# Tier Qualification Points



## denmarks (Aug 31, 2021)

Are TQP based on the previous year and reset every year? For example I have not traveled on Amtrak since 2017. I currently have 273 points since I donated some. I assume I have no TQP.
On my cruise line the points accumulate over your lifetime and I am at Elite Level.


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## zephyr17 (Aug 31, 2021)

Each year starts over. The AGR program is structured like an airline reward program, not a cruise program. Also, unless you have the credit card, your points expire.


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## jis (Aug 31, 2021)

zephyr17 said:


> Each year starts over. The AGR program is structured like an airline reward program, not a cruise program. Also, unless you have the credit card, your points expire.


But unlike Amtrak, many airline programs have lifetime status qualification based on total number of miles traveled too. For example I enjoy United Premier Platinum for life even if I do not make a single additional annual status based on a single year's flying, because of the 2+ million miles I have flown. I wish Amtrak had similar lifetime status based on lifetime usage.


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## bratkinson (Sep 10, 2021)

I'm still trying to figure out why a 'mystery' 1960 TQPs 'carried over' from 2020. I ended 2020 with 2397 TQPs. Go figure.

I STILL have not received any 1000 TQPs for $5000 spent on my Amtrak CC this year. I should have 3 of those 1000 pointers.

On the other hand, their Double TQP Days is even MORE NUTS! I spent $509.00 on a BC/FC round trip from Windsor Locks CT to Washington DC on regional 141 & 148 WNL-NHV and Acela 2153 & 2170 NHV-WAS and got an unbelievable 5028 TQPs for that ONE TRIP!!!! The Double TQP Days is giving TQPs for all 'bonus' points such as 25% for BC and 50% for FC and 100% for Select Exec status! Never before have those bonus points been TQPs! And then Double TQP for all of those!

Needless to say, when I discovered that, I immediately booked two more identical trips and took them! Those points posted last night! From the mystery 'carryover' plus my April trip to ride the restored sleeper on #67 to the 3 RTs to WAS, I am within 1000 TQPs of making Select Executive again!!! Less than $2,000 spent to get within spitting distance of Select Exec! The BEST DEAL EVER!!!


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## Rasputin (Sep 10, 2021)

bratkinson said:


> Needless to say, when I discovered that, I immediately booked two more identical trips and took them! Those points posted last night! From the mystery 'carryover' plus my April trip to ride the restored sleeper on #67 to the 3 RTs to WAS, I am within 1000 TQPs of making Select Executive again!!! Less than $2,000 spent to get within spitting distance of Select Exec! The BEST DEAL EVER!!!


I am thinking that I should hire you to plan my trips from now on!


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## PaTrainFan (Sep 10, 2021)

bratkinson said:


> I STILL have not received any 1000 TQPs for $5000 spent on my Amtrak CC this year. I should have 3 of those 1000 pointers.


Same here. I far exceeded that, and I first wrote to Amtrak which, of course, referred me to call AGR. The individual I spoke with had no clue, though she tried. Put me on hold twice and a supervisor told her to write it up for their "operations team." Do you think I might get a follow-up call if there is a resolution? No, I was told to call back next week. No ticket or problem number, just call back. We'll see.


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## zephyr17 (Sep 10, 2021)

Feel lucky here. I just got my third tranche of 1000 TQPs for this year from my AGR card.

I do wish the TQP allocation did show up in transaction history, though.

I wonder if calling BOA would do any good?


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## PaTrainFan (Sep 10, 2021)

zephyr17 said:


> Feel lucky here. I just got my third tranche of 1000 TQPs for this year from my AGR card.
> 
> I do wish the TQP allocation did show up in transaction history, though.
> 
> I wonder if calling BOA would do any good?



Perhaps the points were awarded but not separately listed in transaction history. I admit I don't pay that close of attention. I clearly recall years ago they were in the history.


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## zephyr17 (Sep 10, 2021)

I don't think they are actually additional points, I think they just change the status of the points. I have 3,000 TQPs so far this year, and nothing in the TQP column of my transactions.


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## bratkinson (Sep 11, 2021)

For what it's worth, my TQPs 'magically increased' without any transaction entry by 1000 points on Monday. The 'short trip' I booked for this Tuesday to get me past 20K TQPs is almost unnecessary as I'm so close to the magic number. I'm beginning to think someone is manually adding them in rather than some automatic program doing it like it should be. I'm beginning to wonder if the 'automatic' TQPs stopped working for 'early AGR members'. My number is 7000205xxx as I applied for AGR the day I first became aware of its existence. Maybe they've had to do things by membership number range due to the way the system evolved.

As a retired mainframer with extensive PC code behind me as well, I can understand the frustration the IT staff must have trying to 'keep afloat' the old antique (by todays' terms) reservation system. As a contractor, I had a couple experiences through the years to keep old, archaic language (370 Assembler and RPG) application systems running while simultaneously adding new features which, of course, had to be done in the same language. In some instances, it was obvious that multiple people left their 'fingerprints' in those programs through the years from formatting, or lack of running commentary within the programs, or even oddball and/or inconsistent data field names in short pieces of code. I was once assigned to a globally known manufacturer and because of severe employee turnover, they called 5 of us contractors in (rent-a-whores) to handle the numerous daily program 'bombs' (blue screen or lockup in Windows) while the few staff remaining created new systems with new designs. We were there in the evenings as a '2nd job' for each of us while the employees worked day shift. It was easy money.

Thankfully, I had the 'luxury' of lots of time to test, test, test to verify that not only did the new features work, but that nothing had become 'broken' in the process. Verifying I didn't 'break anything' was more difficult and time consuming than verifying my new code! Only once did I 'break' something and not know it until the morning after it was moved to 'production', and the manager called me in his office and told me that new, very large machined parts being built were now needlessly transported to plant 2 to bore a hole and then transported back when plant 1 could have done it without putting them on a truck. I miss those 'good old days', but enjoy retirement MUCH more!

Edit: I decided not to 'press' the missing 1000 TQPs/$5000 spent. At this point, it might open up a can of worms in my AGR account.


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## Michigan Mom (Sep 14, 2021)

I seem to have some magic TQP activity as well... maybe time to book a trip...


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