An AGR Discussion from the Amtrak Forum

[sky12065]

I would have take the CZ going out presuming that the CZ Lincoln connection was guaranteed. If I missed the connection I would have let Amtrak put me up for the night in CHI and catch one of the two Lincoln runs the next morning.

See that was part of the problem. Due to blackout dates, I wasn't able to carry the 2 zone guest rewards through to Springfield. With the CZ, I would only have the 7pm to Springfield. With the SWC, I have the 5:30-ish or the 7pm.

Anyway, good luck with the bus and enjoy the trip on the SWC. If you're in a sleeper and you get Efron as an attendant, I guarantee any monies you paid me that you'll have a good trip, service wise at any rate!

I'll see what I can dig out of the bottom of my purse for your monies :lol:

Not to discount that you adequately benefit by Guest Rewards, as a non frequent flyer (or should I say roller) I don't even bother with guest rewards. What is it you get with GR? A small % off the rail fare only? Perhaps I just don't know much about the rewards! However, my past experience with guest rewards in other non-Amtrak situations is that it was a waste of time to have even bothered to signed up in the first place.

 

[AlanB]

Not to discount that you adequately benefit by Guest Rewards, as a non frequent flyer (or should I say roller) I don't even bother with guest rewards. What is it you get with GR? A small % off the rail fare only? Perhaps I just don't know much about the rewards! However, my past experience with guest rewards in other non-Amtrak situations is that it was a waste of time to have even bothered to signed up in the first place.

Please tell me that you're kidding. :blink: After all the time you've spent here you haven't read anything on Guest Rewards? :unsure:

First, AGR does not offer any discount on travel. Only discounts are AAA, NARP, Senior, Handicapped, Student Advantage, and Military.

What AGR does offer however is free travel. For every buck you spend on a ticket you get two points. Spend a grand going west on the train, you've earned 2,000 points. Rack up 15,000 points and you can get a free handicapped room from NYP to Florida one way, railfare for two people included. Rack up 20,000 points and you can go to Chicago for free. Collect 35,000 and you've got enough to go from ALB to the Westcoast in an H room for free.

Points never expire, as long as you take at least one paid Amtrak ride every three years. Ride SDY to ALB and you've reset the clock.

There are only a few blackout dates and no capacity controls. If it's the very last room on that days train when you call up, it's your room.

If you want to try and collect points faster than just via paid rides, then you can buy things through the online mall, watch for special offers, stay at certain hotel chains that will award AGR points, and/or sign up for the AGR credit card.

I've gone round the country for free thanks to AGR, just came home from the gathering in LA for free, taken members of my family to Disney on the Auto train twice for free, done a run to Dallas from NYP for free, and probably something else that I'm forgetting at present.

AGR is IMHO one of the best reward programs out there and it costs nothing to join.

Please don't take another trip on Amtrak without registering for AGR! But wait until you are within 90 days of said trip to register, so that you get the 500 point bonus.

 

[Alice]

Not to discount that you adequately benefit by Guest Rewards, as a non frequent flyer (or should I say roller) I don't even bother with guest rewards. What is it you get with GR? A small % off the rail fare only? Perhaps I just don't know much about the rewards! However, my past experience with guest rewards in other non-Amtrak situations is that it was a waste of time to have even bothered to signed up in the first place.

I used to have a similar idea and didn't bother. That was until I started earning tons of motel rooms on a card. Now, whenever I'm offered a free card I take it and use it, even if I think it is "once in a lifetime." Some I actually earn something, and some I just have their phone number and website on a handy card ... so big potential upside and not much cost (a box of unused cards near my desk).

On Amtrak, I'm never going to make those huge bonus point levels. But I can use my points locally 1000 at a time. Or I can convert my points to my favorite motel card. Or I can keep paying cash for Amtrak and save my points for some trip where everything is at high bucket.

One other thing, I don't think you can transfer your points to someone else ordinarily, but I did get a notice from Amtrak that I could transfer unused points when I notified them a Guest Rewards member had died. So you can put them in your will!

So I second Alan's comments: get the card and provide it on your reservations. If nothing else, you can convert them to a program that allows you to donate them for use by a charitable organization. You have lots of options and lots of time to decide what to do with them.

