Amtrak considering shifting Credit-Card Portfolio away from BofA

[jis]

Moderator's Note: About half a dozen posts pertaining to VPN have been moved to the following VPN thread from here:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/vpns.80930/
Any further posts about VPN should be posted on the VPN thread, not this one.

 

[CaptPete 43]

Amtrak is considering ending its credit-card partnership with Bank of America Corp., according to people familiar with the matter.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...shifting-credit-card-portfolio-away-from-bofa
I wouldn't mind moving back to Chase.

If there is a new credit card company there will probably be a bonus to get the card from the new bank. So let's go for it.

Amtrak is considering ending its credit-card partnership with Bank of America Corp., according to people familiar with the matter.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...shifting-credit-card-portfolio-away-from-bofa
I wouldn't mind moving back to Chase.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Hey, if any of you want to help with AGR points, here's a job for you. (thanks to a poster on the AU FB group page).

https://careers.amtrak.com/job/Wash...3s_asg7aV3snk8xmoBTQQQF8rDArcXQSBI83qxI5rod7k
One of the Essential Functions:

Define the relationship strategy for with issuing bank and card brand. Direct and manage all aspects of Amtrak Guest Rewards Cobrand credit card program

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Hey, if any of you want to help with AGR points, here's a job for you.

Sorry the 11 to 14 years of experience is my deal breaker.

 

[Laser1987]

Any new updates about who will be the new bank issuing AGR credit card(s)?

 

[TheVig]

Any new updates about who will be the new bank issuing AGR credit card(s)?

No

 

[TinCan782]

Any new updates about who will be the new bank issuing AGR credit card(s)?

When there is, everyone on the Amtrak fan forums and FB pages will know about it.

 

[D E K E R]

No news yet regarding a new AGR credit card, but it's been at least a year since I have visited the Amtrak Trains site. Popping back in to say "hi". Now that hopefully covid is beginning to go into our rearview mirror, I'm back and looking forward to some train travel.

My personal preference would be Chase as the new bank. Lots of very good ways to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points and the ability to transfer those into AGR would be a godsend.

 

[TC_NYC]

No news yet regarding a new AGR credit card, but it's been at least a year since I have visited the Amtrak Trains site. Popping back in to say "hi". Now that hopefully covid is beginning to go into our rearview mirror, I'm back and looking forward to some train travel.

My personal preference would be Chase as the new bank. Lots of very good ways to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points and the ability to transfer those into AGR would be a godsend.

Having the card issued by chase would not guarantee that you'll be able to transfer UR points to Amtrak unfortunately, although I'm hopeful they would restore the transfers.

 

[Exvalley]

Not Amtrak, but I have an interesting experience with a carrier that switched credit card companies.

I had a flyer from a flight that I took a few months ago to sign up for an Barclay's American Airline credit card. I learned here that the flight attendant gets $100 if I sign up, so I followed the link on the flyer and got the card. The bonus went down slightly from 60,000 points to 50,000 points. I just have to make one purchase within 90 days of getting my card.

I then noticed that the cards being offered on the American Airlines website are all from Citi - not Barclay's. So now I am wondering if I can sign up for one of those cards and get their bonus offer of 50,000 points as well.

But it's really weird that I was able to still sign up for the Barclay's card.

EDIT: Citi would not let me get their card.

 

[jebr]

Not Amtrak, but I have an interesting experience with a carrier that switched credit card companies.

I had a flyer from a flight that I took a few months ago to sign up for an Barclay's American Airline credit card. I learned here that the flight attendant gets $100 if I sign up, so I followed the link on the flyer and got the card. The bonus went down slightly from 60,000 points to 50,000 points. I just have to make one purchase within 90 days of getting my card.

I then noticed that the cards being offered on the American Airlines website are all from Citi - not Barclay's. So now I am wondering if I can sign up for one of those cards and get their bonus offer of 50,000 points as well.

But it's really weird that I was able to still sign up for the Barclay's card.

EDIT: Citi would not let me get their card.

AA has active agreements with both, and neither are currently expected to go away. It's a remnant of the AA/US Airways merger - I forget who had which but AA kept both and each company has certain places within AA where they can market - for example, Barclays gets the on-board pitch exclusively while Citi gets the online pitch exclusively.

 

[jebr]

Alaska Airlines extended their relationship with BoA through 2030.



It seems as though BoA isn't giving up all cobranded cards, so now I'm even more curious to see what will happen with the AGR card.

 

[plane2train]

AA has active agreements with both, and neither are currently expected to go away. It's a remnant of the AA/US Airways merger - I forget who had which but AA kept both and each company has certain places within AA where they can market - for example, Barclays gets the on-board pitch exclusively while Citi gets the online pitch exclusively.

AA had the first frequent flyer Visa card in the industry with Citibank. I'm not sure about Arlington, VA-based US Airways. Their Dividend Miles card may have been through Barclay's, but I honestly don't remember ever seeing that. I'm not sure why AA would try to hold on to both banks. Perhaps to play them off each other? At some point, I'm sure one of them will fold and throw in the wrench to get AA to sign an exclusive deal.

 

[plane2train]

Having the card issued by chase would not guarantee that you'll be able to transfer UR points to Amtrak unfortunately, although I'm hopeful they would restore the transfers.

It's currently possible to transfer UR points to every partner Chase has a deal with. Perhaps it's a condition of a cobranded card agreement?

 

[pennyk]

Please post current comments in the more recent thread on the same topic:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/agr-credit-card-change-october-2022.81509/