# Earning points by a family member



## BobWeaver (Sep 3, 2007)

I may have grandparents coming down to visit later this month. They'd leave from NPN and arrive in either CLT or FLO. My question is, can I provide my AGR account number when I purchase their tickets? Or at least my grandfather's, because he and I have the same name (I've the Fourth, he's Junior)?


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## AlanB (Sep 3, 2007)

No, you cannot earn points by buying someone else a ticket. Sorry. 

Now, that said, maybe you'd get lucky with granddad using your number, but I wouldn't want to bet on it. And if you get caught, they could cancel your account and you would loose all of your current points.


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## BobWeaver (Sep 4, 2007)

I see. Not worth the risk then. Thanks.


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## What if they are minors or spous (Sep 5, 2007)

Do you have to register your children separately under the rewards program? Or would all of all points accrue under the first adult listed? What about your spouse?


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## roxane1640 (Sep 5, 2007)

points for sleeping car accomodations are credited to the first name listed.

All others must have there own rewards number to get proper credit for the coach portion of the trip.


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## AlanB (Sep 5, 2007)

roxane1640 said:


> What if they are minors or spous said:
> 
> 
> > Do you have to register your children separately under the rewards program? Or would all of all points accrue under the first adult listed? What about your spouse?
> ...


Just to expand and clarify a bit on Roxanne's answer, each member must have an AGR number to collect points for their portion of the fees paid, namely the coach fare. The first adult listed will get points for both the room and their coach fare, but they will not get points for any other family member traveling with them no matter what. If your family is so large that you need to sleeping compartments, then the second adult will get points for the second sleeper.

If there is no other adult traveling with you, then the first child listed on the reservation will get those points.

You should also know that only kids 16 or older can be registered online. If you have younger kids, then you must mail in an application as AGR needs the adult's signature to prove that your child is allowed to register for the program.


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## yarrow (Sep 5, 2007)

i assume that if one did get agr numbers for the entire family that the points in the separate accounts could not be combined


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## AlanB (Sep 5, 2007)

yarrow said:


> i assume that if one did get agr numbers for the entire family that the points in the separate accounts could not be combined


You assume correctly! One cannot combine balances unfortunately.


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## The Metropolitan (Sep 6, 2007)

AlanB said:


> No, you cannot earn points by buying someone else a ticket. Sorry.
> Now, that said, maybe you'd get lucky with granddad using your number, but I wouldn't want to bet on it. And if you get caught, they could cancel your account and you would loose all of your current points.


I tend to doubt this - I've accidentally done this a few times, reason being I've made reservations to take a trip, only to have a friend later chime in "Yeah, I'll go - you know the dates and trains, so if you book it for me, I'm good for it."

So off to Amtrak.com I'd go, and I'd log in, and get the itinerary straight so it matches the existing one, and proceed to the purchase page, and there I'd see MY name already filled in - so I'd take care to delete that and type my riding companion's name in the passenger box, then proceed to enter the payment information, and complete the purchase.

When the confirmation arrives, I'd then realize that by logging in, Amtrak.com not only pre-populated my name info, but also my AGR number, even though the reservation is in someone else's name.

In the end, I never got any points for the couple of times this happened (and honestly, I shouldn't have) but I never got any message later accusing me of an unsavory practice. It was just something I overlooked while trying to look over several other fields of data to ensure they were correct.


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## PRR 60 (Sep 6, 2007)

The Metropolitan said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > No, you cannot earn points by buying someone else a ticket. Sorry.
> ...


However, if the other person has the exact same first and last name as you (as, for example, my son and I have), and if you buy a ticket for that other person, and if your AGR number is accidentally added to the reservation for that other person, then I am willing to bet that you will get the AGR points for the trip taken by that other person.


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