 

[sky12065]

Not to discount that you adequately benefit by Guest Rewards, as a non frequent flyer (or should I say roller) I don't even bother with guest rewards. What is it you get with GR? A small % off the rail fare only? Perhaps I just don't know much about the rewards! However, my past experience with guest rewards in other non-Amtrak situations is that it was a waste of time to have even bothered to signed up in the first place.

Please tell me that you're kidding. :blink: After all the time you've spent here you haven't read anything on Guest Rewards? :unsure:

First, AGR does not offer any discount on travel. Only discounts are AAA, NARP, Senior, Handicapped, Student Advantage, and Military.

What AGR does offer however is free travel. For every buck you spend on a ticket you get two points. Spend a grand going west on the train, you've earned 2,000 points. Rack up 15,000 points and you can get a free handicapped room from NYP to Florida one way, railfare for two people included. Rack up 20,000 points and you can go to Chicago for free. Collect 35,000 and you've got enough to go from ALB to the Westcoast in an H room for free.

Points never expire, as long as you take at least one paid Amtrak ride every three years. Ride SDY to ALB and you've reset the clock.

There are only a few blackout dates and no capacity controls. If it's the very last room on that days train when you call up, it's your room.

If you want to try and collect points faster than just via paid rides, then you can buy things through the online mall, watch for special offers, stay at certain hotel chains that will award AGR points, and/or sign up for the AGR credit card.

I've gone round the country for free thanks to AGR, just came home from the gathering in LA for free, taken members of my family to Disney on the Auto train twice for free, done a run to Dallas from NYP for free, and probably something else that I'm forgetting at present.

AGR is IMHO one of the best reward programs out there and it costs nothing to join.

Please don't take another trip on Amtrak without registering for AGR! But wait until you are within 90 days of said trip to register, so that you get the 500 point bonus.

Alan, I did a little looking but it was somewhat superficial! I quickly got the idea that it would be of little use to me. With your message I did a little more looking and figuring.

Assuming that my travel would have the same patterns they currently have and that my limitations would be the same and prices remained the same, (said laughing) I figured that before I could earn the 70,000 points we would need to travel to the west coast and back, both my wife and I would be around 100 years old and would probably have to travel in our coffins with the checked luggage. We won't have any carry on of course! :unsure: Besides it's highly likely somewhere along the line I would not make the 3 year rule.

In the least case senario it would take at least 3 years before we could even get enough points to rent a Hertz auto for a weekend!

I've asked my wife to take a look see for her opinion then we'll take it from there. I do have a few questions that popped up in my mind though:

• Why do they say there has to be two different reservations? My trip next year is a single reservation for two in the H room.
  
• I have already made, paid and had my tickets printed for next years travel. The trip is from ALB > CHI > LAX > PDX > CHI > ALB Using LSL, SWC, CS & EB. I know it's 2 pts. per $1 spent but if I do join within 90 days does this trip get recorded and how?
  
• Are there 4 zones and why is the NEC zone shown within the east zone?
  

I may have further questions later, but this will help me get started in understanding the program.

 

[AlanB]

Assuming that my travel would have the same patterns they currently have and that my limitations would be the same and prices remained the same, (said laughing) I figured that before I could earn the 70,000 points we would need to travel to the west coast and back, both my wife and I would be around 100 years old and would probably have to travel in our coffins with the checked luggage. We won't have any carry on of course! :unsure: Besides it's highly likely somewhere along the line I would not make the 3 year rule.

Well again remember that you do have other ways to earn points, like the AGR credit card. If you buy gas with your credit card, then why not earn points for it.

Also, you don't have to set such lofty goals either. You already have a trip paid for right now for next year, a round trip. Would you be at all unhappy if you had been able to use 35,000 points for one direction and had to pay for the other? :unsure:

Or even if you can't muster 35,000, what's wrong with 20,000 so that you can get as far as say ABQ without paying. Then pay for the rest of the journey from there, and back home. Or as Alice suggested, use the points if you're coming down to NYP for some reason. It doesn't really matter what, but you might as well try IMHO. Even if you transfer them out to a hotel, or use them to buy a relative/friend a ticket on a short haul. Personally I haven't met too many people who argue with the word "free".

Or imagine having the ability to have a loved one get a free ticket from NYP up to your town, because it's cheaper for them to fly into LGA or NWK, by comparison to ALB. I could go on and on. What more can I say beyond "it's free?"

Why do they say there has to be two different reservations? My trip next year is a single reservation for two in the H room.

