Amtrak Travel Certificate

[mikerd5522]

Hello All:

Earlier this year, I won the "how was your ride" contest and received a travel certificate valued at $500.00. I would like to use the certificate for a roomette on the Crescent (tcl to phl) and then first class on Acela (phl to nhv).

When I went online to book the trip (with the intention of turning in the certificate at a ticket window and reversing the charges on my credit card), I checked availability and then did a multi-city trip to find Acela options. However, when I did this all of the sleeper car options on the Crescent were unavailable (sold out). I chalked this up to a glitch and made two separate reservations with no problems.

My question is - will I have any problem using the certificate for two separate reservations at the same time. I called Amtrak to try and merge those two reservations together, but the agent informed me that they would have to credit my credit card then recharge it (I was afraid that there would be a change in price or someone else would snatch up the last roomette while this was going on). On the sheet I signed and notarized, it mentioned that the certificate could only be used once and the remaining value would be forfeited. But then the t's and c's on the back of the certificate state "one purchase session only." I'm assuming it would be ok, but I'm not to sure.

Anyone have any experience? Thanks!

 

[AlanB]

Mike,

I could be wrong, but I don't think what you've done will work. Not because you've made two reservations, but simply because you've made two paid reservations. I believe that you need to call Amtrak and make a phone res, or visit a station to make the res. Then if it was phone, get to the station within 7 days, or if in person simply turn in the voucher along with paying the difference on your credit card.

I don't think that you can just show up at the station with your reservation as is, hand them the cert, and get a refund. Not even a refund to your credit card.

I highly recommend reading the fine print and even calling Amtrak on this, but I suspect that you may have a problem here.

 

[mikerd5522]

Alan,

I know what you're talking about. I stopped at the ticket windows and asked an agent about it - she said it was possible to do it the way I did it. But as we know, what one person says may be different than what other person says. It was always possible that she misunderstood me or I wasn't clear. I will give Amtrak a call to verify. Thanks.

 

[diesteldorf]

Alan,
I know what you're talking about. I stopped at the ticket windows and asked an agent about it - she said it was possible to do it the way I did it. But as we know, what one person says may be different than what other person says. It was always possible that she misunderstood me or I wasn't clear. I will give Amtrak a call to verify. Thanks.

In my experience, the problem you'll have will be if you show up on the day of departure or within 7 days of travel because sleeper reservations are non-refundable within 7 days. If you show up outside of the 7 day window, you should be able to tell the agent to refund your credit card and use the certificate to pay for the reservation again. Then get another voucher for the remaining credit and request that your 2nd reservation be refunded to your CC. Then use the voucher you received for the difference to pay for the 2nd reservation. I once received a travel certificate for $600 and used it on multiple reservations. In turn, I received a new voucher for the remaining credit until it was exhausted.

You could always pay for the redervation on your CC. Reverse the charge within 8 days of travel, explain your situation to the agent and ask them to hold the redervation for the remaining time period until you travel.

 

[diesteldorf]

On the sheet I signed and notarized, it mentioned that the certificate could only be used once and the remaining value would be forfeited. But then the t's and c's on the back of the certificate state "one purchase session only." I'm assuming it would be ok, but I'm not to sure.
Anyone have any experience? Thanks!

Alright...I didn't see this part. No problem. I've been in similar positions and this may help. Take one of your reservations and add some segments to it to push the single reservation over $500. Use your certificate for the full value as a single purchase session. Print the tickets.

Each one of those tickets has the potential to be applied to another reservation for the full value. Now take the tickets that you won't actually travel on and use them to pay for the 2nd reservation. What you are doing is in agreement with Amtrak's policy. Now, you still have the issue of getting a full refund on your CC if you try to reverse the charges on a sleeper reservation. The easiest way around this limitation is to show up to use your travel certificate at least 8 days before travel.

 

[mikerd5522]

diesteldorf and AlanB thanks for your input. Here's a little update - I've spoken to three separate Amtrak agents:

Agent Number 1 stated: I could easily reverse the charges on my cc and apply the travel certificate at a ticket window.

After reading what Alan wrote, I was a bit skeptical, so I called right back.

