# Promotion Early Results



## jim55 (Mar 24, 2012)

My ponts posted for a points run and I did get double points for tickets under $35.00 but it seems, as of now, that it is limited to 2 segments only. I did two round trips and they posted 1 from the 1st trip out and 1 from the 2nd trip back. Dispite what I was told By AGR.

The other two legs may still be in the system. Any one have have different results? Jim


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## Jim G. (Mar 24, 2012)

For the Double/Triple Point Program under Terms and Conditions one of the rules states...Limit of two qualifying one way trips per day.


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## gatelouse (Mar 24, 2012)

Imagine someone booking Stockton-Bakersfield-LA-San Antonio, with that last leg being a $1000 sleeper ticket. And imagine that AGR doubles the first two segments, ignoring the third...


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## AlanB (Mar 24, 2012)

Jim G. said:


> For the Double/Triple Point Program under Terms and Conditions one of the rules states...Limit of two qualifying one way trips per day.


That's for the Take 5 trips 500 point bonus; not for earning double points.


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## PRR 60 (Mar 24, 2012)

AlanB said:


> Jim G. said:
> 
> 
> > For the Double/Triple Point Program under Terms and Conditions one of the rules states...Limit of two qualifying one way trips per day.
> ...


The way I read it, the limit of two trips a day applies to both the Double/Triple Points and the Take Five.



> ...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.


There are no other per-day limits specified in the T&C's. It would not make sense that there would be no daily limit for double/triple points trips. Last year, the limit was four.


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## the_traveler (Mar 24, 2012)

However, that makes no sense for me or many others!






Say I travel from KIN to POR. I would need 2 trains to get to POR (KIN-BBY and BON-POR). Is that counted as 2 one way tips or 1 one way trip?



And if so, does that mean I can't get back?





Previously, it read 4 *segments*!


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## Ispolkom (Mar 24, 2012)

the_traveler said:


> However, that makes no sense for me or many others!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sure you can get back. You just can't get double/triple points on those trips, just as you can't get any AGR points on more than four segments in a day, say if you did HAR-NYP-BOS-BON-POR as a day trip. Sure, AGR used the term "segment" before and now uses the phrase "one-way trip," but you aren't going to claim that their shoddy T & C writing makes that a big point, are you?

If I had to guess what's going on, I'd guess that whoever programmed the subroutine to award AGR points assumed "one-way trip" meant "segment." Perhaps a rider can get additional points by calling and complaining, perhaps not.

I wonder. If you had a ticket that went KIN-BOS-BON-POR, would you only get double/triple points on the KIN-BOS and the BOS-BON segments? And if so, how many on the latter? 0?


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## AlanB (Mar 24, 2012)

Ispolkom said:


> You just can't get double/triple points on those trips, just as you can't get any AGR points on more than four segments in a day, say if you did HAR-NYP-BOS-BON-POR as a day trip.


You can get points on more than 4 segments in a day.

What you cannot do is get points on more than 4 segments where the minimum 100 guarantee is invoked. But if you do 6 trips where each segment cost at least $50.01, then you would get points for all segments.


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## Train McGhee (Mar 25, 2012)

Side question, is the limit on TQP also 4 segments per day, no matter the mileage?


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## AlanB (Mar 25, 2012)

Mileage has nothing to do with the equation at all, which is actually a good thing IMHO.

That said, when it comes to Tier Qualifying Points, if the trips you're taking are all under $50 per segment then yes your limit would be 4 trips as they'll stop paying points after the 4th trip. If however all segments are $50.01 or more, then you both earn TQP & AGR points for as many segments as you ride.

The limit of 4 is only invoked when one is being awarded the minimum amount of points.


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## Ispolkom (Mar 25, 2012)

Wow, if you ride more than four segments you get zero points on the extra segments if the cost is less than $50? You don't even get 2 points per dollar?


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## the_traveler (Mar 25, 2012)

I believe they pay 2 points per $ instead of the 100 point minimum.


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## Train McGhee (Mar 25, 2012)

Ispolkom said:


> Wow, if you ride more than four segments you get zero points on the extra segments if the cost is less than $50? You don't even get 2 points per dollar?


The way I understand, you get 4 segments per day, where the minimum can be invoked. So, if you do 4 segments lower than $50.01, then you get a minimum of 100 for each of those segments. Each additional segment above that would be 2 points per dollar for each segment. If you did 5 segments, each at a cost of $6.50, then you would earn 100 points, 100 points, 100 points, 100 points, 13 points. Can Alan B verify this for me?

As I understand that there is no limit on points you can earn per day, just the number of segments where the minimum can be invoked.

Per the TOS from AGR :



> You earn 2 points for every dollar you spend on your own Amtrak rail travel — a 100-point minimum per trip with a maximum of two roundtrips or four one-way trips, per member per day, no matter the price.


