# best way to book a points + paid trip



## jdcnosse (Sep 10, 2011)

Just what the title says. Plan on using a 1-zone AGR award for coach from GRR-ABQ, then paying the fare from ABQ-FLG (it's around $50...not really worth the added 3,000 points to make my trip a 2 zone award), and then on the way back, just the opposite, paying rail fare from FLG-ABQ, then AGR award from ABQ-GRR.

So what is the best way to book this/these reservations? Calling, online, and I assume this will mean that I will have 6 tickets (GRR-CHI, CHI-ABQ, ABQ-FLG, and their accompanying round-trip brothers)


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## the_traveler (Sep 10, 2011)

Based on the info you provided, it sounds like it will be coach thru out. So in that case it does not matter in which order you book.

I believe you will have to call AGR to make the 1 zone award from GRR to ABQ, since there will be a connection involved. However you can book ABQ-FLG online - unless you want to call Amtrak and wait on hold!


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## jdcnosse (Sep 10, 2011)

the_traveler said:


> Based on the info you provided, it sounds like it will be coach thru out. So in that case it does not matter in which order you book.
> 
> I believe you will have to call AGR to make the 1 zone award from GRR to ABQ, since there will be a connection involved. However you can book ABQ-FLG online - unless you want to call Amtrak and wait on hold!


Yes, my young self is going to tough it out in coach the whole way (and because I'm frugal. and poor.) but yes, I would be switching from the 371 Pere Marquette to the 3 Southwest Chief. As for the waiting on hold, you never know some places have good Muzak!

EDIT: Now I know that I won't get any points on the AGR award (how would they make any money if you could get points for your reward! lol) but I will get points for my paid portion, and then I think I read somewhere that I also will get rail points because there is at least one paid portion, however I could be mistaken.


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## the_traveler (Sep 11, 2011)

jdcnosse said:


> As for the *waiting on hold*, you never know some places have good Muzak!


I'd rather be *waiting for a train*!


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## Devil's Advocate (Sep 11, 2011)

jdcnosse said:


> So what is the best way to book this/these reservations?


For coach tickets on routes that are not completely screwed up (like the CZ) I'd just go online since it's usually a pretty simple process and rarely requires any human assistance. For sleeper compartments you're pretty much forced to call or else you can't pick (or even see) your specific room selection and in the case of AGR awards there's simply no way to redeem a sleeper online anyway. I have no idea why those limitations remain but hopefully Amtrak is working on some sort of solution.


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## jdcnosse (Sep 11, 2011)

Texas Sunset said:


> jdcnosse said:
> 
> 
> > So what is the best way to book this/these reservations?
> ...


I just tried to redeem it online and it gave me an error message, probably because although it is all in one zone, my reservation would include one connection (Pere Marquette to SWC)


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## AlanB (Sep 11, 2011)

jdcnosse said:


> I just tried to redeem it online and it gave me an error message, probably because although it is all in one zone, my reservation would include one connection (Pere Marquette to SWC)


Correct, AGR awards booked online cannot include any connections. If you need to make a connection then you have to call for that award.


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## the_traveler (Sep 11, 2011)

jdcnosse said:


> Now I know that I won't get any points on the AGR award (how would they make any money if you could get points for your reward! lol) but I will get points for my paid portion, and then I think I read somewhere that I also will get rail points because there is at least one paid portion, however I could be mistaken.


You will receive 2 AGR points per $ (or 100 AGR points minimum) for the paid ABQ-FLG and FLG-ABQ segments!


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## jdcnosse (Sep 11, 2011)

the_traveler said:


> jdcnosse said:
> 
> 
> > Now I know that I won't get any points on the AGR award (how would they make any money if you could get points for your reward! lol) but I will get points for my paid portion, and then I think I read somewhere that I also will get rail points because there is at least one paid portion, however I could be mistaken.
> ...


So theoretically then, if I book them both separately as one-way reservations and use my student advantage card to get a discount (bringing it under $50 a ticket), I'd still get 100 AGR points for each portion


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## the_traveler (Sep 11, 2011)

jdcnosse said:


> the_traveler said:
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> > jdcnosse said:
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Separate or together, it doesn't matter. It's still based on each segment.

And you are correct. Anything under $50 per segment earns 100 AGR points.


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## jdcnosse (Sep 11, 2011)

the_traveler said:


> jdcnosse said:
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> > the_traveler said:
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Sounds like a good plan, now I just have to call! haha


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## Devil's Advocate (Sep 11, 2011)

jdcnosse said:


> I just tried to redeem it online and it gave me an error message, probably because although it is all in one zone, my reservation would include one connection (Pere Marquette to SWC)


That's unfortunate. I thought I had read they had finally addressed that limitation at some point. I guess it's still more complicated than the website can handle. I travel coach and I also redeem AGR points but not usually involving the same trip. Looks like this is a bit of blind spot for me. In any case I hope it goes smoothly for you once you get an agent.