Agent Number 2 stated: Explained the different options for redeeming the travel certificate. When I mentioned that I already paid for each segment, she highly suggested to credit my cc and place a hold on the reservations. She gave me till Friday (10) to pay for the ticket with the certificate. I agreed to do this.

Agent Number 3 stated: A single purchase session is one complete interaction with a ticket agent. That is to say, paying for one reservation does not equal one purchase session. Rather, a purchase session is defined from the beginning to the end of the agent/customer interaction.

What agent 3 said was contrary to my previous belief, so I will double check with the ticket agent tomorrow when I arrive. Although I did feel as if the agent was confident in his answers and fully understood my question.

 

[Tony]

I believe that you need to call Amtrak and make a phone res, or visit a station to make the res. Then if it was phone, get to the station within 7 days, or if in person simply turn in the voucher along with paying the difference on your credit card.

What Alan writes is correct (of course), but I thought I would add that I have found that if you call Customer Service and ask nicely, you can work it out with them to be able to mail in your certificate.

The closest Amtrak station is about 2 hours away for me. A round trip to "get to a station" just to personally hand in the certificate within 7 days would be like a 4 hour trip; not very reasonable.

Also, but this was many years ago, I got the on-phone reservation person to wave the 7 day limit, and I didn't have to personally hand the certificate until the day of my trip which was like 3 months later.

 

[printman2000]

If you buy a ticket using a voucher and then end up having to cancel, what happens? Do they give you another voucher for future travel?

Here is my situation...

I usually buy my tickets 11 months out, as soon as they come on sale. I do this knowing I can always get my money back if the dates I chose do not work. Not sure what will happen with the voucher, though.

 

[the_traveler]

If you buy a ticket using a voucher and then end up having to cancel, what happens? Do they give you another voucher for future travel?

Yes!

I did just what Chris mentioned when I got a $500 voucher. I got 2 AE tickets with it, but it only came to $480. So I bought a $28 ticket for many months out - just to get the full $500 value! (Otherwise, the remaining $20 value would be lost.) Before the travel date, I "could not use it" and had to cancel!

I received a $28 voucher!

 

[mikerd5522]

Well I just came back from the station to pay for my tickets using the travel certificate. Before we started the transaction, I asked the ticket agent if I could use this for two separate reservations, which she said would be no problem. I watched how she did this, which was interesting. She handled my first transaction (a roomette on The Crescent), which was around 300 dollars. As she inputted the certificate, I noticed that she filled out the back of the certificate with a confirmation number (?) and a value, for which she put $500.00. She processed the first reservation and gave me my ticket as well as a ticket voucher for the remaining value. She instructed me to sign the voucher and hand it over for payment for the second reservation (First class on Acela). She then took the exchange voucher and applied it towards the cost of the second reservation. I paid for the rest of the reservation (which exceeded the amount of the voucher) with cash. Phew - I'm glad I didn't screw it up to much.

What's also got me excited - The ticket for Acela FC says that it was paid for with an exchange voucher (exch code) so it will be interesting to see if I earn AGR points on it!

Thanks for your help! I'm excited for this trip - I used a 20K AGR reward for a 2 zone trip from SFC to TCL, then using the certificate for travel from TCL to NHV the next day!

 

[the_traveler]

What's also got me excited - The ticket for Acela FC says that it was paid for with an exchange voucher (exch code) so it will be interesting to see if I earn AGR points on it!

I can't say for sure that it should - but it did for me when I exchanged the voucher (posted above)!

It was used between select city pairs (750 points) AND during a 2X period AND for 2 tickets! So my voucher earned me 3,000 AGR points!

 

[printman2000]

Another voucher question...

You have to present it to an agent in person to use. When you do that, do you then have to get the tickets printed out or can you tell the agent to not print them and then pick them up on the day of travel?

 

[the_traveler]

Another voucher question...
You have to present it to an agent in person to use. When you do that, do you then have to get the tickets printed out or can you tell the agent to not print them and then pick them up on the day of travel?

The tickets are printed at that time. I wish it were different. But with an exchange being good for 100% of the value, it really doesn't matter! My excess $20 value that I used to buy a ticket months out was exchanged for full value for a ticket I needed later on!