one-way direct segments, *with a minimum spend of $35*. For travel that includes connections to additional Amtrak trains or buses, *each segment of the trip which costs a minimum of $35 will qualify for the Take 5 bonus award. *Take 5 bonus points will be awarded within 4 weeks following your fifth qualifying trip. Travel with a monthly pass or using multi-ride tickets does not qualify for the Take 5 bonus promotion. Only one Take 5 bonus may be earned per member. Must be an Amtrak Guest Rewards member and register for this offer to participate. Register online at AmtrakGuestRewards.com/SpringLine . Once registered, all qualifying travel during the promotion period will be eligible to earn bonus points and count toward the Take 5 bonus award. Members must include their membership number when making reservations. Cancelled or refunded reservations/tickets will be deemed ineligible. Limit of two qualifying one-way trips per day. Other terms and conditions apply.


(Emphasis mine)


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## Blackwolf (Mar 14, 2012)

Perfect! :lol:


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## jacorbett70 (Mar 14, 2012)

> Qualifying trips for the Take 5 bonus points are one-way direct segments, with a minimum spend of $35. For travel that includes connections to additional Amtrak trains or buses, each segment of the trip which costs a minimum of $35 will qualify for the Take 5 bonus award.


Since my future itineraries read something like:

PHL-NYP $36

NYP-PHL $45

PHL-NYP $36

NYP-PHL $36

PHL-NYP-$36

etc, etc

that is perfect for me. Earlier bonuses had a higher bonus but a higher minimum spend and I did not have longer trips planned.


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## saxman (Mar 14, 2012)

Too bad it's $35 for a single ticket. So even a run between Chicago and Milwaukee won't count. Or if you spend $69 and have a connection, each ticket garnering $34.50, it will not count toward the 500 bonus points.


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## SarahZ (Mar 14, 2012)

Yesssss... I see lots of day trips to Chicago in my future. It's usually $36 one-way.


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## Devil's Advocate (Mar 14, 2012)

jimhudson said:


> Jim G. said:
> 
> 
> > My AGR site announced that beginning today thru May 5th would be double point promotion and May 6th thru May 12th would be triple points in honor of NTD. Good news!
> ...


I can't seem to get Taylor to book for more than $20 on the #21. Then again, who would willingly pay $70 for a day trip to Taylor anyway?! Might as well go buy some flowers or magazines or something instead.


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## the_traveler (Mar 14, 2012)

saxman said:


> Too bad it's $35 for a single ticket. So even a run between Chicago and Milwaukee won't count. Or if you spend $69 and have a connection, each ticket garnering $34.50, it will not count toward the 500 bonus points.


It doesn't work out to be exactly 1/2!






Not the fare, but as an example use SFC-PDX for $63.50 one way. That may place the fare of the Thruway SFC-EMY as $3.50, and then price $60.00 for the EMY to PDX segment! So in that case, one segment would qualify!


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## dlagrua (Mar 14, 2012)

Geeze! We book an expensive trip on the A/T two weeks ago and now I read this. Just can't seem to catch a break on points of late. I could conceivably cancel and rebook but the buckets are significantly highr right now.


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## Bob Dylan (Mar 14, 2012)

dlagrua said:


> Geeze! We book an expensive trip on the A/T two weeks ago and now I read this. Just can't seem to catch a break on points of late. I could conceivably cancel and rebook but the buckets are significantly highr right now.


You shouldn't have to Cancel, if you have Signed up for the Promo (it's effective Today!) youll get the Double Points up till May, if it's the week after NTD youll get Triple Points! Its when you Travel, not when you Book that gets you the Points!!


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## Acela150 (Mar 14, 2012)

the_traveler said:


> saxman said:
> 
> 
> > Too bad it's $35 for a single ticket. So even a run between Chicago and Milwaukee won't count. Or if you spend $69 and have a connection, each ticket garnering $34.50, it will not count toward the 500 bonus points.
> ...


Dave If a discount from Say AAA brings your total to $34.80 would AGR count that as $35?? I am aware that AGR rounds up.. Sometimes my $6.50 fare to PAO is counted as either $6 or $7. Is this something that they would round up on or say tough luck we know your trying to cheat the system...


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## AlanB (Mar 14, 2012)

jimhudson said:


> dlagrua said:
> 
> 
> > Geeze! We book an expensive trip on the A/T two weeks ago and now I read this. Just can't seem to catch a break on points of late. I could conceivably cancel and rebook but the buckets are significantly highr right now.
> ...


Agreed! When you booked the trip is irrelevant to the promo. It only matters that you A) register for the promo for each person traveling with an AGR number, and B) that your date of travel falls during the promo time period.

