# American Express Points



## Trainut

My wife responded to a mailing from AMX to get a credit card. Before she applied, she called AMX and specifically asked if the points could be transferred to Amtrak Guest Rewards and twice she stated Amtrak Guest Rewards and they said yes. She applied and received the card, charged the proper amount they required for the amount of money.

She called AMX and they said that No Way has AMX ever transferred points to AGR. She can get a monetary coupon, but no points.

My question is what can she do? She would like to get the 25,000 points to go to her AGR account.

Any suggestions would help.

Thanks


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## AlanB

Alas, your options are rather limited.

A year or so ago I'd have said transfer the points to Continental One Plus and then from there to Amtrak. But that route closed with the merger last year with United.

Probably the best option, but you're still going to take a bath on things, would be to transfer them to Starwood Hotel points and from there to Amtrak. But the problem is that 25,000 AMEX points becomes 8,325 Starwood points. Once in Starwood, they transfer 1 for 1 to AGR, so no further loss. But still, you're losing more than half your points from Amex to get to Starwood.


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## CHamilton

Trainut, I find that Amex points are very useful for other things than trains -- like hotels and such. I'm shortly going on a trip where I'm getting several free nights of lodging with Amex points. Amex also lets you use points to reduce the cost of hotels, even if you don't have enough to cover the whole stay. (One hotel I'll be staying in is costing me something like 28 cents.  )

So you might want to leave the Amex points where they are, and not lose value in the transfer Alan talks about.


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## MisterToad

The best way to transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to AGR that I've found is to transfer from Amex to Air Canada Aeroplan, and then exchange Aeroplan miles for AGR points on points.com. 25,000 Membership Rewards points become 25,000 Aeroplan miles, which become 14,166 AGR points.


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## TinCan782

A couple of years ago, my wife got a couple of "vouchers" for Amtrak from AMEX points. Went "in-person" to Van Nuys purchase our tickets for a trip to ABQ.


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## Trainut

Thank you all for the information. How do you join Air Canada Aeroplan? That looks like the best way to preserve the points.

I guess we are annoyed that Amex (got the a Abbreviation right this time) gave us the wrong info, just saying.


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## PRR 60

To sign up for Aeroplan, go to the Air Canada home page, click Join now/Sign in in the upper right corner, then JOIN NOW on the next page.


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## abcnews

I just received the 50,000 Bonus for Membership Rewards (AMEX) if we opened an American Express Gold card account and we spend a certain amount by a given date.

The offer is exceptional, here is why...

You do receive 50,000 Membership Reward Points or 25,000 - depending on your offer.

The 50,000 points can be redeemed for a $500 Amtrak gift card, or 25,000 can become $250. The certificates are redeemable at Amtrak for rail travel - and no blackout dates. Just cash value. You pick the date and train, and use these like cash for Amtrak travel.

So I can mix and match these certificates with AGR 20,000 redemptions to gain the best of both programs. The AMEX Certificate will allow you to purchase rail fare on Amtrak, so I will use the AMEX portion to get us to a "border city" on the Two-Zone AGR Map (such as Toledo).

Example.... Washington to Toledo will run about $270 for two people in a Roomette on the Capital Limited (low bucket), and from Toledo west, it's an AGR Two Zone award to anywhere on the West Coast. Yet for me, the trip is pretty much free, with just 20,000 points (actually 19,000 - with AGR Chase credit card account) and the use of AMEX Membership Reward Points.

The Membership Rewards points do not expire, and once you redeem a travel certificate you have about two years to actually use it. So I will often keep a $50 or a $100 certificate on hand for a quick trip. But it really is best to not redeem the points until you plan a trip, because the clock does start ticking once you redeem for a certificate (about a two year window).

The certificates may be redeemed for $50 or a $300 certificate, If you ticket is more - then you simply pay for the difference. If it is less - you receive a travel voucher from Amtrak for the unused money portion (good for one year). You can only redeem these certificates at an Amtrak ticket office, and not online or over the phone. But you can call Amtrak to make a reservation over the phone and they will usually give me about a week to get to an Amtrak ticket office/counter.


