# Nice Point Savings with the new Guest Rewards



## nferr (Jan 24, 2017)

There are times when the new system does give a nice savings. Just booked a March round trip from Bridgeport (BRP) to New Orleans (NOL) roomette all the way from NYP. Used Amsnag to find best prices. Total points came to 27,038, would have been 40,000 under the old system. That's a substantial savings on points.


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## abcnews (Jan 24, 2017)

I agree. There are times when it is better. The old program was strange. It certainly encouraged you to go on really long trips across two full zones (like Chicago - LA to Seattle..), but was not much help on so many typical journeys. A great example is going from MSP to Whitefish Montana.

At least in the current program you can go coach, Bedroom and roomette on the same trip,just by selecting the best point value based on each leg of the journey. I just looked at MSP to Richmond, VA. The best value (two of us) was a single roomette out of MSP-CHI which is an 8 hour day trip. Then a bedroom from Chicago to Washington (little difference in roomette & BR on the Cap Limited on certain days), then coach down to Richmond on the Silver Star.

We often go from WAS to Chicago round trip. The old program was two zones (20 K & 40 K) for each direction. I will typically book a bedroom one-way for about 18,000 points. We usually do this trip once per year...


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## Bob Dylan (Jan 24, 2017)

nferr said:


> There are times when the new system does give a nice savings. Just booked a March round trip from Bridgeport (BRP) to New Orleans (NOL) roomette all the way from NYP. Used Amsnag to find best prices. Total points came to 27,038, would have been 40,000 under the old system. That's a substantial savings on points.


Mostly true, but when you figure in that it is much harder for the average person to accumulate points, and that they have been devalued, it's not always such a deal when you have to make Connections and on High Bucket Trains!( plus Sleeping Car Passengers get No Bonus Points unlike Biz Class and Acela Riders! )


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## dlagrua (Feb 1, 2017)

The new AGR points system requires that you must now hunt for the best fares for the fewest points. On short trips the points needed may be less but on long cross country trips, they are almost now out of reach. We used to be able to go PHL to SEA for 60,000 points (bedroom fare) . This year PHL -SEA would have been in the 90,000 point range and our PHL-DEN trip now cost us 56,000 points (use to be 40,00). On the up side you do get three points per dollar spent on Amtrak but with the $70 yr fee B of A card. The shopping portal can also be your friend as some deals there provide good points value for the dollar spent.


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## the_traveler (Feb 1, 2017)

abcnews said:


> The old program was strange. It certainly encouraged you to go on really long trips across two full zones (like Chicago - LA to Seattle..)


It doesn't seem strange to me! :giggle: 
But I agree. Last year I took a trip to NYP from FED. It cost just over 1,000 points on 2.0, but would have cost 5,500 points using 1.0 - that's a big savings!


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## Ryan (Feb 1, 2017)

That's impossible. Everyone knows that the new AGR is the worst thing since unsliced bread and will bring about the imminent demise of Amtrak any day now.


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## dlagrua (Feb 2, 2017)

Ryan said:


> That's impossible. Everyone knows that the new AGR is the worst thing since unsliced bread and will bring about the imminent demise of Amtrak any day now.


I don't think anyone is claiming that but if posters do present factual statistical evidence, it does tell a story. The bottom line is that LD trips now require far more points under AGR 2.0. Shorter trips can require less points on many trips.. It cannot be disputed that buying points today is a losing proposition as they cost more than the value at which they are redeemed. AGR 2.0 seems to be good for some and not for others. Am I wrong with this analysis?


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## the_traveler (Feb 2, 2017)

I think Ryan was just being humorous with his post.

Yes, you're correct about buying points "for a trip down the road sometime". The only "good" time to buy them is to book now if you are only a few points short.

And it's not just the short trips that may cost less. Trips like Cleveland to Chicago, Gainesville to Birmingham or Lamy to Gallup used to be 2 zones under AGR 1.0 and cost 8,000 points. They now under 2.0 cost *FAR* less!


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## jebr (Feb 2, 2017)

Even Washington to Chicago is significantly cheaper - 20,000 under the old system, but only 12,765 for two in the new system (at low bucket, anyways.) Bumping it to MSP does bring it to around 20,800something, but that's not a huge increase, and I can save points by doing coach on the CHI - MSP leg and just bringing on my own supper or paying for supper in the diner. (Plus, I do save rail fare for the second person if traveling alone.)

It's definitely not adventageous for the long trips, but for a large portion of common trips it's a savings or essentially a wash.


