# Amtrak rewards carry over 2015?



## tbluhp (Dec 22, 2014)

This is my first year with Amtrak and so far I have 2,500 points will my points vanaish once 2014 is over or will they carry over?


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## BCL (Dec 22, 2014)

The points carry over provided there's still paid Amtrak travel using your AGR number within 36 months (or you have an AGR MasterCard), but the tier qualifying points accrue strictly per calendar year and you start over again on Jan 1.


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## tbluhp (Dec 22, 2014)

oh so what is the point of these programs if they only last one year?


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## BCL (Dec 22, 2014)

tbluhp said:


> oh so what is the point of these programs if they only last one year?


You've got the points to use towards redemption for travel or other stuff. The tier levels are strictly calculated from travel within a calendar year. This is pretty common with airline loyalty programs.


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## AmtrakBlue (Dec 22, 2014)

tbluhp said:


> This is my first year with Amtrak and so far I have 2,500 points will my points vanaish once 2014 is over or will they carry over?


Do you have TIER points of 2,500 or Amtrak Guest Rewards (AGR) points of 2,500.

The TIER points will expire. Enough of these can put you into Select, Select+ or Select ?Exec? status which have perks.

The AGR points can "buy" you things such as Amtrak tickets. They only expire if you do not take a paid Amtrak trip within 36 months of your last trip. If you have the AGR credit card, then the points do not expire.


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## Devil's Advocate (Dec 22, 2014)

tbluhp said:


> oh so what is the point of these programs if they only last one year?


Amtrak status points exist for those who live in a tiny handful of commuter corridors. I don't think Amtrak has spent much time considering what good they are for anyone else. That being said if you're willing to play around with your credit rating then you can rack up a lot of conventional redemption points rather quickly and ride for free.


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## BCL (Dec 22, 2014)

Devil's Advocate said:


> tbluhp said:
> 
> 
> > oh so what is the point of these programs if they only last one year?
> ...


It wouldn't be that hard for someone retired and traveling around the country to reach Select simply by the price paid for tickets.


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## the_traveler (Dec 22, 2014)

There are members in TX, FL and other places not on a corridor who have status based on TPQs alone!


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## BCL (Dec 22, 2014)

the_traveler said:


> There are members in TX, FL and other places not on a corridor who have status based on TPQs alone!


The minimum 100 points is what really gives the corridor riders a big leg up on getting points, but it costs time. Also - multi-city bookings increases the segments, while using multi-city on a long trip probably doesn't do much (if anything). Even then, getting to a tier is often going to cost more than buying multi-ride tickets that don't accrue per ride. My $106 10-ride gets 212 points. I would need 24 of them to reach Select. If I were simply out to reach Select with a minimal amount of cash, then I figure I could arrange 25 multi-city rides SJC-SCC-GAC for $6.38 each (with a certain discount code) for an outlay of $159.50. That's the power of minimum points.

Still - you could get to Select with just $2500 in ticket purchases.


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## iggy (Dec 23, 2014)

"I don't think Amtrak has spent much time considering what good they are for anyone else."

At least one other person gets this point = Amtrak seems to care less. Loyalty is rewarded faster in certain parts of country - while many of us who are just as loyal and maybe even ride more often aren't given as much appreciation for those efforts. If I hadn't made the journey to DC 2 weeks ago for Acela run - it would have been no SELECT+ for me this year.

Thread in other forum you are all aware of - provided Amtrak with great ideas on how to improve what is a decent rewards program for some Awesome for others.


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## Slayer Essence (Dec 23, 2014)

What if someone was to make Select status for the first time today. Would that expire in four days too or is a status earned valid for one year from the date earned?


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## BCL (Dec 23, 2014)

Slayer Essence said:


> What if someone was to make Select status for the first time today. Would that expire in four days too or is a status earned valid for one year from the date earned?


That status will be valid for at least 14 months. If you attain a certain tier status in 2014, you get that status for all of 2015 and a couple of months of 2016. I made Select on Dec 31, 2013 and as soon as those 5000 TQPs for 2013 posted I was showing that I would be Select until Feb 28, 2015. I made Select Plus earlier this month, and my status is showing Select Plus until Feb 29, 2016.

If you make status during the middle of the year, they might send out a packet mid-year, but probably not if you make it in December. The expiration date is printed on each membership card starting with Select.

This is typical of travel loyalty programs. They count miles/spending per year, and the benefits are seen the next year.