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## Trainut

abcnews said:


> I just received the 50,000 Bonus for Membership Rewards (AMEX) if we opened an American Express Gold card account and we spend a certain amount by a given date.
> The offer is exceptional, here is why...
> 
> You do receive 50,000 Membership Reward Points or 25,000 - depending on your offer.
> 
> The 50,000 points can be redeemed for a $500 Amtrak gift card, or 25,000 can become $250. The certificates are redeemable at Amtrak for rail travel - and no blackout dates. Just cash value. You pick the date and train, and use these like cash for Amtrak travel.
> 
> So I can mix and match these certificates with AGR 20,000 redemptions to gain the best of both programs. The AMEX Certificate will allow you to purchase rail fare on Amtrak, so I will use the AMEX portion to get us to a "border city" on the Two-Zone AGR Map (such as Toledo).
> 
> Example.... Washington to Toledo will run about $270 for two people in a Roomette on the Capital Limited (low bucket), and from Toledo west, it's an AGR Two Zone award to anywhere on the West Coast. Yet for me, the trip is pretty much free, with just 20,000 points (actually 19,000 - with AGR Chase credit card account) and the use of AMEX Membership Reward Points.
> 
> The Membership Rewards points do not expire, and once you redeem a travel certificate you have about two years to actually use it. So I will often keep a $50 or a $100 certificate on hand for a quick trip. But it really is best to not redeem the points until you plan a trip, because the clock does start ticking once you redeem for a certificate (about a two year window).
> 
> The certificates may be redeemed for $50 or a $300 certificate, If you ticket is more - then you simply pay for the difference. If it is less - you receive a travel voucher from Amtrak for the unused money portion (good for one year). You can only redeem these certificates at an Amtrak ticket office, and not online or over the phone. But you can call Amtrak to make a reservation over the phone and they will usually give me about a week to get to an Amtrak ticket office/counter.
> 
> 
> 
> PRR 60 said:
> 
> 
> 
> To sign up for Aeroplan, go to the Air Canada home page, click Join now/Sign in in the upper right corner, then JOIN NOW on the next page.
Click to expand...

My wife joined Aeroplan, I called Areoplan, asked how to transfer AP points to Amtrak Guest Rewards. I was told that AP does not have any afillation with AGR. So glad no AMEX points were not transfered to AP.

Now to plan B, Wife applied to Starwood credit card and was accepted. Now she will transfer the AMEX points to Starwood. Better than nothing.


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## Trainut

MisterToad said:


> The best way to transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to AGR that I've found is to transfer from Amex to Air Canada Aeroplan, and then exchange Aeroplan miles for AGR points on points.com. 25,000 Membership Rewards points become 25,000 Aeroplan miles, which become 14,166 AGR points.


My wifeJoined Aeroplan, I called Aereoplan, asked how to transfer AP points to Amtrak Guest Rewards. I was told that AP does not have any affiliation wiyh AGR. So glad no AMEX points were noy transfered to AP.

Now to plan B. Wife applied to Starwood credit card, she was accepted. Now she will transfer the AMEX points to Starwood. Better than nothing.


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## MisterToad

Trainut said:


> MisterToad said:
> 
> 
> 
> The best way to transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to AGR that I've found is to transfer from Amex to Air Canada Aeroplan, and then exchange Aeroplan miles for AGR points on points.com. 25,000 Membership Rewards points become 25,000 Aeroplan miles, which become 14,166 AGR points.
> 
> 
> 
> My wifeJoined Aeroplan, I called Aereoplan, asked how to transfer AP points to Amtrak Guest Rewards. I was told that AP does not have any affiliation wiyh AGR. So glad no AMEX points were noy transfered to AP.
> 
> Now to plan B. Wife applied to Starwood credit card, she was accepted. Now she will transfer the AMEX points to Starwood. Better than nothing.
Click to expand...

You exchange the points yourself from Aeroplan to AGR on points.com. Aeroplan has no involvement in the points transfer.


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## Trainut

MisterToad said:


> Trainut said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MisterToad said:
> 
> 
> 
> The best way to transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to AGR that I've found is to transfer from Amex to Air Canada Aeroplan, and then exchange Aeroplan miles for AGR points on points.com. 25,000 Membership Rewards points become 25,000 Aeroplan miles, which become 14,166 AGR points.
> 
> 
> 
> My wifeJoined Aeroplan, I called Aereoplan, asked how to transfer AP points to Amtrak Guest Rewards. I was told that AP does not have any affiliation wiyh AGR. So glad no AMEX points were noy transfered to AP.
> 
> Now to plan B. Wife applied to Starwood credit card, she was accepted. Now she will transfer the AMEX points to Starwood. Better than nothing.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> You exchange the points yourself from Aeroplan to AGR on points.com. Aeroplan has no involvement in the points transfer.
Click to expand...

