AGR One Class Upgrade Coupons: How do they work?

[diesteldorf]

I am planning to take a couple trips on Acela if I make it out to Boston or New York in December and am wondering about how the AGR One-Class Upgrade certificates work. One of the conditions on the back of the coupon is that the upgrade cannot be reserved no more than 2 days before travel. Am I still able to purchase by regular Business class ticket as far in advance that I like or do I need to wait until 2 days before travel to make that purchase as well?

If I am able to buy the Business Class tickets in advance, do I need to mention the coupon when I make the initial reservation for the BC seat?

How many AGR points would I earn if any if I was successful with the upgrade? I would be traveling from NY to Boston and BOS to WAS?

I know that you need to purchase full price BC tickets in order to use the upgrade certificate. However, does this also disqualify the disabled/Senior discount from being used?

Finally, assuming my upgrade is successful, will I be issued new tickets once I surrender the coupon?

 

[AlanB]

I am planning to take a couple trips on Acela if I make it out to Boston or New York in December and am wondering about how the AGR One-Class Upgrade certificates work. One of the conditions on the back of the coupon is that the upgrade cannot be reserved no more than 2 days before travel. Am I still able to purchase by regular Business class ticket as far in advance that I like or do I need to wait until 2 days before travel to make that purchase as well?

Officially you are not supposed to make the reservation more than 2 days in advance even for the BC seat. That said, a good agent will deal with it for you if you have done so. By good, I mean that they will cancel that original reservation, credit your credit card, rebook the seat at the same price and recharge your credit card. Then they'll perform the upgrade for you.

If the agent follows actual procedure, then they will do all of the above, but will reticket you at the current bucket price, which may not be the price you originally had.

If I am able to buy the Business Class tickets in advance, do I need to mention the coupon when I make the initial reservation for the BC seat?

No, they won't be able to deal with it if you do book in advance and they might even refuse to take the reservation at all.

How many AGR points would I earn if any if I was successful with the upgrade? I would be traveling from NY to Boston and BOS to WAS?

If successful, you'll get 750 points one way.

I know that you need to purchase full price BC tickets in order to use the upgrade certificate. However, does this also disqualify the disabled/Senior discount from being used?

I believe that disabled discounts might be allowed, but I don't believe that Senior is. I know that AAA, NARP, and other discounts are not allowed. Ask the agent at the time you make the reservation.

Finally, assuming my upgrade is successful, will I be issued new tickets once I surrender the coupon?

Yes, they will take the coupon and if you did book ahead of time and pick up the ticket, they will issue you a new ticket. Even if you don't pick up the ticket but booked ahead of time, they'll have to print out the original ticket, have you sign it for the charge, then cancel that ticket and start over.

So personally I probably wouldn't try booking before the two day window. Generally Acela doesn't sell out two days in advance, unless you're trying to travel on a Friday night. Also be careful that your trip isn't after the 13th, as the 14th starts the Christmas blackout period for the coupons.

Finally, I'm moving this over to our new Guest Rewards Forum.

 

[Trogdor]

Officially you are not supposed to make the reservation more than 2 days in advance even for the BC seat. That said, a good agent will deal with it for you if you have done so. By good, I mean that they will cancel that original reservation, credit your credit card, rebook the seat at the same price and recharge your credit card. Then they'll perform the upgrade for you.
If the agent follows actual procedure, then they will do all of the above, but will reticket you at the current bucket price, which may not be the price you originally had.

Actually, if the agent follows official procedure, you will not be charged a higher bucket price. After a million back-and-forths with someone inside Amtrak about this, it seems that they've finally spelled it out in plain English on the coupons. One line on the reverse of the coupon reads "Ticket agent should not charge member any additional amount from original ticket price." Meaning, if you bought your ticket at $50, and the bucket fare is now $75, your total cost is $50, not $75.

 

[AlanB]

Officially you are not supposed to make the reservation more than 2 days in advance even for the BC seat. That said, a good agent will deal with it for you if you have done so. By good, I mean that they will cancel that original reservation, credit your credit card, rebook the seat at the same price and recharge your credit card. Then they'll perform the upgrade for you.

If the agent follows actual procedure, then they will do all of the above, but will reticket you at the current bucket price, which may not be the price you originally had.

Actually, if the agent follows official procedure, you will not be charged a higher bucket price. After a million back-and-forths with someone inside Amtrak about this, it seems that they've finally spelled it out in plain English on the coupons. One line on the reverse of the coupon reads "Ticket agent should not charge member any additional amount from original ticket price." Meaning, if you bought your ticket at $50, and the bucket fare is now $75, your total cost is $50, not $75.

No, that is only true if you book it within the two day time frame. If you book ahead of that time, that reservation is technically not upgradable.

But what was happening before is that even if you booked on the first day of elgibility, most of the time you would get a lower price than you would at the time of departure. Yet agents were rebooking at that point and charging the higher rate.

The system has no troubles now, unless the agent does something silly, if the 2 day rule is followed. But if you book in advance, they have no choice but to cancel that reservation and start over. And AFAIK, in that case since you didn't follow the rules, they can charge you the higher price.