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## nferr (Feb 2, 2017)

I wouldn't consider Connecticut to New Orleans a short trip. No it's not cross country but it's a substantial trip. I also priced out a Connecticut to LAX trip and came out a little less on points using Amsnag again. Plus there's a lot more flexibility in planning a trip now as far as making intermediate overnight stops, etc. Now it's also definitely true that many trips require substantially more points depending on lots of different factors.


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## printman2000 (Feb 2, 2017)

the_traveler said:


> I think Ryan was just being humorous with his post.
> 
> Yes, you're correct about buying points "for a trip down the road sometime". The only "good" time to buy them is to book now if you are only a few points short.
> 
> And it's not just the short trips that may cost less. Trips like Cleveland to Chicago, Gainesville to Birmingham or Lamy to Gallup used to be 2 zones under AGR 1.0 and cost 8,000 points. They now under 2.0 cost *FAR* less!


Lamy was a border stop. It was only one zone to the West coast or to the central zone.


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## the_traveler (Feb 2, 2017)

You're right. I forgot every stop from TRI to ABQ was a border city on the SWC.


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## Tennessee Traveler (Feb 3, 2017)

I'm doing roomette trip in April, Crescent NOL to DC, Capitol Limited DC to CHI, and California Zephyr CHI to EMY for 46,000 points. I consider that a good deal. In a roundabout way I am traveling across at least three old zone boundaries.


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## Bob Dylan (Feb 3, 2017)

Tennessee Traveler said:


> I'm doing roomette trip in April, Crescent NOL to DC, Capitol Limited DC to CHI, and California Zephyr CHI to EMY for 26,000 points. I consider that a good deal. In a roundabout way I am traveling across at least three old zone boundaries.


Heck of a deal! You're one of the lucky ones!


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## dlagrua (Feb 4, 2017)

Tennessee Traveler said:


> I'm doing roomette trip in April, Crescent NOL to DC, Capitol Limited DC to CHI, and California Zephyr CHI to EMY for 26,000 points. I consider that a good deal. In a roundabout way I am traveling across at least three old zone boundaries.


You are going roomette from NOL -WAS-CHI-EMY for 26,000 points???? I don't know how you did that but it certainly sounds unbelievable. We are going PHL-WAS-CHI-DEN bedroom in June and it cost us 56,000 points. Traveling in slower periods and avoiding June-July-Aug-Sept may be the key to getting a good buy.


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## AG1 (Feb 4, 2017)

Tennessee Traveler said:


> I'm doing roomette trip in April, Crescent NOL to DC, Capitol Limited DC to CHI, and California Zephyr CHI to EMY for 26,000 points. I consider that a good deal. In a roundabout way I am traveling across at least three old zone boundaries.


Using lowest bucket prices for April, I came up with 36,984 points for that trip as a senior, in roomettes. How did you do that ?


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## Tennessee Traveler (Feb 4, 2017)

I booked my tickets July 23, 2016, all were priced at low bucket fare. I checked and the fare was 46,000 instead of 26,000. My 75 year old mind was in error.

Please forgive my error.


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## AG1 (Feb 4, 2017)

I forgive you ! I was hoping you found a loophole to share. Have a nice trip, from another 75 year old .


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## me_little_me (Feb 5, 2017)

RRRick said:


> Tennessee Traveler said:
> 
> 
> > I'm doing roomette trip in April, Crescent NOL to DC, Capitol Limited DC to CHI, and California Zephyr CHI to EMY for 26,000 points. I consider that a good deal. In a roundabout way I am traveling across at least three old zone boundaries.
> ...


As a senior? Seniors get no special deal when using points. Point price is based on adult fare.


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## AG1 (Feb 5, 2017)

me_little_me said:


> RRRick said:
> 
> 
> > Tennessee Traveler said:
> ...


I am a senior. I didn't write that seniors got a special deal on points. Do you agree ?


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## me_little_me (Feb 6, 2017)

RRRick said:


> me_little_me said:
> 
> 
> > RRRick said:
> ...


No. Stating "for that trip as a senior" strongly implies, if not outright says "I got that because I am a senior". Being a senior had nothing to do with the points cost and I wanted to make sure you and, most importantly, anyone else reading your comment who didn't know, that seniors not only get no points break but get lesser value for their points because they pay the same points fare but a lower cash fare for their trip.


