Amtrak Sale: Seniors Save an Additional 10%

[jebr]

For the next three days (so through April 19,) Amtrak is offering an additional 10% off Senior fares for those eligible for senior fare tickets for travel between May 1 and June 27.

Details here.

 

[Ronbo]

Unfortunately, for Coach travel only, no upgrades to Sleepers or even Business Class!

 

[cpotisch]

Unfortunately, for Coach travel only, no upgrades to Sleepers or even Business Class!

Darn! That screws up the Crescent trip I was gonna take with my grandparents in roomettes.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

The discounts never did apply to rooms except the rail fare portion. Not sure about BC.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[PaulM]

Unfortunately, for Coach travel only, no upgrades to Sleepers or even Business Class!

Yeh. Big deal. Rejecting the high prices sleepers command in exchange for giving up 10% of the much smaller rail fare seems like another case of shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[PaulM]

The discounts never did apply to rooms except the rail fare portion. Not sure about BC.

I don't think the issue is the discounts not applying to rooms or BC, rather that one can't upgrade by paying FULL fare.

 

[Dakota 400]

Received the e-mail; oh boy, I thought! Need to make an Amtrak reservation soon. Disappointment: the dates of travel don't work for me!

 

[Lonestar648]

Dates didn't work, I start the day after the last day.

 

[cpotisch]

The discounts never did apply to rooms except the rail fare portion. Not sure about BC.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

I believe discounts do apply to BC.

 

[Lonestar648]

Again I think it applies just to the rail fare portion.

 

[willem]

Unfortunately, for Coach travel only, no upgrades to Sleepers or even Business Class!

Darn! That screws up the Crescent trip I was gonna take with my grandparents in roomettes.

If you were going to take a trip, how does this screw it up? Take the trip.

I believe discounts do apply to BC.

"This offer is valid for Coach seats only; no accommodation upgrades permitted." It seems unambiguous to me.

 

[keelhauled]

Yeh. Big deal. Rejecting the high prices sleepers command in exchange for giving up 10% of the much smaller rail fare seems like another case of shooting themselves in the foot.

It depends on the occupancy rates of the sleepers. If they are selling at full fare then shooting themselves in the foot would be giving up that revenue via discount.

 

[Lonestar648]

This is a three day sale, focused on travel before the busy summer. Sounds like an effort to get people to commit now their money. Could be that the Senior traffic is lower this year so they are trying to bolster it up some.

 

[cpotisch]

Yeh. Big deal. Rejecting the high prices sleepers command in exchange for giving up 10% of the much smaller rail fare seems like another case of shooting themselves in the foot.

It depends on the occupancy rates of the sleepers. If they are selling at full fare then shooting themselves in the foot would be giving up that revenue via discount.

Not necessarily. If a short term discount brings in new customers, even if those customers are paying slightly less, that can be worth it.

 

[cpotisch]

I believe discounts do apply to BC.

"This offer is valid for Coach seats only; no accommodation upgrades permitted." It seems unambiguous to me.

I was talking about discounts in general, not this particular offer. If you noticed the AmtrakBlue post I quoted, that should have been pretty unambiguous.

 

[cpotisch]

Unfortunately, for Coach travel only, no upgrades to Sleepers or even Business Class!

Darn! That screws up the Crescent trip I was gonna take with my grandparents in roomettes.

If you were going to take a trip, how does this screw it up? Take the trip.

Who said I'm not taking the trip? I just don't get the discount.

 

[keelhauled]

Not necessarily. If a short term discount brings in new customers, even if those customers are paying slightly less, that can be worth it.

Again depends on the occupancy trends. I'm sure the decisions are being made based on far more detailed data than you or I have access to. Although in any case I question the logic of trying to make long term customers out of the demographic that by definition has the fewest years left to be a customer.

 

[cpotisch]

Not necessarily. If a short term discount brings in new customers, even if those customers are paying slightly less, that can be worth it.

Although in any case I question the logic of trying to make long term customers out of the demographic that by definition has the fewest years left to be a customer.

a) That was really dark.b) If someone is 65 years old and in good health, they could easily be a customer for the next 15-20 years. If you're looking that far in the future, any demographic at any age may at some point stop riding Amtrak. Maybe your argument would be applicable to some special discount for riders of at least 110 years of age who have high blood pressure and diabetes - that it's unrealistic to expect a long term customer. Otherwise, it's not really relevant.

 

[Lonestar648]

Actually, the Senior group does a lot of traveling, more free time, no one at home, desire to see other areas, visit friends, etc.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Actually, the Senior group does a lot of traveling, more free time, no one at home, desire to see other areas, visit friends, etc.

This!