Julie: _Hi, I'm Julie, Amtrak's automated agent..._

Me: Agent

Julie: _I think you said you want to talk to an agent, is that correct?_

Me: Yes

Julie: _Maybe there's something else I can help you with..._

Me: No Julie, please shut up and hand me over to a real human.


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## jdcnosse (Sep 12, 2011)

Haha well at least they have that quick exit now. Used to be if you pressed 0 during one of those machines, they'd yell at you because out wasn't a valid option


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## jdcnosse (Sep 12, 2011)

I never got an AGR membership card or anything, could this cause problems when trying to board? I have a member number...but nothing that is from AGR that has it on it.


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## the_traveler (Sep 12, 2011)

You really don't need an actual AGR membership card, unless your Select or Select+. When I was an AGR peon, I did not even know where my actual card was!

As long as you know your AGR number and attach it to your reservation. it is fine. I have never been asked for my AGR card on the train or in the station - and I do not know anyone who has been asked for it!

I believe if you contact AGR by phone, they will send you a replacement AGR card - if you really want one! But as I said, if you know the AGR number, there is really no need to have one.


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## Devil's Advocate (Sep 12, 2011)

jdcnosse said:


> I never got an AGR membership card or anything, could this cause problems when trying to board?


Having the number and an actual ID is all you'll ever need. The card can go straight to the nearest trash dump, which is exactly where most of them end up. For all the "green travel" talk Amtrak invokes you'd think they'd actually be a lot more green than they are.


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## jdcnosse (Sep 12, 2011)

Alright just making sure. I know that when I purchase them with case using my Student Advantage discount, it warns me that I should have the card available in case they want to check it (which they never do, but better safe then sorry, especially when the closest station to my house is 30 mins away!)

Called AGR and after being on hold for what felt like 10 minutes I finally got a hold of someone to book my trip. I don't know if it's all customer service representatives or just AGR, but she kinda made me feel like it was my first time travelling via train (like I didn't know what time the train leaves, or where I'm leaving from or what date). I guess it's probably a script or something so they can make sure that everyone gets that info no matter if they already know it or not...


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## jdcnosse (Sep 12, 2011)

Texas Sunset said:


> jdcnosse said:
> 
> 
> > I never got an AGR membership card or anything, could this cause problems when trying to board?
> ...


like all the plastic cups from the cafe car that end up in the trash?


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## the_traveler (Sep 12, 2011)

As far as calling AGR and hearing that statement, they are required to say it. It helps both them and you, by telling you that you will depart xxx on the 15th, when you meant the 14th!



Or if there are connections involved - or even if there are not - that you arrive at your destination on the 19th, when you thought it would arrive on the 17th!





And don't forget that someone who had AGR may in fact be a (almost) first time train traveler!



They sign up and take a 10 minute trip, they have 500 AGR points. The sign up and get the AGR MasterCard and earn 12,000 to 32,000 bonus points! So now they may have 32,500 AGR points!





Guess what?



That's enough for a round trip 1 zone roomette award! And they only took Amtrak once from LAX to Glendale one way for about $3 one way, and returned on Metrolink!


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## jdcnosse (Sep 12, 2011)

the_traveler said:


> As far as calling AGR and hearing that statement, they are required to say it. It helps both them and you, by telling you that you will depart xxx on the 15th, when you meant the 14th!
> 
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> ...


Very true. I think they should be able to pull my train history 

I would sign up for the AGR Mastercard but my credit is shot  (that and I'm better with cash anyways or pre-paid debit cards lol)

Now I've just gotta book the remaining leg that I'll be paying cash with. However I think I'll book them both one-way as then I don't need to carry a ton of tickets around with me.


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## Devil's Advocate (Sep 12, 2011)

AGR agents are great at endlessly repeating things I already know, but are not so good at explaining issues that are not part of the generic newbie script. Time and again I have read something helpful about AGR here on AU but then when I tried to actually make use of this knowledge by calling an AGR representative I got nowhere.


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## the_traveler (Sep 12, 2011)

That may have been true in the past. AGR used to be contracted out to Carlson, and the phones for a while were answered in Canada!



(I doubt many of them had even been on Amtrak.) But now AGR is in-house and staffed by Amtrak employees!


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## jdcnosse (Sep 12, 2011)

The lady that took my call had a nice Southern accent...seem to find a lot of those, at least when calling places from Michigan. lol


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## the_traveler (Sep 12, 2011)

The location for AGR (now in house) is in Riverside, CA - IIRC!


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