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## the_traveler (Dec 23, 2014)

The status year always runs from March 1 to February 28 or 29. Thus if you reach status on December 31, 2014, you would have status for the rest of the 2014 status year (until Feb 28, 2015) and then for the following status year also (Mar 1, 2015 to Feb 29, 2016)!


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## PaulM (Jan 1, 2015)

Devil's Advocate said:


> Amtrak status points exist for those who live in a tiny handful of commuter corridors. I don't think Amtrak has spent much time considering what good they are for anyone else.


I've made select two years in a row from right here in flyover country. But then no one ever accused me of being normal.


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## Shortline (Jan 2, 2015)

PaulM said:


> Devil's Advocate said:
> 
> 
> > Amtrak status points exist for those who live in a tiny handful of commuter corridors. I don't think Amtrak has spent much time considering what good they are for anyone else.
> ...


Yep, me too-Though I have no idea what benefit I get from that. Coupons I can't use, for upgrades on trains I'll never ride, and lounge access I pay for anyway travelling sleeper. I think there is some bonus percentage, but such a small percentage of AGR points I get come from tickets, that I frankly never even noticed. Couldn't tell you what my last trip netted me in points, but its a heck of a lot less than I was earning with the CC, rental cars, etc.


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## CHamilton (Jan 2, 2015)

PaulM said:


> Devil's Advocate said:
> 
> 
> > Amtrak status points exist for those who live in a tiny handful of commuter corridors. I don't think Amtrak has spent much time considering what good they are for anyone else.
> ...


Ditto!




But it's all the fault of AU, dontchaknow, for egging us on.


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## jis (Jan 3, 2015)

Charlie, you do not really live in flyover country. You can apparently make it to a nice Amtrak station with a semblance of corridor service without a car, right? That ain't flyover country. When you need to drive a couple of hours to get to an Amtrak station with a once a day each way service ..... or worse, three times a week, then we're talking


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## Bob Dylan (Jan 3, 2015)

jis said:


> Charlie, you do not really live in flyover country. You can apparently make it to a nice Amtrak station with a semblance of corridor service without a car, right? That ain't flyover country. When you need to drive a couple of hours to get to an Amtrak station with a once a day each way service ..... or worse, three times a week, then we're talking


Sadly too true for most of us in flyover country! 
Posted from Austin,a city of a million people with two Amtrak trains a day @ a station that's hard to find and harder to reach!

And gridlocked traffic where " Just say No to Light rail!" was the major campaign issue in the last election!


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## Railroad Bill (Jan 3, 2015)

Yes, and those of us who get to drive an hour and half for trains that arrive at 2am in the morning have to be really dedicated.  There are few opportunities for "points run" so the status is not very useful other than getting a few more points when we book trips.

If one has to take "somewhat meaningless" trips to achieve Select + status, it usually doesn't make financial sense for us to do so.

We do really wish we lived nearer to Chicago or Washington so we could ride trains and metros everyday.. but of course it might not seem so interesting once you do it everyday..


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## AmtrakBlue (Jan 3, 2015)

Railroad Bill said:


> Yes, and those of us who get to drive an hour and half for trains that arrive at 2am in the morning have to be really dedicated.  There are few opportunities for "points run" so the status is not very useful other than getting a few more points when we book trips.
> 
> If one has to take "somewhat meaningless" trips to achieve Select + status, it usually doesn't make financial sense for us to do so.
> 
> We do really wish we lived nearer to Chicago or Washington so we could ride trains and metros everyday.. but of course it might not seem so interesting once you do it everyday..


Wonder if I can get them to put a flag stop at the Septa ?Fairview? station which is about 5-10 minutes from my house. Then I could shave 10-15 minutes off my commute and save parking fees.


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## BCL (Jan 3, 2015)

Railroad Bill said:


> Yes, and those of us who get to drive an hour and half for trains that arrive at 2am in the morning have to be really dedicated.  There are few opportunities for "points run" so the status is not very useful other than getting a few more points when we book trips.
> 
> If one has to take "somewhat meaningless" trips to achieve Select + status, it usually doesn't make financial sense for us to do so.
> 
> We do really wish we lived nearer to Chicago or Washington so we could ride trains and metros everyday.. but of course it might not seem so interesting once you do it everyday..


Interesting is relative. When your one way commute is 80-100 minutes in rush hour traffic, a commuter train is relatively more interesting.


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