Where do they say that? In what context? :unsure: I don't understand.

I have already made, paid and had my tickets printed for next years travel. The trip is from ALB > CHI > LAX > PDX > CHI > ALB Using LSL, SWC, CS & EB. I know it's 2 pts. per $1 spent but if I do join within 90 days does this trip get recorded and how?

Wait until you are within 90 days of that trip, then sign up online for AGR. You'll get your number immediately, even though you won't get the card right away. Then pick up the phone and call Amtrak, get an agent on the other end, and tell them that you need to add your AGR number and hopefully even your wife's. It may take her even longer to accumulate enough useful points, but again why not try? It doesn't cost you anything to try.

Are there 4 zones and why is the NEC zone shown within the east zone?

The NEC zone applies only when your trip starts and finishes within the NEC zone. Otherwise, there are only three zones when you are traveling within the rest of the country.

I may have further questions later, but this will help me get started in understanding the program.

Ask away. That's why we're here.

 

[Guest]

I don't travel by train very often either BUT I received 4,000 points for enrollment & another 4,000 for the credit card. I've redeemed those points for a 2 zone coach seat. I put recurring bills on the card (Netflix, cell phone), that's about 100 points a month. Plus the glucosamin (sp) tablets for the dog through PetCo, gets me nearly 300 points.

I'll probably never reach Select status, but I think I can get enough points together to take a nice FREE train ride every year or so.

It's just a case of "it all adds up" and "try it, you'll like it"

 

[the_traveler]

I don't travel all that much either! :lol:

I just came off of a trip from RI to LA a few weeks ago - all free with AGR points! And in February, I plan on going from RI to PDX - again all free with AGR points.

Just because you won't get to the "big bucks" levels, what is wrong with the 3,000 point reward? :huh: The special Northeast coach award is 3,000 points, and can take you (besides other places) from ALB to WAS for free one way!

On my recent trip, I was joined by my sister's fiance. Due to work, he had to leave a few days after me and meet me in WAS. So I used 3,000 AGR points to get him from KIN to WAS. (It saved me from spending $80-$140!)

 

[sky12065]

Assuming that my travel would have the same patterns they currently have and that my limitations would be the same and prices remained the same, (said laughing) I figured that before I could earn the 70,000 points we would need to travel to the west coast and back, both my wife and I would be around 100 years old and would probably have to travel in our coffins with the checked luggage. We won't have any carry on of course! :unsure: Besides it's highly likely somewhere along the line I would not make the 3 year rule.

Well again remember that you do have other ways to earn points, like the AGR credit card. If you buy gas with your credit card, then why not earn points for it.

Also, you don't have to set such lofty goals either. You already have a trip paid for right now for next year, a round trip. Would you be at all unhappy if you had been able to use 35,000 points for one direction and had to pay for the other? :unsure:

Or even if you can't muster 35,000, what's wrong with 20,000 so that you can get as far as say ABQ without paying. Then pay for the rest of the journey from there, and back home. Or as Alice suggested, use the points if you're coming down to NYP for some reason. It doesn't really matter what, but you might as well try IMHO. Even if you transfer them out to a hotel, or use them to buy a relative/friend a ticket on a short haul. Personally I haven't met too many people who argue with the word "free".

Or imagine having the ability to have a loved one get a free ticket from NYP up to your town, because it's cheaper for them to fly into LGA or NWK, by comparison to ALB. I could go on and on. What more can I say beyond "it's free?"

Why do they say there has to be two different reservations? My trip next year is a single reservation for two in the H room.

Where do they say that? In what context? :unsure: I don't understand.

I have already made, paid and had my tickets printed for next years travel. The trip is from ALB > CHI > LAX > PDX > CHI > ALB Using LSL, SWC, CS & EB. I know it's 2 pts. per $1 spent but if I do join within 90 days does this trip get recorded and how?

Wait until you are within 90 days of that trip, then sign up online for AGR. You'll get your number immediately, even though you won't get the card right away. Then pick up the phone and call Amtrak, get an agent on the other end, and tell them that you need to add your AGR number and hopefully even your wife's. It may take her even longer to accumulate enough useful points, but again why not try? It doesn't cost you anything to try.

Are there 4 zones and why is the NEC zone shown within the east zone?

The NEC zone applies only when your trip starts and finishes within the NEC zone. Otherwise, there are only three zones when you are traveling within the rest of the country.