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## benale (Feb 7, 2017)

I miss the old system.It enabled me to take many long distance trips the longest way possible. With the 100 point minimum I took many point runs.During Double Days.I would earn 450 points for an$11 round trip with select.Since AGR 2.0 I have traveled far less and my Select status ends attbe end of February. That said, the only advantage of the new system is that many shorter trips require far less points.Best example Cleveland Chicago or any short run that used to require two zones.


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## calwatch (Feb 10, 2017)

The new system works better for short haulers and single travelers who book medium term (7-21 days in advance). It is less good for long distance travelers and those who book well ahead of schedule to be in the low bucket.


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## Ryan (Feb 10, 2017)

Why would it be less beneficial to people that book far enough out to be in the low bucket? They'll see the greatest gains, since the corresponding point cost is lower.


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## calwatch (Feb 11, 2017)

Because the lowest fares, the "saver" ones as well as SmartFares, are not eligible to be purchased with points.


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## the_traveler (Feb 11, 2017)

No, any current bucket can be used to redeem using points. What can not be used are any discounts like AAA or NARP. The point conversion is based on the full adult fare for that bucket.

Thus if the available buckets are $129, $142 and $155 with the current available being the $129, the points are computed using $129 not $155.


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## gatelouse (Feb 11, 2017)

calwatch said:


> Because the lowest fares, the "saver" ones as well as SmartFares, are not eligible to be purchased with points.


The above is correct. 


the_traveler said:


> No, any current bucket can be used to redeem using points.


The above is well-intentioned but not correct.
As a rule of thumb, fares that can't be combined with discounts also can't be redeemed with AGR points. I know of only one exception.


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## the_traveler (Feb 11, 2017)

That's just what I said above.

Using my example, if the current bucket is $129, the points will be computed using the full adult fare of $129. It will *NOT* be computed on the AAA fare of $116.10 ($129 - 10%)!


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## AmtrakBlue (Feb 11, 2017)

the_traveler said:


> That's just what I said above.
> 
> Using my example, if the current bucket is $129, the points will be computed using the full adult fare of $129. It will *NOT* be computed on the AAA fare of $116.10 ($129 - 10%)!


Dave, I just did a test. Showing Saver, Value, Flexible. The Value fare was the one that converted to points, not the saver fare.


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## the_traveler (Feb 11, 2017)

Right & wrong.

The Saver fare is not eligible because it includes a discount already. It is computed as 20-25% off the lowest "normal" bucket. That is why you can not use a (for example) AAA discount on a Saver fare. You can't combine 2 discounts on the same fare. (You would be trying to combine a 10% discount on top of a 20-25% discount.)


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## jis (Feb 11, 2017)

I am confused with the statement that seems to have a zen of its own

The bottom line is you cannot get an award ticket using the number of points computed based on a Saver fare. The rest of the reason and such other complication is irrelevant to a lay traveler. That is my understanding of the bottom line. Is that wrong?


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## the_traveler (Feb 11, 2017)

No, you're correct.

It's relevant to the lay person because they wonder why they can not get their normal senior discount (of 15%) to work on the Saver fare. It shows a message saying it is ineligible for that fare - and it is the same as the "normal" Saver fare.


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## AmtrakBlue (Feb 11, 2017)

the_traveler said:


> Right & wrong.
> 
> The Saver fare is not eligible because it includes a discount already. It is computed as 20-25% off the lowest "normal" bucket. That is why you can not use a (for example) AAA discount on a Saver fare. You can't combine 2 discounts on the same fare. (You would be trying to combine a 10% discount on top of a 20-25% discount.)


We're talking points, not discount w/saver fare. The points are calculated on the Value Fare, not the Saver Fare. The Saver Fare is the NEC's 25% off with 14+ days advanced purchase.


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## jis (Feb 11, 2017)

the_traveler said:


> No, you're correct.
> 
> It's relevant to the lay person because they wonder why they can not get their normal senior discount (of 15%) to work on the Saver fare. It shows a message saying it is ineligible for that fare - and it is the same as the "normal" Saver fare.


You have already defined a person who is more than a lay traveler. And still all this has no relevance whatsoever to award travel using points, which I thought was the primary subject of the conversation.


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## Meat Puppet (Feb 18, 2017)

The new system blows. I travel not to get from point a to b, I travel to ride the train....Long gone are the 3 train, 4 night, 5 day trips for 20,000 points....


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## PaulM (Feb 20, 2017)

RRRick said:


> me_little_me said:
> 
> 
> > RRRick said:
> ...


Sorry Rick. I was about to make the same comment.


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