# Expiring AGR Points Question



## Roger (Mar 7, 2010)

I never realized AGR points would expire (i.e. vanish!) if you don't travel on Amtrak for 36 months. Seems a bit unfair in my opinion, as you earned those points and they're yours. Of course, I won't go three years without traveling Amtrak, but in a perfect world I might actually go three years without PAYING for Amtrak travel  as I'd always use my points to purchase the tickets (I don't travel a ton).

If you only use the points, and don't pay a penny in cash, for three years, do your remaining points expire?

Also, where can you view your current standing, as in your current expiration date assuming you don't travel again? There must be somewhere that lists a date that you are good up until?

Thanks for any help. I don't post here often but I do read, and appreciate, the forums.


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## manderson (Mar 7, 2010)

I also travel only on points, haven't paid out cash since I got the Amtrak branded credit cards. All you have to do is travel to reset the 36-month clock. You don't have to pay for a ticket.


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## the_traveler (Mar 7, 2010)

manderson said:


> All you have to do is travel to reset the 36-month clock. You don't have to pay for a ticket.


Correction - You *DO* have to travel on a *PAID* Amtrak ticket to reset the clock! But it doesn't have to be a big trip like CHI-MIA. For the OP, a one way trip RVR-RVM would reset the clock! 

And actually Amtrak is generous. Some airlines have an 18 month clock!


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## Guest (Mar 7, 2010)

Roger said:


> Seems a bit unfair in my opinion, as you earned those points and* they're yours*.


They are not yours.

AGR T&C Section C. 2.



> A Member may receive Points only for his/her own travel, and will not receive Points for trips purchased by the Member, but not traveled personally by the Member. Points can be accumulated only once for each trip, regardless of the number of seats purchased. *Accrued Points and Program reward certificates ("Reward Certificates") or tickets awarded to Members have no monetary value and do not constitute property of the Member.*


Wording of this nature is in every loyalty program I have seen.


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## AlanB (Mar 7, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> manderson said:
> 
> 
> > All you have to do is travel to reset the 36-month clock. You don't have to pay for a ticket.
> ...


Actually according to the TOC it sure sounds like any type of travel is enough to reset the clock. Here's the verbiage:



> D. Point Expiration
> 1. Subject to the terms of this TOC, Points earned under the Program will not expire as long as the Program continues and the Member travels on Amtrak using their Membership Number within a 3-year period.
> 
> 2. If no Amtrak travel is purchased, recorded or reported within a 3-year period, or if you do not make and honor an Amtrak travel reservation within this timeframe, your points will expire. You can view all Point and Travel activity by logging into "My Account" on this Site.


That sure makes it sound like an award trip resets the clock. I'm personally not sure that I'd want to risk a whole lot of points on that however, but again it sure does sound like an AGR trip resets the clock.


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## the_traveler (Mar 7, 2010)

Neither would I! 

To be sure to save 10K, 20K or 50K, I would rather take a $5 or $10 one way trip. I would not want to take an award trip and *HOPE* that it would reset the clock! 

But then again, why would you wait 36 months between trips? :huh: My friends do not travel on Amtrak much  but they take a nothing short trip every couple of years to save their points!


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## MrFSS (Mar 7, 2010)

As has been asked, and I didn't see an answer, is there somewhere you can determine the exact date your own personal AGR clock will expire? If there is, then when you take an AGR trip it should reset to three years. And, along with that, does AGR inform you in some way that you are getting close to the three year expiration so you have a chance to take a trip? Anyone actually had their points expire on them?


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## AlanB (Mar 7, 2010)

MrFSS said:


> As has been asked, and I didn't see an answer, is there somewhere you can determine the exact date your own personal AGR clock will expire? If there is, then when you take an AGR trip it should reset to three years. And, along with that, does AGR inform you in some way that you are getting close to the three year expiration so you have a chance to take a trip? Anyone actually had their points expire on them?


No, there is no place on the AGR site where you can easily find out when the clock expires. You'd have to view your transactons for the past 3 years and do the math yourself.

Next, I've never heard of anyone getting an email or other warning that their points were about to expire.

And yes, I've seen a few people post over the years that their points went bye-bye because they didn't travel within 3 years and weren't aware of that rule.


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## the_traveler (Mar 7, 2010)

MrFSS said:


> is there somewhere you can determine the exact date your own personal AGR clock will expire? ... And, along with that, does AGR inform you in some way that you are getting close to the three year expiration so you have a chance to take a trip?


I just looked at my account, and if there is I didn't see it!

I wouldn't know because it's never that long between rides!  (3 *MONTHS* kills me! :lol: )


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## manderson (Mar 7, 2010)

I checked my records and found that the last time I've paid for Amtrak travel was in June 2006 (the EB trip which re-activated the train travel virus that infected me as a kid, prompting me to sign up for the rewards credit card).

Also, I asked an AGR rep last year about expiring points, and was told that reward travel restarts the 36-month clock. But YMMV, and as Traveler says, why not take a paid short hop every now and again, just to make sure?


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## Guest (Mar 7, 2010)

manderson said:


> I checked my records and found that the last time I've paid for Amtrak travel was in June 2006 (the EB trip which re-activated the train travel virus that infected me as a kid, prompting me to sign up for the rewards credit card).
> Also, I asked an AGR rep last year about expiring points, and was told that reward travel restarts the 36-month clock. But YMMV, and as Traveler says, why not take a paid short hop every now and again, just to make sure?


I wouldn't go on word of mouth from an AGR rep for something this critical. For something like this I would want to see that specifically in writing. Lots of customer service reps at lots of companies like to make their own rules about how things work. But like you said a short hop, even if you did it at the beginning or end of award travel won't hurt.


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## the_traveler (Mar 7, 2010)

Guest said:


> But like you said a short hop, even if you did it at the beginning or end of award travel won't hurt.


I myself combine a short paid section into even an award segment!  Such as last year, I had an award ticket ONA-BHM. I also purchased a $9 ticket for LAX-ONA!


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## RRrich (Mar 7, 2010)

I recently did the KWD-CBS loophole - but I paid for CBS-STL, which fit with spend $50 get 1000 points


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## Roger (Mar 8, 2010)

Thanks for all the replies. Glad I'm not the only one slightly confused... I wish they'd let you know on the AGR site when your points are due to expire, but oh well. Paying for one trip every three years should be pretty easy to remember.


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