I may have further questions later, but this will help me get started in understanding the program.

Ask away. That's why we're here.

Alan, thanks for your reply! We use a debit card and I'm not too keen on getting another credit card, but it's a consideration!

On "lofty goals" remarks, are you saying that we could use partial points in our trip next year (alb-lax, lax-pdx, pdx-alb) and how are you restricted. i.e. you pay to ABQ by points because that leg is within zones 1 & 2 the pay cash for the rest of the trip?

You find "two different reservations" on the Redeem page. It states:

"Now, you can book most reward trips through Amtrak.com. (Two reservations are required for roundtrip travel. Sleeping accommodations and travel requiring connecting trains are not currently redeemable online. Blackouts apply to reward travel)."

I'm not sure exactly what this means! One reservation for me and one for my wife? One reservation going and one returning? And wouldn't that result in higher bucket prices than it would as a single reservation?

You saying I need to get two memberships, one for myself and another for my wife and from what you said separately, if we both had accounts would I be able to apply my points to her tickets/reservation?

It's late and I'm tired, so I hope I asked my questions clearly! Again thanks!

 

[AlanB]

Alan, thanks for your reply! We use a debit card and I'm not too keen on getting another credit card, but it's a consideration!

And that's fine, one certainly doesn't need to get another credit card if one doesn't want to. It's just a thought and a way to earn more points faster. If one can pay off the credit card in full each month, then it is a good idea. If one can't, then not so much.

On "lofty goals" remarks, are you saying that we could use partial points in our trip next year (alb-lax, lax-pdx, pdx-alb) and how are you restricted. i.e. you pay to ABQ by points because that leg is within zones 1 & 2 the pay cash for the rest of the trip?

Yes, that's basically what I'm saying. You could call up AGR and say, "I want an award from ALB to ABQ". As soon as that's done and you know what car you're in, call up Amtrak and book and pay for that same H room from ABQ to LAX. You'll have saved a fair amount of money by doing that. You'll still have to book yet a third reservation to get you back home from LAX and pay for that. But again, if you paid say $1,500 for your round trip next year, would you object to paying $850 for that same trip?

You find "two different reservations" on the Redeem page. It states:
"Now, you can book most reward trips through Amtrak.com. (Two reservations are required for roundtrip travel. Sleeping accommodations and travel requiring connecting trains are not currently redeemable online. Blackouts apply to reward travel)."

I'm not sure exactly what this means! One reservation for me and one for my wife? One reservation going and one returning? And wouldn't that result in higher bucket prices than it would as a single reservation?

Actually it means all of the above. You need one award per person and one award outbound and one to return. But remember you can only book coach awards online. Sleeper awards can only be booked by calling up AGR and sleeper awards are where the best bang for you buck typically is. With a sleeper award, you use points to pay for the room itself. Tickets are included for however many passengers are in your party, up to the rooms capacity. So in your case, one award would get you tickets for both you and your wife in the H room.

So again, collect 15,000 points and you've got a free trip to Florida for both of you. Collect 20,000 and you guys can travel as far west as ABQ, Denver, and so on in the H room and of course 35,000 get both of you to the west coast. You'll still have to deal with your return, whether that's paid for or via another award.

You saying I need to get two memberships, one for myself and another for my wife and from what you said separately, if we both had accounts would I be able to apply my points to her tickets/reservation?

Yes, you should both apply and get an account. AGR doesn't offer any joint accounts, sadly, but there is no reason that she can't collect points either. Her total won't grow as fast as your total, because she'll only earn points on the railfare that you pay for her, whereas you'll be earning points on both your railfare and the accomodations charge for the H room.

And yes, if you use your points for a H room, that covers her too as long as you tell AGR at the time you book the award that she'll be with you. You can't add her to the room later on, at least easily. So always tell AGR at the time of booking that she'll be with you.

That said, just like I mentioned earlier, if she needed to go to NYC for example and without you, you could gift her a free ticket if she hadn't yet earned enough points through her own account. And if she ever does get enough points, then she can reserve the H room and bring you along.

 

[AlanB]

You find "two different reservations" on the Redeem page. It states:
"Now, you can book most reward trips through Amtrak.com. (Two reservations are required for roundtrip travel. Sleeping accommodations and travel requiring connecting trains are not currently redeemable online. Blackouts apply to reward travel)."