I am computer challenged, please tell me how to exchange points from Aeroplan to AGR. What is points .com?

Thanks in advance.


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## MisterToad

Trainut said:


> I am computer challenged, please tell me how to exchange points from Aeroplan to AGR. What is points .com?Thanks in advance.


Go to http://www.points.com

Click the *sign up* button and fill out the form to create an account.

On the right side of the screen is a list of loyalty programs. Click the *add *button next to Aeroplan. Click the *add *button next to Amtrak Guest Rewards.

On the left side of the screen, Aeroplan and Amtrak Guest Rewards will now be listed under *loyalty wallet*.

Click the *register program* button next to Aeroplan and enter your Aeroplan account information. Do the same for Amtrak Guest Rewards.

Click the *exchange *link next to Aeroplan.

Select the *move out of a program* option. Select Aeroplan from the list of programs, and enter the number of miles that you want to exchange. (You need to exchange a minimum of 15,000 Aeroplan miles.) Click the *search now* button.

Scroll down to the *exchange - swap between your own programs* section.

Locate Amtrak Guest Rewards in the list (it should be the first item in the list). Click the *exchange* button.


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## Trainut

MisterToad said:


> Trainut said:
> 
> 
> 
> I am computer challenged, please tell me how to exchange points from Aeroplan to AGR. What is points .com?Thanks in advance.
> 
> 
> 
> Go to http://www.points.com
> 
> Click the *sign up* button and fill out the form to create an account.
> 
> On the right side of the screen is a list of loyalty programs. Click the *add *button next to Aeroplan. Click the *add *button next to Amtrak Guest Rewards.
> 
> On the left side of the screen, Aeroplan and Amtrak Guest Rewards will now be listed under *loyalty wallet*.
> 
> Click the *register program* button next to Aeroplan and enter your Aeroplan account information. Do the same for Amtrak Guest Rewards.
> 
> Click the *exchange *link next to Aeroplan.
> 
> Select the *move out of a program* option. Select Aeroplan from the list of programs, and enter the number of miles that you want to exchange. (You need to exchange a minimum of 15,000 Aeroplan miles.) Click the *search now* button.
> 
> Scroll down to the *exchange - swap between your own programs* section.
> 
> Locate Amtrak Guest Rewards in the list (it should be the first item in the list). Click the *exchange* button.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the detailed directions, I was able to get an account on points.com.


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## Alexander Saunders

abcnews said:


> I just received the 50,000 Bonus for Membership Rewards (AMEX) if we opened an American Express Gold card account and we spend a certain amount by a given date.
> The offer is exceptional, here is why...
> 
> You do receive 50,000 Membership Reward Points or 25,000 - depending on your offer.
> 
> The 50,000 points can be redeemed for a $500 Amtrak gift card, or 25,000 can become $250. The certificates are redeemable at Amtrak for rail travel - and no blackout dates. Just cash value. You pick the date and train, and use these like cash for Amtrak travel.
> 
> So I can mix and match these certificates with AGR 20,000 redemptions to gain the best of both programs. The AMEX Certificate will allow you to purchase rail fare on Amtrak, so I will use the AMEX portion to get us to a "border city" on the Two-Zone AGR Map (such as Toledo).
> 
> Example.... Washington to Toledo will run about $270 for two people in a Roomette on the Capital Limited (low bucket), and from Toledo west, it's an AGR Two Zone award to anywhere on the West Coast. Yet for me, the trip is pretty much free, with just 20,000 points (actually 19,000 - with AGR Chase credit card account) and the use of AMEX Membership Reward Points.
> 
> The Membership Rewards points do not expire, and once you redeem a travel certificate you have about two years to actually use it. So I will often keep a $50 or a $100 certificate on hand for a quick trip. But it really is best to not redeem the points until you plan a trip, because the clock does start ticking once you redeem for a certificate (about a two year window).
> 
> The certificates may be redeemed for $50 or a $300 certificate, If you ticket is more - then you simply pay for the difference. If it is less - you receive a travel voucher from Amtrak for the unused money portion (good for one year). You can only redeem these certificates at an Amtrak ticket office, and not online or over the phone. But you can call Amtrak to make a reservation over the phone and they will usually give me about a week to get to an Amtrak ticket office/counter.