What I see is that you could take as many segments per day, and get as many Redeemable points as possible, but only receive the minimum on 4 segments.

Now we need to discuss the bonus issue. As I understand the discussion is whether you get bonus points on all segments you do per day, or if that is limited to 2 segments per day (which would be pretty lame).

Also, question for Alan B, can you earn TQP on more than 4 segments per day?


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## PRR 60 (Mar 25, 2012)

the_traveler said:


> I believe they pay 2 points per $ instead of the 100 point minimum.


It would be logical to believe that, but logic does not always prevail with AGR. From the Terms and Conditions:



> Except as provided in this Section, Members who provide their Membership Number at the time of ticket purchase will earn 2 Points for every $1 spent on Amtrak travel, a minimum of 100 Points for each trip. A maximum of two roundtrips or four one–way trips, per member, per day will be allowed to earn points under the 100 point minimum per trip rule. Any trips subsequent to the maximum of two roundtrips or four one–ways, per member, per day will receive 2 Points for every $1 if the trips point value exceeds 100 points.


Trips in excess of four per day earn zero points unless the trip or trips have a value in excess of 100 points (cost $50.50 or more).


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## PRR 60 (Mar 25, 2012)

Train McGhee said:


> Ispolkom said:
> 
> 
> > Wow, if you ride more than four segments you get zero points on the extra segments if the cost is less than $50? You don't even get 2 points per dollar?
> ...


You can only have four trips a day that earn the 100 point minimum. Any trips over the four that would be eligible for the 100 point minimum (ticket value less than $50.50) earn zero points. The same is true for accumulating TQP. Only four at the minimum per day. Others must be above the minimum (102 points or more) or those trips earn zero TQP.


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## Train McGhee (Mar 25, 2012)

Ok, so lets say you took 4 PHL short run segments at $6.50 each, and then Acela from PHL to BOS. What would the earning be? 400 + 750 = 1150 redeemable, what would the TQP earning be? AGR really likes to send us down the rabbit hole on this stuff....


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## PRR 60 (Mar 25, 2012)

Train McGhee said:


> Ok, so lets say you took 4 PHL short run segments at $6.50 each, and then Acela from PHL to BOS. What would the earning be? 400 + 750 = 1150 redeemable, what would the TQP earning be? AGR really likes to send us down the rabbit hole on this stuff....


Yes, you're correct. You get your four trips PHL-PAO at the minimum - 100 points each. Since your fifth trip is not a minimum point trip, you get that as well - 750 for Acela FC PHL-BOS. 1150 points is the total.


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## Train McGhee (Mar 25, 2012)

How would that effect the TQP on the routing that I mentioned before?


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## PRR 60 (Mar 25, 2012)

Train McGhee said:


> How would that effect the TQP on the routing that I mentioned before?


You would get the same 1,150 points points as TQP's. Whatever redeemable points are granted by Amtrak for rail travel are also TQP's.


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## gatelouse (Mar 26, 2012)

PRR 60 said:


> Train McGhee said:
> 
> 
> > Ok, so lets say you took 4 PHL short run segments at $6.50 each, and then Acela from PHL to BOS. What would the earning be? 400 + 750 = 1150 redeemable, what would the TQP earning be? AGR really likes to send us down the rabbit hole on this stuff....
> ...


I'm not sure that I concur. If the Acela posts first and the short segments post later, then AGR could consider these to be segments 2 through 5 of that day, discarding the fifth. Only if the Acela posts last can you guarantee that you'd get the 100 point minimum on all four PHL-PAO legs.

It all depends on how the computers are programmed. Either they're taking a daily count of how many sub-$50 tickets are getting the 100-point minimum (correct way) or simply cutting out the 100-point minimum for any segment past the fourth (incorrect way).

I'll have to test this some day if someone else hasn't already.


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## PRR 60 (Mar 26, 2012)

gatelouse said:


> PRR 60 said:
> 
> 
> > Train McGhee said:
> ...


They do it the "correct" way. They only count minimum point trips in a day. So, if the Acela trip posts 3rd of 5 trips in a day, the minimum point count is still 2. When the next two minimum trips post, that max's out the 100 point awards for the day. At least that is the way I _think_ it works. I've never done more than four trips in a day. That is about my tolerance level.


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## AmtrakBlue (Mar 28, 2012)

I am going to Washington in late April and plan to book while the rate is in the pre-14-day period, so the rates should be $33 each way. In order to get 200 (100 x 2) for each way (down on Sat, back on Sun), I should book each one separately?