I'm not sure exactly what this means! One reservation for me and one for my wife? One reservation going and one returning? And wouldn't that result in higher bucket prices than it would as a single reservation?

I realized that I forgot to address the second part of your question above Joe, sorry.

Amtrak does not charge extra for a single trip vs. a round trip. If you book ALB to LAX on one reservation and book your return on a seperate reservation, you will not pay anything more than if you had booked it as a round trip.

Now if you book one reservation from ALB to CHI and then a second one from CHI to LAX, then you'll pay more than if you had booked just one reservation. But in the case that I provided earlier, where you used points to get from ALB to ABQ, the price from ABQ to LAX will still be cheaper than paying for the entire trip ALB - LAX.

Hope that helps.

 

[sky12065]

You find "two different reservations" on the Redeem page. It states:
"Now, you can book most reward trips through Amtrak.com. (Two reservations are required for roundtrip travel. Sleeping accommodations and travel requiring connecting trains are not currently redeemable online. Blackouts apply to reward travel)."

I'm not sure exactly what this means! One reservation for me and one for my wife? One reservation going and one returning? And wouldn't that result in higher bucket prices than it would as a single reservation?

I realized that I forgot to address the second part of your question above Joe, sorry.

Amtrak does not charge extra for a single trip vs. a round trip. If you book ALB to LAX on one reservation and book your return on a seperate reservation, you will not pay anything more than if you had booked it as a round trip.

Now if you book one reservation from ALB to CHI and then a second one from CHI to LAX, then you'll pay more than if you had booked just one reservation. But in the case that I provided earlier, where you used points to get from ALB to ABQ, the price from ABQ to LAX will still be cheaper than paying for the entire trip ALB - LAX.

Hope that helps.

Alan, you've been very helpful so far. Thanks! I've been exploring the AGR site and am slowly picking some knowledge. Right now I am still a bit confused about exactly how I would go about making the reservations. I seem to pickup on information that later seems to conflict with other information I've picked up. Perhaps it may be because I haven't experienced using the AGR yet!

As I think about the how to go about planning and reserving, questions and/or confusion seems to take hold of me. I'll try to explain as best I can by the following questions.

Using my reservation I currently have locked in and paid for by cash and vouchers!

[ALB>CHI] [CHI>LAX] [LAX>PDX] [PDX>ALB]

I have 20,000 points

• Am I going to make 3 reservations; 1) ALB>ABQ... 2) ABQ>LAX... 3) LAX>PDX>ALB?
  
• What's my first step, call AGR to redeem points then call Julie to make the actual reservations?
  
• Do I make coach seats reservations before calling Julie? I seemed to get that understanding from the website but it doesn't make sense!
  
• Can customer service make sure that my entire itinery including H rooms are available and give me a total price prior to the actual processing of the 3 individual reservations are processed? This assumes I explained to the agent up front about the using of the 20,000 AGR points. Seems like it would be a difficult process if I can't!
  

Funny, but even before your answers it seems to have helped my understand the process better just by writing up my questions! Anyway, I'm beginning to believe that I will get this AGR thing figured out... eventually and sign us up! Thanks again for all your help; your a good man Charlie Brown!

 

[AlanB]

Using my reservation I currently have locked in and paid for by cash and vouchers! [ALB>CHI] [CHI>LAX] [LAX>PDX] [PDX>ALB]

I have 20,000 points

Am I going to make 3 reservations; 1) ALB>ABQ... 2) ABQ>LAX... 3) LAX>PDX>ALB?

No, using your current reservation listed above, if you had 20,000 points at the time you were booking this trip, you would have called AGR to book ALB-ABQ. Then you would have called the regular Amtrak number to book the rest on a second reservation, while requesting that they put you into the same H room ABQ-LAX as AGR put you into ALB-ABQ.

You could also have opted to just hold onto 5,000 points and used 15,000 to book LAX-PDX. That however would have then given you three reservations, as you'd have called Amtrak for ALB-LAX and PDX-ALB. I don't think that Amtrak could have put that onto one reservation with the leg between LAX-PDX missing. Maybe they can, but still doesn't really matter if it's two or three reservations, it's only two phone calls.

What's my first step, call AGR to redeem points then call Julie to make the actual reservations?

