# Using Points During Peak Times



## Andy (Sep 3, 2017)

Of course the only time I can travel by train to see family is around Christmas time. But Amtrak won't let me use points for sleeping accommodations. They say some peak times are blocked out. Frustrating. Is there an actual list of dates that are blocked out?


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## the_traveler (Sep 3, 2017)

There are no more blackout dates for using points! However, on some dates additional points are required.

I suggest to try again. You can also book with points online. (Just toggle between "cash" and "points" at the top.)


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## texline (Sep 3, 2017)

I couldn't use points on Thanksgiving. Was told it was blacked out. Hmm


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## Andy (Sep 3, 2017)

For sleepers there are. Try ATL to NYP around 12/22.


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## TinCan782 (Sep 3, 2017)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Are there blackout dates?
As of January 24, 2016, departure dates and times that were previously unavailable to the majority of members are now redeemable. Blackout dates may still apply to some offers and promotions, including One-Class Upgrade coupons and free companion fare coupons.

https://www.amtrakguestrewards.com/faqs/show/blackoutdates


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## AmtrakBlue (Sep 3, 2017)

Why is "No Price" Shown?



"No Price" is displayed in place of Premium fares
Sleeping accommodations and seat upgrades to Business class or First class are considered Premium services.

For trips with more than one connecting segment, you can reserve sleeping accommodations or upgraded seats for one or more segments of your trip in combination with Coach seats (Business seats on Acela Express) in another segment, but at least one segment must include an upgraded seat or room selection in order to receive the Premium fare. Coach-only (Business-only on Acela Express) seating cannot be selected or priced as a Premium service.

If you do not want to upgrade any segment, simply select a seats-only trip from any of the other available fare types.

Passengers with disabilities and any additional passengers traveling together must reserve the same level of seating or accommodations for each segment of their trip. Upgraded seating or accommodations may be selected for any or all segments of the trip.

"No Price" is displayed for Redemption Booking
During peak travel periods when demand is high and capacity is limited, some departures are available at a higher point cost and some seats or classes of service may not be available for redemption. Amtrak Guest Rewards members with Select Plus(SM) and Select Executive status may find expanded access to use their points for travel during those peak times. For best results, we recommend members log in to their Amtrak Guest Rewards account before searching for available itineraries.


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## Andy (Sep 3, 2017)

Yes I read that. But is that dynamic based on current demand or capacity available? Or is there a set list of peak times.


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## PVD (Sep 3, 2017)

Are there blackout dates?
As of January 24, 2016, departure dates and times that were previously unavailable to the majority of members are now redeemable. Blackout dates may still apply to some offers and promotions, including One-Class Upgrade coupons and free companion fare coupons.

Blackout by demand and not date might be a possibility.

Is it possible they are sold out? That could appear as not available.

Worth a phone call to the AGR number for clarification.....


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## AmtrakBlue (Sep 3, 2017)

Looks like based on availability. I just checked for 12/23 and roomettes have points, but bedrooms do not. Looking at them with dollars, you can see how many are "available" at this price" and see that 12/22 has less rooms available than 12/23.


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## Chatter163 (Oct 16, 2017)

When I made reservations for my Thanksgiving trip, I was told that I got the last roomette available through AGR. So it seems that while there are no more blackout dates, there are a limited number of slots available through AGR.

Sent from my iPad using Amtrak Forum


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## me_little_me (Oct 19, 2017)

One of the "features" of AGR 2.0 was supposed to be removal of blackouts. They lied. They never officially came out and said they were changing the promised new features. They just never said anything. I live with it. When enough things happen to irritate me more than Sleazy Airlines does or I can no longer travel on Amtrak, it won't matter. Meanwhile, as my wife says "Life is what happens when you are making other plans".


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## Ryan (Oct 19, 2017)

me_little_me said:


> They lied.


No they didn’t. People assumed that it meant something that they didn’t.

They didn’t say that there was unlimited capacity.

They didn’t say that there would be varying redemption rates.

They said that there wouldn’t be any blackout dates, and there aren’t. You can get a ticket using points for any day of the year, providing you book soon enough.


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## me_little_me (Oct 20, 2017)

Ryan said:


> me_little_me said:
> 
> 
> > They lied.
> ...


OK, so they failed to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. They were comparing AGR_1 to AGR_2 differences and they didn't say the differences were not really what they said they were. So we can each call it what we think it was.


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## Ryan (Oct 20, 2017)

Sure. But one of us will be right.


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## PVD (Oct 21, 2017)

"Truth is not determined by a majority vote"


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## Acela150 (Oct 21, 2017)

Let's remember that during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are very very heavy travel periods for Amtrak. Especially Thanksgiving as they add extra trains. Why should Amtrak allow an unlimited amount of AGR bookings when they know they can rake in some serious cash? They shouldn't. That would be really crappy for their FY income. I would imagine a good amount of the FY income comes during said months.


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## Devil's Advocate (Oct 21, 2017)

Ryan said:


> Sure. But one of us will be right.


Amtrak may or may not have met the bar of over lying per se, but from my perspective they did a commendable job of willfully overselling AGR2's benefits while casually glossing over its flaws and restrictions.



Acela150 said:


> Let's remember that during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are very very heavy travel periods for Amtrak. Especially Thanksgiving as they add extra trains. Why should Amtrak allow an unlimited amount of AGR bookings when they know they can rake in some serious cash? They shouldn't. That would be really crappy for their FY income. I would imagine a good amount of the FY income comes during said months.


The point isn't whether Amtrak should or should not make all bookings available for purchase with AGR monkey points. The point is that they should have clearly and concisely explained how the new program was going to work so that members would be able to anticipate what to expect and estimate costs accurately.


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## Ryan (Oct 21, 2017)

Devil's Advocate said:


> Ryan said:
> 
> 
> > Sure. But one of us will be right.
> ...


I have no disagreement there.

That makes them functionally equivalent to just about every other program out there, and at least this change was announced in advance, allowing people sufficient time to book under the old rules before the deal was altered. Even without Amtrak’s disclosure, I would posit that anyone that expected blackout days to go away without some form of capacity control to replace it was being unrealistically optimistic. Of course, that’s pretty easy to say in hindsight since we know the outcome.


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## PVD (Oct 21, 2017)

I think that one thing that most of us can agree on is that clear concise communication is an area that Amtrak could use improvement. They don't a;ways do a good job of conveying information in the simplest and easiest to use fashion. Example: The Illinois and Michigan Thanksgiving schedules are up as a separate link on the website. The NEC is not. But the NEC holiday schedule is already in Arrow, with the extras showing on the appropriate days......


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## me_little_me (Oct 21, 2017)

Acela150 said:


> Let's remember that during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are very very heavy travel periods for Amtrak. Especially Thanksgiving as they add extra trains. Why should Amtrak allow an unlimited amount of AGR bookings when they know they can rake in some serious cash? They shouldn't. That would be really crappy for their FY income. I would imagine a good amount of the FY income comes during said months.


I never suggested that they shouldn't have restrictions. However, if you remember their "promises", there was nothing about those restrictions. Only "no more blackouts". IMHO, it was a deliberate misinformation (premeditated lie) but then others disagree.


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## Ryan (Oct 21, 2017)

They didn’t say “No more blackouts, and no restrictions of any kind”, did they?


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## neroden (Oct 23, 2017)

AmtrakBlue said:


> Looks like based on availability. I just checked for 12/23 and roomettes have points, but bedrooms do not. Looking at them with dollars, you can see how many are "available" at this price" and see that 12/22 has less rooms available than 12/23.


Good detective work.


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