# LAX to PDX



## Lazy Z (Sep 11, 2011)

I could not find this info on the website, but is the Coast Starlight from LAX to PDX just rated as a single zone? Considering a trip around the end of the year. Now with the special being offered, I could buy 10,000 points and get 5,000 free so that, combined with other points I have, is enough for one way in a bedroom. I could buy the same for the trip back in my husband's name. So essentially, my husband, daughter and I could go round trip in a bedroom for 40,000 points total? Is this correct?

Please anyone let me know is this is correct. If it is, I want to go ahead and buy the points and book the trip!

Thank you!


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## OlympianHiawatha (Sep 11, 2011)

That would be a nice 1 Zone trip and now is the time to stack up those Points, even if you have no immediate plan to use them. And if you book Bedroom each way, it will actually only "cost" 38,000 Points because of the 5% Rebate.


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## Jim G. (Sep 11, 2011)

BUT, you need to have the 40,000 points in the bank to buy the trip. Actually 20,000 in each account. Great trip.


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## manderson (Sep 11, 2011)

Don't you also need to have the Amtrak CC for the rebate?


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 11, 2011)

manderson said:


> Don't you also need to have the Amtrak CC for the rebate?


Yes, to get the 5% rebate you have to have the Chase AGR MC! As was said, the 40,000 point total has to be in the Account(s) before the trip is booked and the rebate is made! Why not go all the way to SEA, you get another meal and get to see the Tacoma narrows and it's more Train time! PDX is nice, SEA actually has more to see IMO!


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## the_traveler (Sep 11, 2011)

Lazy Z said:


> Considering a trip around the end of the year.


As said, yes it would be 1 zone!




But also be aware that "around the end of the year" there are some blackout days that you can not begin an award trip on!


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## jdcnosse (Sep 11, 2011)

the_traveler said:


> Lazy Z said:
> 
> 
> > Considering a trip around the end of the year.
> ...


Although I thought I saw for a little bit extra (and if you were a Select Plus member) you can book the "rule buster" trips allowing you to use points even during a blackout date. The OP might now have this status but I'm sure you could always help out, Mr. the_traveler


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## yarrow (Sep 11, 2011)

you could go from lax to wpt(wolf point,montana) as a 1-zone award. hard to say what there is to do in wolf point. from passing through on the eb i remember a hotel, a bar and a wolf sculpture. pretty nice country though. it would give you a really long train trip. seriously though, you could take the cs to pdx and the eb to some place like whitefish or essex in montana as a 1 zone award


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## the_traveler (Sep 11, 2011)

jdcnosse said:


> Although I thought I saw for a little bit extra (and if you were a Select Plus member) you can book the "rule buster" trips allowing you to use points even during a blackout date. The OP might now have this status but I'm sure you could always help out, Mr. the_traveler


True, there is a "rule buster" but it cost about twice as many AGR points!



I don't think it's worth it.


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## Rail Freak (Sep 11, 2011)

Lazy Z said:


> I could not find this info on the website, but is the Coast Starlight from LAX to PDX just rated as a single zone? Considering a trip around the end of the year. Now with the special being offered, I could buy 10,000 points and get 5,000 free so that, combined with other points I have, is enough for one way in a bedroom. I could buy the same for the trip back in my husband's name. So essentially, my husband, daughter and I could go round trip in a bedroom for 40,000 points total? Is this correct?
> 
> Please anyone let me know is this is correct. If it is, I want to go ahead and buy the points and book the trip!
> 
> Thank you!


Check out the AGR Zone Map, located in the redeem point section, I believe! The Western Zone extends from ELP (Elpaso, Tx) to WPT (Wolf Point, Montana) !


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## AlanB (Sep 12, 2011)

the_traveler said:


> jdcnosse said:
> 
> 
> > Although I thought I saw for a little bit extra (and if you were a Select Plus member) you can book the "rule buster" trips allowing you to use points even during a blackout date. The OP might now have this status but I'm sure you could always help out, Mr. the_traveler
> ...


And "rule buster" awards are only for seats, they don't apply for sleepers. So you could bump onto a train in coach or Acela in First Class, but you can't get a sleeper on a long distance train.


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## Lazy Z (Sep 18, 2011)

AlanB said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > jdcnosse said:
> ...



Yea, I do not think the dates will work out. We only have the week between Christmas and New Years and have to open the shop on that Monday for sure  Some years, we get extra days, but this is a short holiday season - unless we just use the time to travel up and back.....but now that I am working on points for our summer trip, I am feeling a little stingy with my points!


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