First step is to call AGR and book the portion of the journey that you have enough points for, or whichever segment you decide it make sense to use the points for. As in my example of only using 15,000 points to go LAX-PDX. Regardless, AGR handles the entire process for the "free" segment. They setup everything for you.

Then you call the regular Amtrak number to handle all the paid segments.

Do I make coach seats reservations before calling Julie? I seemed to get that understanding from the website but it doesn't make sense!

No, do not make coach reservations unless you want to go in coach. If you want a sleeper, then you call AGR and they take care of everything. The coach section on the AGR site is for those who only want a coach ticket and nothing more.

Can customer service make sure that my entire itinery including H rooms are available and give me a total price prior to the actual processing of the 3 individual reservations are processed? This assumes I explained to the agent up front about the using of the 20,000 AGR points. Seems like it would be a difficult process if I can't!

Yes, CS should be able to make sure that everything you want to do is doable. They could probably even make the basic reservations for the paid segment first, without your actually paying for it at that moment, so as to hold onto the bulk of the journey for you until you can complete the call with AGR. And the regular Amtrak agent should be able to tell you which car they put you into for the paid portion of the trip, namely ABQ-LAX. Then when you call AGR, make sure to tell them that you need that car and the H room in that car from CHI-ABQ. Of course it won't matter what car they put you into on the LSL.

Thanks again for all your help; your a good man Charlie Brown!

Thanks! That's why they pay me the big bucks. NOT!

 

[sky12065]

Yes, CS should be able to make sure that everything you want to do is doable. They could probably even make the basic reservations for the paid segment first, without your actually paying for it at that moment, so as to hold onto the bulk of the journey for you until you can complete the call with AGR. And the regular Amtrak agent should be able to tell you which car they put you into for the paid portion of the trip, namely ABQ-LAX. Then when you call AGR, make sure to tell them that you need that car and the H room in that car from CHI-ABQ. Of course it won't matter what car they put you into on the LSL.

OK, let me see if I got this right:

• Call Julie at CS
  
• Ask the CS Rep for an availability check on my entire round trip plan, explaining that I plan on paying for the ALB>ABQ portion of the trip by Reward Points.
  
• If all is available, proceed to make my Leg 2 reservation from ABQ>LAX>PDX>ALB and opt for the 10 day grace to make the payment.
  
• Then I make my call to AGR and arrange my Leg 1 reservation from ALB>ABQ explaining that I need to complement the other schedule and give the AGR Rep. the schedule I need to link up with and/or the SWC's date out of CHI and actual H room number that I need to link with.
  
• Can you pay AGR for the other reservation on hold? If not then call back Julie to make the payment for Leg 2 reservation.
  
• Present the two reservation numbers at the station on the day of departure and most importantly, get on the train! 8)
  

By Jove... I think I'm getting it! B)

 

[AlanB]

OK, let me see if I got this right:

• Call Julie at CS
  
• Ask the CS Rep for an availability check on my entire round trip plan, explaining that I plan on paying for the ALB>ABQ portion of the trip by Reward Points.
  
• If all is available, proceed to make my Leg 2 reservation from ABQ>LAX>PDX>ALB and opt for the 10 day grace to make the payment.
  
• Then I make my call to AGR and arrange my Leg 1 reservation from ALB>ABQ explaining that I need to complement the other schedule and give the AGR Rep. the schedule I need to link up with and/or the SWC's date out of CHI and actual H room number that I need to link with.
  
• Can you pay AGR for the other reservation on hold? If not then call back Julie to make the payment for Leg 2 reservation.
  
• Present the two reservation numbers at the station on the day of departure and most importantly, get on the train! 8)
  

By Jove... I think I'm getting it! B)

Sounds good to me. Technically you could even pay for the paid reservation section during the first phone call. The main reason that I suggested otherwise was just in case something goes wrong on the AGR side, it would make it a bit easier to cancel/change the paid side. But either way would work.

And no, AGR cannot accept payment for the paid reservation. AGR is not actually run by Amtrak; it's a private company under contract with Amtrak to administer AGR. Therefore they can't do anything outside of their realm, which is basically tracking the points and giving out awards.

Ps. Since all this AGR info has nothing really to do with the original topic, I'm going to seperate all the AGR posts out of this thread and move them to a seperate topic over in the AGR forum later tonight. So what for that move please.

 

[sky12065]

OK, let me see if I got this right:

• Call Julie at CS
  
• Ask the CS Rep for an availability check on my entire round trip plan, explaining that I plan on paying for the ALB>ABQ portion of the trip by Reward Points.
  
