Amtrak considering shifting Credit-Card Portfolio away from BofA

[Bob Dylan]

My BofA Amtrak card is set up to automatically pull my payment from my Chase Checking account.

And mine from my Credit Union!( although BOA mistakingly billed my Account $6,200+ last Month instead of the correct amount!)

I hope they go back to Chase, never had trouble with them.

 

[user 13416]

At one time my Home Mortgage was sold to BofA and they tried their darndest to get me to open a BofA account to link to. I persisted and got the payment linked back to my Chase Checking account. At the first opportunity I refinanced with a mortgage from Chase. So if the BofA AGR card goes that would end my mostly unwanted relationship with this miserable outfit.

Same here, my mortgage got sold to BofA and they tried to pressure me into moving my checking account to BofA. I didn't even bother setting up auto payments from my credit union, I just mailed paper checks for the few months they held my mortgage while I quickly refinanced.

 

[Danib62]

I'm so tired of them switching banks every X number of years... that said I'm rooting for Amex!

 

[jis]

I'm so tired of them switching banks every X number of years... that said I'm rooting for Amex!

I would be quite happy with Amex too. They are very very good, or at least have been to me.

 

[Danib62]

I would be quite happy with Amex too. They are very very good, or at least have been to me.

I don't want to get too far afield but Amex's extended warranty benefit is quite possibly one of the most underrated credit card perks out there.

 

[PaTrainFan]

My Amtrak cards are my only connection to BofA and have no complaints other than the website stinks, in my opinion. I am also speaking as an employee of a competitor, I might add. ;-)

 

[joelkfla]

I don't want to get too far afield but Amex's extended warranty benefit is quite possibly one of the most underrated credit card perks out there.

It was, but they dropped it on the card I have: Blue Cash. The only benefits left are car rental protection & purchase protection.

Currently, the Citibank Costco card has the best warranty for me. They add a full 2 years onto the warranty, even if it's only 90 days, up to 5 years. Unfortunately, cashback is only 1% on most things, it only gets paid out once a year, and it has to be redeemed at Costco. And then there's the little matter of the Costco membership fee, which is borderline worthwhile for a single senior.

 

[me_little_me]

Ooh! Ooh! Didn't BoA offer a signup bonus? Does that mean a new signup bonus?

If someone was holding off getting BoA card because they are so owful, it might be worth biting the bullet, getting a bonus then getting another one with the new company! Drool.

 

[Anderson]

There were two "glitches" in the BofA switch for me:
(1) On opening day, the system was auto-rejecting all online applications...but not phone applications. So I got approved over the phone. When this was resolved, all the rejected applications were reviewed and I was approved for a second card.
(2) The initial spend bonuses [i.e. the 20k points] initially posted as TQPs at 1:1 [so 20k TQPs]. Those TQPs were later pulled, but I got a free upgrade card out of the deal since I was already Select Executive.

 

[TheVig]

I really don't care who the card gets pimped off to. I've got accounts, in one form or another with all the big banks many like to call evil and inept. Never really had issues with any of them.

 

[dwebarts]

One needs to travel with a full deck of cards these days

I pick the card to use based on applicable rewards since I don't carry a balance. I have them all in Apple Pay so for most places, I don't even pull out my wallet.

For that matter, I don't even pull out my phone unless I have to (usually to order) and use my Apple watch to pay.

Once a geek …

 

[Exvalley]

I am seriously considering ditching my Marriott AMEX for the Capitol One Venture X. I already have the Chase Marriott card and only got the AMEX because of a very generous sign up bonus.

Does anyone know if you can book Amtrak travel through Capitol One's travel portal? That would make the switch a no brainer.

 

[jebr]

I am seriously considering ditching my Marriott AMEX for the Capitol One Venture X. I already have the Chase Marriott card and only got the AMEX because of a very generous sign up bonus.

Does anyone know if you can book Amtrak travel through Capitol One's travel portal? That would make the switch a no brainer.

No you cannot. I just checked NYC to WAS and it only shows the flight options, no Amtrak (or bus) options.

 

[Exvalley]

Thanks for checking.

 

[Danib62]

I pick the card to use based on applicable rewards since I don't carry a balance. I have them all in Apple Pay so for most places, I don't even pull out my wallet.

For that matter, I don't even pull out my phone unless I have to (usually to order) and use my Apple watch to pay.

Once a geek …

I recently came the realization that now that my SmarTrip card lives on my phone most days my wallet never leaves my pocket. I subsequently downsized my wallet accordingly and only keep the bare essentials in it.

 

[jis]

I pick the card to use based on applicable rewards since I don't carry a balance. I have them all in Apple Pay so for most places, I don't even pull out my wallet.

For that matter, I don't even pull out my phone unless I have to (usually to order) and use my Apple watch to pay.

Once a geek …

My deck of cards mostly lives in my watch.

But when traveling abroad where ApplePay does not work, the deck, or a part of it has to physically manifest itself.

I usually carry one physical card on me for those occasions where technology fails or is inconvenient for one of a myriad reasons.

 

[StanJazz]

I cannot find any mention of the Amtrak credit card on either the Amtrak or Bank of America websites. So, it looks like the card will be going to a new bank. Still no mention of what the new bank will be or whether the card will transfer over to the new bank, or we will need to apply for it. If we have to apply for it, then we could get a new sign-up bonus.

 

[TheVig]

I cannot find any mention of the Amtrak credit card on either the Amtrak or Bank of America websites. So, it looks like the card will be going to a new bank. Still no mention of what the new bank will be or whether the card will transfer over to the new bank, or we will need to apply for it. If we have to apply for it, then we could get a new sign-up bonus.

There are a few co-branded credit cards missing from the BofA site, besides Amtrak.

 

[TheVig]

We should see Amtrak and or BofA release a statement soon.

 

[jebr]

We should see Amtrak and or BofA release a statement soon.

I would think we'll only see a statement if something's changing (whether moving away from BoA or some sort of revamped card offering from BoA.)

EDIT: I missed the post a couple posts up that mentioned that it's not on the Amtrak or BoA website. I know it's been off the BoA website for a while but it's a bit worrying that there's no mention of it on the Amtrak website either. They weren't even trying to get me to sign up during the check-out process (didn't sign in so it wouldn't know that I already have the card.)

 

[TheVig]

If it goes to another bank, I hope it goes to a bank that understands the "award travel" space. In other words I don't want to see it go to Synchrony or Comenity.

 

[oregon pioneer]

And mine from my Credit Union!( although BOA mistakingly billed my Account $6,200+ last Month instead of the correct amount!)

This is precisely why I use my bank's "bill pay" site instead of letting payees pull what they think I owe. I control who gets paid, how much, and when.

I cannot find any mention of the Amtrak credit card on either the Amtrak or Bank of America websites.

You are right, it should be here (at the very least): Ways to Earn | Amtrak Guest Rewards

I know they are keeping the relationship with BoA at least till the end of the year, because I am quite sure the current promotion runs till then. After that, I'll be happy to sign up for another card and get another points bonus...

 

[dwebarts]

If it goes to another bank, I hope it goes to a bank that understands the "award travel" space. In other words I don't want to see it go to Synchrony or Comenity.

Agreed. Either of those "banks" would be a disaster.

 

[joelkfla]

So, the last time it moved to BofA, did everyone have to fill out a new application?

 

[printman2000]

So, the last time it moved to BofA, did everyone have to fill out a new application?

Yes