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## jim55 (Mar 28, 2012)

jim55 said:


> My ponts posted for a points run and I did get double points for tickets under $35.00 but it seems, as of now, that it is limited to 2 segments only. I did two round trips and they posted 1 from the 1st trip out and 1 from the 2nd trip back. Dispite what I was told By AGR.
> 
> The other two legs may still be in the system. Any one have have different results? Jim


Update: Today another ticket of my 2 roundtrip day posted and I got both tier and bonus points for that leg. One more ticket to go. Jim


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## Rick (Mar 28, 2012)

I did two round trips yesterday..Harrisburg to Elizabethtown and then Elizabethtown to Lancaster. So I only get double points for one of those trips? Last year it was two round trips. I guess I didn't read the fine print. Now, do I get regular(200 points) for the second trip?


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## PRR 60 (Mar 28, 2012)

Rick said:


> I did two round trips yesterday..Harrisburg to Elizabethtown and then Elizabethtown to Lancaster. So I only get double points for one of those trips? Last year it was two round trips. I guess I didn't read the fine print. Now, do I get regular(200 points) for the second trip?


You will get double points (200) for two of the four trips, and the regular points (100) for the other two. That will get you 600 redeemable points, and 400 Tier Qualifying Points.


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## Ispolkom (Mar 28, 2012)

AmtrakBlue said:


> I am going to Washington in late April and plan to book while the rate is in the pre-14-day period, so the rates should be $33 each way. In order to get 200 (100 x 2) for each way (down on Sat, back on Sun), I should book each one separately?


No, a round-trip ticket should get you the same number of points. The big issue here is multiple train trips in the same day. (Living in Minnesota, I think, "If only...")


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## gatelouse (Mar 28, 2012)

jim55 said:


> jim55 said:
> 
> 
> > My ponts posted for a points run and I did get double points for tickets under $35.00 but it seems, as of now, that it is limited to 2 segments only. I did two round trips and they posted 1 from the 1st trip out and 1 from the 2nd trip back. Dispite what I was told By AGR.
> ...


So we have real-world confirmation that 3 segments traveled in one day will all earn a double points bonus? If so, this is a HUGE clarification.


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## lmctrouble (Mar 29, 2012)

gatelouse said:


> jim55 said:
> 
> 
> > jim55 said:
> ...



I did a 3 segment run on Saturday (it was supposed to be 4 but the Wolverine was running an hour and a half late and we missed a connection :angry2: ) and I have double points for 2 segments but nothing for the third yet.


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## gatelouse (Mar 30, 2012)

lmctrouble said:


> I did a 3 segment run on Saturday (it was supposed to be 4 but the Wolverine was running an hour and a half late and we missed a connection :angry2: ) and I have double points for 2 segments but nothing for the third yet.


Hang in there. I'm assuming you mean that 2 segments have posted (with bonus) but the third hasn't posted at all. Once it posts, I suspect it'll get double points as well. Let us know when it posts!


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## hessjm (Mar 30, 2012)

Last week I made this points run:

371 GRR > CHI $27.00

335 CHI > GLN $8.10

336 GLN > CHI $8.10

370 CHI > GRR $27.00

I received 100 spring bonus points for each segment.


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## jim55 (Mar 30, 2012)

jim55 said:


> jim55 said:
> 
> 
> > My ponts posted for a points run and I did get double points for tickets under $35.00 but it seems, as of now, that it is limited to 2 segments only. I did two round trips and they posted 1 from the 1st trip out and 1 from the 2nd trip back. Dispite what I was told By AGR.
> ...


Final Update: My last ticket of two round trips posted and all had tier and bonus points. Jim


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## gatelouse (Mar 30, 2012)

Hooray for all the reports. Looks like I should set up some triple point segment runs for May!


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## gatelouse (Mar 30, 2012)

For what it's worth, the latest online and print literature very clearly state that the double points apply to all travel, and the "qualifying" travel with $35 min spend and 2-per-day limit only apply to the Take-5.

The initial T&Cs didn't reflect this. They are much, much clearer now. Looks like someone at AGR is paying attention to the various forums that discuss them.


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## lmctrouble (Mar 31, 2012)

gatelouse said:


> lmctrouble said:
> 
> 
> > I did a 3 segment run on Saturday (it was supposed to be 4 but the Wolverine was running an hour and a half late and we missed a connection :angry2: ) and I have double points for 2 segments but nothing for the third yet.
> ...



Paydirt!!! The third segment finally posted with bonus points!!


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## Train McGhee (Mar 31, 2012)

Prepare mileage run! Now when will they have a TQP promo like the airlines, to get to select or select plus?


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## AmtrakBlue (Apr 1, 2012)

gatelouse said:


> For what it's worth, the latest online and print literature very clearly state that the double points apply to all travel, and the "qualifying" travel with $35 min spend and 2-per-day limit only apply to the Take-5.
> 
> The initial T&Cs didn't reflect this. They are much, much clearer now. Looks like someone at AGR is paying attention to the various forums that discuss them.


 . Guess I won't go for the 5 trip bonus then. My tickets for DC will only be $33 as we're booking our trip 14+ days out. And I can't afford to make $35+ point runs.


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