If you register for the promo dlagrua and your dates of travel fall within the range, you'll get the appropriate double/triple points.


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## Cristobal (Mar 14, 2012)

I just clicked the link in the email from AGR about this promo and noticed, when it brought up the AGR website confirming my registration, that all my points from this last weekend on the Capitol Corridor (outbound on Saturday and return on Sunday) had already posted! 

I've never seen points post that quick. In the past it was always at least 10-14 days later.


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## lmctrouble (Mar 14, 2012)

I just booked our tickets for May 6th - for $74 we're going to get 2400 points!! WOOT WOOT!!!!


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## Traingeek (Mar 14, 2012)

I hate the $35 one way to get an extra 500 points, because I always go for the low buckets for the trips between Baltimore and DC. I do like the one ways for double and triple points. Maybe, I figure another train trip into things soon to get some more points.


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## dlagrua (Mar 14, 2012)

Thanks AlanB and Jimhudson for your info on the promo. Now that the AGR points requirements have gone up; it's more important to squeeze out every last one. Some of the AGR merchants in the shopping portal have some good deals for points. I'll have to take advantage of that.


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## rile42 (Mar 15, 2012)

How did everyone find out about this promotion? The only email I've received about any promotion was the deal about buying points. If I hadn't come across this thread, I wouldn't have known about it. I was able to register though. Right after I registered though my wife got a message that she was ineligible for the promotion. When she tried it again, it worked. Strange.


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## Acela150 (Mar 15, 2012)

lmctrouble said:


> I just booked our tickets for May 6th - for $74 we're going to get 2400 points!! WOOT WOOT!!!!


Minor correction here. You'll get 222... Or if your booked Acela City Pairs you'd earn 1500 in BC and in FC you'd earn 2250. So that would 3000 in BC and 4500 on AE RT.  I'm hoping I can get some money together to do this.


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## amamba (Mar 15, 2012)

rile42 said:


> How did everyone find out about this promotion? The only email I've received about any promotion was the deal about buying points. If I hadn't come across this thread, I wouldn't have known about it. I was able to register though. Right after I registered though my wife got a message that she was ineligible for the promotion. When she tried it again, it worked. Strange.


Well I first saw it here, then I went to flyertalk to read the thread about it. I haven't received an email yet. I also saw it when I logged into the AGR website. They don't normally send the emails about the promos on the first day of the promo.


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## SarahZ (Mar 15, 2012)

I saw this thread and registered right away. Amtrak had already posted it on Facebook and Twitter. I received an email from AGR last night. Sometimes the email is a day or two behind the social networks.


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## lmctrouble (Mar 15, 2012)

Acela150 said:


> lmctrouble said:
> 
> 
> > I just booked our tickets for May 6th - for $74 we're going to get 2400 points!! WOOT WOOT!!!!
> ...


???

4 segments X triple points (300) X 2 people = 2400 (1200 each) right?

Or did I miss something?


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## the_traveler (Mar 15, 2012)

lmctrouble said:


> Acela150 said:
> 
> 
> > lmctrouble said:
> ...


No, you are correct! Steven doesn't know what he's taking about!





And that's also assuming that each segment is valued at more than $35 *EACH*!


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## The Davy Crockett (Mar 15, 2012)

the_traveler said:


> lmctrouble said:
> 
> 
> > Acela150 said:
> ...


The problem, as I see it, is that the OP said that they were getting 2400 points for $74.00. 4 segments TIMES two people for $74.00? Something is missing as this does not add up for me.


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## Bob Dylan (Mar 15, 2012)

:wacko: As W said, "Do the Math!" (Which He Couldn't, Check the Budgets/Deficits under his Watch!!  ) It Doesnt Add Up for me Either! :unsure:


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## the_traveler (Mar 15, 2012)

I see what you mean - I didn't catch it either!






If it's $74 for each ticket, and both segments are valued at over $35 each, it is correct. However if it is $74 for both tickets, is is "Government Math"


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## PRR 60 (Mar 15, 2012)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the $35 minimum spend is only required for the "Take Five" portion of the promotion. For double and triple points, the $35 minimum spend is not applicable - any spend above zero counts. Paying $74 for two passengers, four segments each, is certainly possible (even easy). During the triple points week, that would indeed net 2400 points. The only limitation is that the trips would not count toward the "Take Five" promo.


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## Ispolkom (Mar 15, 2012)

PRR 60 said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but the $35 minimum spend is only required for the "Take Five" portion of the promotion. For double and triple points, the $35 minimum spend is not applicable - any spend above zero counts. Paying $74 for two passengers, four segments each, is certainly possible (even easy). During the triple points week, that would indeed net 2400 points. The only limitation is that the trips would not count toward the "Take Five" promo.