I am glad this works for you, but many people would consider a 1 cent/point redemption rate ($500 for 50,000 points) to be really horrible. It should not be too hard to get a much better redemption rate for those 50,000 points. For one example, one could transfer them to AGR points via Canada Aeroplan, as described elsewhere in this thread, yielding 28,332 AGR points. Then 20,000 of those AGR points could be used for a two-zone roomette redemption, e.g. ABQ-RGH departing July 24, costing $1723 for two people, and still have over 8,000 poits remaining for your next trip. Thus, you can easily get over three times the value of your points by transfering them to AGR points instead of cash vouchers. Seen another way, it would take over 150,000 Amex points to pay for this trip using your method. Caveat: of course, during blackout periods all bets are off, of course, and all kinds of points are just much less valuable.

Ignoring the signup bonus now, for the long haul the SPG Amex card is generally accepted as the best card for accumulating points from Amex spends. For example, if you had 20,000 SPG points, you could transfer them to AGR at one to one, thus yielding a redemtion rate of about 8.6 cents/point... so you can see why people might be distressed by the thought of acceptng a 1 cent/point redemption.

Cheers


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## Trainut

Alexander Saunders said:


> abcnews said:
> 
> 
> 
> I just received the 50,000 Bonus for Membership Rewards (AMEX) if we opened an American Express Gold card account and we spend a certain amount by a given date.
> The offer is exceptional, here is why...
> 
> You do receive 50,000 Membership Reward Points or 25,000 - depending on your offer.
> 
> The 50,000 points can be redeemed for a $500 Amtrak gift card, or 25,000 can become $250. The certificates are redeemable at Amtrak for rail travel - and no blackout dates. Just cash value. You pick the date and train, and use these like cash for Amtrak travel.
> 
> So I can mix and match these certificates with AGR 20,000 redemptions to gain the best of both programs. The AMEX Certificate will allow you to purchase rail fare on Amtrak, so I will use the AMEX portion to get us to a "border city" on the Two-Zone AGR Map (such as Toledo).
> 
> Example.... Washington to Toledo will run about $270 for two people in a Roomette on the Capital Limited (low bucket), and from Toledo west, it's an AGR Two Zone award to anywhere on the West Coast. Yet for me, the trip is pretty much free, with just 20,000 points (actually 19,000 - with AGR Chase credit card account) and the use of AMEX Membership Reward Points.
> 
> The Membership Rewards points do not expire, and once you redeem a travel certificate you have about two years to actually use it. So I will often keep a $50 or a $100 certificate on hand for a quick trip. But it really is best to not redeem the points until you plan a trip, because the clock does start ticking once you redeem for a certificate (about a two year window).
> 
> The certificates may be redeemed for $50 or a $300 certificate, If you ticket is more - then you simply pay for the difference. If it is less - you receive a travel voucher from Amtrak for the unused money portion (good for one year). You can only redeem these certificates at an Amtrak ticket office, and not online or over the phone. But you can call Amtrak to make a reservation over the phone and they will usually give me about a week to get to an Amtrak ticket office/counter.
> 
> 
> 
> I am glad this works for you, but many people would consider a 1 cent/point redemption rate ($500 for 50,000 points) to be really horrible. It should not be too hard to get a much better redemption rate for those 50,000 points. For one example, one could transfer them to AGR points via Canada Aeroplan, as described elsewhere in this thread, yielding 28,332 AGR points. Then 20,000 of those AGR points could be used for a two-zone roomette redemption, e.g. ABQ-RGH departing July 24, costing $1723 for two people, and still have over 8,000 poits remaining for your next trip. Thus, you can easily get over three times the value of your points by transfering them to AGR points instead of cash vouchers. Seen another way, it would take over 150,000 Amex points to pay for this trip using your method. Caveat: of course, during blackout periods all bets are off, of course, and all kinds of points are just much less valuable.
> 
> Ignoring the signup bonus now, for the long haul the SPG Amex card is generally accepted as the best card for accumulating points from Amex spends. For example, if you had 20,000 SPG points, you could transfer them to AGR at one to one, thus yielding a redemtion rate of about 8.6 cents/point... so you can see why people might be distressed by the thought of acceptng a 1 cent/point redemption.
> 
> Cheers
Click to expand...

