Amtrak BidUp (Bidding for Upgrades - Business Class, First Class, and Sleepers)

[niemi24s]

We'll never know, will we?

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Call and say you have a fever, no questions asked at that point your ticket is then changeable. Even prior to CoVid a sick note allows a penalty free refund.
I was on hold for 30 mins yesterday with Amtrak, the recording while I was waiting made it very clear if your not feeling, been exposed to someone not feeling well, have a fever, etc, you can’t travel and your ticket is changeable.

Im not debating the morality of saying your not feeling well, just saying it’s an option.

Ps I didn’t realize this was from two months ago until now. Wow must not be much action with the Bid up program…

QUOTE="SommerGentry, post: 916100, member: 29830"]
I'm very unhappy about the policy that won't allow me to cancel or change my ticket just because my bidup was accepted! Today my plans changed, and because the bidup had already been accepted from coach to roomette, Amtrak won't let me change my reservation at all. I understand that the "bid-up" amount is non-refundable, but there was an initial fare that I should be able to recoup and use to pay for a different ticket. There is no penalty for any changes on regular fares... except if your bidup is accepted the original regular fare becomes non-changeable. Ugh!

Now I have to buy a second ticket for the same trip.
[/QUOTE]

 

[fillyjonk]

I got the bid-up e-mails for my Thanksgiving trip and was like "I had to travel a day earlier than I might have otherwise because there were no accommodations, so what's up" and I'm wondering if part of this system is Amtrak testing the waters of how high they can jack Roomette or Bedroom prices before people go "nah"

They suggested a bid of $170 to go from roomette to bedroom. Given what I paid for the roomette and that I'm traveling alone, I am greatly disinclined to even try the process. All I want is a place to lie flat at night where it's OK for me to take off my mask, and also not have to deal with rando seatmates, so I'm probably not the bid-up sleeper car demographic

 

[WashingtonFlyer]

Would love the chance to do the bid up program - if there was availability. Last Saturday night's NER 66 was 100% sold out in both business and in the sleeper car. One seat may have been available in biz until Baltimore, but that passenger showed up.

A good ride until the engine failed outside of PHL airport and we had to be rescued and then had a diesel take over for the entire remainder of the run from PHL to Boston. 2:40 delay at 30th Street that was reduced to about 2:00 by the time the train got past NHV.

 

[BalmyZephyr]

But it does. Now you can! I'm in a roomette on the Lake Shore Limited and am bidding for a bedroom.

Same here, just bid to upgrade from roomette to bedroom on the Cardinal next week. Amtrak sent me an email and I'm like, hell yeah. Mainly for the view out both sides and ability for two tall people to move around.

 

[BalmyZephyr]

You can only bid-up for the entire ticketed trip. Its just like purchasing an upgrade, except it only goes through if you are the highest bid for the available space.

Interesting, would that be a big point in favor of originally booking multiple legs separately? I thought I'd made a mistake booking next week's NER to DC by itself, then the Cardinal by itself, since I later read (on this forum) that you have less recourse if there are delays and cancellations. But I was pleasantly surprised to receive, a few minutes ago, an email asking if I wanted to upgrade from roomette to bedroom on the Cardinal only. That's the only leg I'd want an upgrade.

 

[F900ElCapitan]

Interesting, would that be a big point in favor of originally booking multiple legs separately? I thought I'd made a mistake booking next week's NER to DC by itself, then the Cardinal by itself, since I later read (on this forum) that you have less recourse if there are delays and cancellations. But I was pleasantly surprised to receive, a few minutes ago, an email asking if I wanted to upgrade from roomette to bedroom on the Cardinal only. That's the only leg I'd want an upgrade.

There is a way to link your reservations and still have the ”guaranteed connection”. You have to call to an agent and have them “cross-reference“ the reservations. This is what you have to do if you purchase one leg with points and another with dollars, but it will also work if you just have two different numbers. I’ve had a few agents do this for me, and they all claim this will make the guarantee work and it helps with checked luggage.

 

[Ryan]

And I’ve had agents tell me the exact opposite and that it doesn’t matter. As a connecting passenger, I’ll be treated like one regardless of any mythical “cross reference” that may or may not be in place.

 

[daybeers]

My "poor" bid for $40 (the lowest I could go just to see) for a roomette for two on NER 66 BOS-NHV 12/21 was unsuccessful. not that I expected it, but it seems there is plenty of space available. Just another data point; seems Amtrak isn't giving it away for cheap, though in some way I wish they did occasionally to introduce people to sleepers rather than leaving them open. The attendants running around changing four rooms for two hour segments is not ideal, however.

 

[desertflyer]

I had a successful BidUp from a roomette to bedroom on train 4 LAX-ABQ with a $145 bid (two of us booked in the roomette, though I doubt that matters). It probably helped that we were on the train that departed Christmas Day from LAX.

 

[igor]

I just had an unsuccessful bid on the Empire Builder (27) from CHI to PDX for tomorrow. My roomette was low bucket ($529), and a bedroom is currently going for $2016. I put in the lowest possible bid on the bidding website, $295.

There are still two bedrooms left at the $2016 price according to the booking website, and I assume they would now be unavailable if Amtrak had accepted someone else's bid in lieu of mine. So again, it looks as if Amtrak's formula isn't about maximizing revenue.

 

[Sidney]

$2000 plus for a bedroom from Chi to Pdx/Sea,Chi-Emy or Chi-Lax is insane. People will pay it,so Amtrak will charge it.

 

[jis]

Moderator's Notes: Please continue discussion on this topic in the more recent thread:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/bid-up.80709/
Thank you