Except that the T & Cs say "Limit of two qualifying one-way trips per day." I'm not sure if that refers to the Take Five promo, or extends to double/triple points.


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## PRR 60 (Mar 15, 2012)

Ispolkom said:


> PRR 60 said:
> 
> 
> > Correct me if I'm wrong, but the $35 minimum spend is only required for the "Take Five" portion of the promotion. For double and triple points, the $35 minimum spend is not applicable - any spend above zero counts. Paying $74 for two passengers, four segments each, is certainly possible (even easy). During the triple points week, that would indeed net 2400 points. The only limitation is that the trips would not count toward the "Take Five" promo.
> ...


You're right. The double/triple points are limited to two segments a day. If *Imctrouble*'s trip is one day, as indicated, then only two segments each would count toward the triple points. However, a $37 dollar round trip over two days is certainly possible.


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## jis (Mar 15, 2012)

Sheesh! I need a Take Ten  I will have my Take Five before the end of this month! 4 of those trips will be completed by the end of next week, and these were all trips that were planned before I ever saw this announcement, and even business trips to boot.


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## lmctrouble (Mar 15, 2012)

Ok - that's REALLY confusing!!!

I was assuming that the limit of 2 segments per day only pertained to the take 5 - in which case my math wass correct based on 4 segments per day X 2 people. But since only two segments per day qualify (???) I'm going to have to fire up the old calculator again!!


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## lmctrouble (Mar 15, 2012)

OK - so I called AGR and even the lady wasn't sure if the double/triple points applied to two segments or four - she seemed to think that if you use 4 different trains then you would qualify for the double/triple points for each segment - but not necessarily the take 5 (which I'm not really trying for anyway). She was going to ask a supervisor when she found one.


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## jim55 (Mar 15, 2012)

lmctrouble said:


> OK - so I called AGR and even the lady wasn't sure if the double/triple points applied to two segments or four - she seemed to think that if you use 4 different trains then you would qualify for the double/triple points for each segment - but not necessarily the take 5 (which I'm not really trying for anyway). She was going to ask a supervisor when she found one.


I called and was told that the 2 one way tickets limit was for the "take five". Also, the $35.00 was for the "take five". So if he was correct,any trip ie... Chicago-Glenview is good for 2x or 3x. Jim


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## Cristobal (Mar 15, 2012)

I thought that it was normally spelled out that only 2 segments per day would qualify for the bonus (double or triple) but the normal 4 segment/day max would still apply for all other points. So, if I was to do 4 segments to OKJ and back in one day during a triple bonus period I would get 800 points (2x300 + 2x100).


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## jim55 (Mar 16, 2012)

Cristobal said:


> I thought that it was normally spelled out that only 2 segments per day would qualify for the bonus (double or triple) but the normal 4 segment/day max would still apply for all other points. So, if I was to do 4 segments to OKJ and back in one day during a triple bonus period I would get 800 points (2x300 + 2x100).


I called AGR again today and was told the same things I said in my post above. Jim


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## Ispolkom (Mar 16, 2012)

jim55 said:


> Cristobal said:
> 
> 
> > I thought that it was normally spelled out that only 2 segments per day would qualify for the bonus (double or triple) but the normal 4 segment/day max would still apply for all other points. So, if I was to do 4 segments to OKJ and back in one day during a triple bonus period I would get 800 points (2x300 + 2x100).
> ...


There you go, assuming that there are actually rules with AGR, and that if there are, AGR agents know them. With AGR you pays your money, you takes your chances. My bet is that, in certain cases, you both are right.

But also I would not be surprised that in certain cases, neither of you are right.


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## rtabern (Mar 16, 2012)

Glad double and triple points are here... but it seems AGR is being a little stingy this time around.

5 trips at $35 or more only gets you 500 extra points???

Wasn't there a special a couple of years ago if you do 10 trips at $35 or more got your 10,000 points???

RT


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## AlanB (Mar 16, 2012)

rtabern said:


> Wasn't there a special a couple of years ago if you do 10 trips at $35 or more got your 10,000 points???
> RT


Can't say as I remember that one.


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## Misty. (Mar 16, 2012)

rtabern said:


> Glad double and triple points are here... but it seems AGR is being a little stingy this time around.
> 
> 5 trips at $35 or more only gets you 500 extra points???
> 
> ...


Late in 2010, yeah. (a quick search gave me a post where you were having trouble with a trip posting to it, dated 11/7/10, for example)


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