My wife applied for and got the Starwood Preferred Guest card. Now she can transfer her AMEX points to SPG and then to AGR, at no devaluation on either transfer. Thanks to all who helped us. Trainut


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## AS

Trainut said:


> Alexander Saunders said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> abcnews said:
> 
> 
> 
> I just received the 50,000 Bonus for Membership Rewards (AMEX) if we opened an American Express Gold card account and we spend a certain amount by a given date.
> The offer is exceptional, here is why...
> 
> You do receive 50,000 Membership Reward Points or 25,000 - depending on your offer.
> 
> The 50,000 points can be redeemed for a $500 Amtrak gift card, or 25,000 can become $250. The certificates are redeemable at Amtrak for rail travel - and no blackout dates. Just cash value. You pick the date and train, and use these like cash for Amtrak travel.
> 
> So I can mix and match these certificates with AGR 20,000 redemptions to gain the best of both programs. The AMEX Certificate will allow you to purchase rail fare on Amtrak, so I will use the AMEX portion to get us to a "border city" on the Two-Zone AGR Map (such as Toledo).
> 
> Example.... Washington to Toledo will run about $270 for two people in a Roomette on the Capital Limited (low bucket), and from Toledo west, it's an AGR Two Zone award to anywhere on the West Coast. Yet for me, the trip is pretty much free, with just 20,000 points (actually 19,000 - with AGR Chase credit card account) and the use of AMEX Membership Reward Points.
> 
> The Membership Rewards points do not expire, and once you redeem a travel certificate you have about two years to actually use it. So I will often keep a $50 or a $100 certificate on hand for a quick trip. But it really is best to not redeem the points until you plan a trip, because the clock does start ticking once you redeem for a certificate (about a two year window).
> 
> The certificates may be redeemed for $50 or a $300 certificate, If you ticket is more - then you simply pay for the difference. If it is less - you receive a travel voucher from Amtrak for the unused money portion (good for one year). You can only redeem these certificates at an Amtrak ticket office, and not online or over the phone. But you can call Amtrak to make a reservation over the phone and they will usually give me about a week to get to an Amtrak ticket office/counter.
> 
> 
> 
> I am glad this works for you, but many people would consider a 1 cent/point redemption rate ($500 for 50,000 points) to be really horrible. It should not be too hard to get a much better redemption rate for those 50,000 points. For one example, one could transfer them to AGR points via Canada Aeroplan, as described elsewhere in this thread, yielding 28,332 AGR points. Then 20,000 of those AGR points could be used for a two-zone roomette redemption, e.g. ABQ-RGH departing July 24, costing $1723 for two people, and still have over 8,000 poits remaining for your next trip. Thus, you can easily get over three times the value of your points by transfering them to AGR points instead of cash vouchers. Seen another way, it would take over 150,000 Amex points to pay for this trip using your method. Caveat: of course, during blackout periods all bets are off, of course, and all kinds of points are just much less valuable.
> 
> Ignoring the signup bonus now, for the long haul the SPG Amex card is generally accepted as the best card for accumulating points from Amex spends. For example, if you had 20,000 SPG points, you could transfer them to AGR at one to one, thus yielding a redemtion rate of about 8.6 cents/point... so you can see why people might be distressed by the thought of acceptng a 1 cent/point redemption.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> My wife applied for and got the Starwood Preferred Guest card. Now she can transfer her AMEX points to SPG and then to AGR, at no devaluation on either transfer. Thanks to all who helped us. Trainut
Click to expand...

I don't believe you can transfer Amex Membership Reward points to SPG points at 1 to 1. Unfortunately, it is 3 MR points to 1 SPG point, at least according to the Amex Membership Rewards info page. Also, I don't believe your wife needed the SPG card to do this; just an SPG account should have been enough, I would have thought. There are still plenty of other reasons to have the SPG Amex card, though.

Cheers

Cheer


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