• If all is available, proceed to make my Leg 2 reservation from ABQ>LAX>PDX>ALB and opt for the 10 day grace to make the payment.
  
• Then I make my call to AGR and arrange my Leg 1 reservation from ALB>ABQ explaining that I need to complement the other schedule and give the AGR Rep. the schedule I need to link up with and/or the SWC's date out of CHI and actual H room number that I need to link with.
  
• Can you pay AGR for the other reservation on hold? If not then call back Julie to make the payment for Leg 2 reservation.
  
• Present the two reservation numbers at the station on the day of departure and most importantly, get on the train! 8)
  

By Jove... I think I'm getting it! B)

Sounds good to me. Technically you could even pay for the paid reservation section during the first phone call. The main reason that I suggested otherwise was just in case something goes wrong on the AGR side, it would make it a bit easier to cancel/change the paid side. But either way would work.

And no, AGR cannot accept payment for the paid reservation. AGR is not actually run by Amtrak; it's a private company under contract with Amtrak to administer AGR. Therefore they can't do anything outside of their realm, which is basically tracking the points and giving out awards.

Ps. Since all this AGR info has nothing really to do with the original topic, I'm going to seperate all the AGR posts out of this thread and move them to a seperate topic over in the AGR forum later tonight. So what for that move please.

I've entered the date to join AGR on my calendar for next year!

 

[AlanB]

I've entered the date to join AGR on my calendar for next year!

Good for you, might as well try and get some benefit out of things. Like I said before, I've never seen anyone argue with the word free.

And even if you don't want to head down the credit card road, and I'll tell you right now that I don't have one myself, do look into staying at Hilton Family hotels, Choice family hotels, Hyatt family, and Windham family hotels as all will give you AGR points for your stay if you join their programs. Hilton has given me thousands of points that more than paid for one trip on Amtrak. Granted you may not see as many hotels in one year as I do, but when you do see one, might as well try to earn some points if at all possible. And there is a considerable price point range for throughout the list above when you factor in the various hotel lines within a family.

 

[Tony]

Just to add, if you have multiple reservations (separate paid and AGR) for your one trip, Amtrak only guarantees connections if you need to change trains when each train is on the same, one, reservation.

 

[the_traveler]

For things like paying for a hotel, that may be true, but I had an experience a few weeks back that is the opposite.

I was on a SJ from BFD-SAC on an AGR award and then had a paid segment SAC-PDX. The SJ was held up by a freight outside of Lodi for about 1 hour and got to SAC late. Because that SJ is a guaranteed connection to the CS, and there were many others connecting, they held the CS for our arrival. By the time everyone boarded, the CS departed over 30 minutes late.

So if other paid riders are connecting, they may hold the connecting train or provide a bus-titution for you also.

 

[Tony]

But if you do miss the connection, I don't think Amtrak will pay for a room/meals for the night with separate reservations.

There might also be the practical part of this, with separate reservations, Amtrak doesn't really know you are making a connection.

 

[Trogdor]

Just to add, if you have multiple reservations (separate paid and AGR) for your one trip, Amtrak only guarantees connections if you need to change trains when each train is on the same, one, reservation.

Not true.

I've known people who made two separate reservations for different trains, and misconnected, and had Amtrak reaccommodate them.

If you call Amtrak (800-872-7245), you can ask them to put a note on the reservation that you'll be connecting to a different train on a different reservation.

 

[Tony]

Not true.
I've known people who made two separate reservations for different trains, and misconnected, and had Amtrak reaccommodate them.

Did Amtrak do that simply as a courtesy? Did Amtrak specifically say they were only doing it because these people had a guaranteed connection?

AMTRAK DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR INCONVENIENCE, EXPENSE OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM ERRORS IN ITS TIMETABLE, SHORTAGES OF EQUIPMENT OR DELAYED TRAINS, EXCEPT WHEN SUCH A DELAY CAUSES A PASSENGER TO MISS A GUARANTEED CONNECTION. When a guaranteed connection is missed, Amtrak will provide alternate transportation on Amtrak, another carrier, or overnight hotel accommodations at Amtrak’s discretion.

 

[Trogdor]

Not true.
I've known people who made two separate reservations for different trains, and misconnected, and had Amtrak reaccommodate them.

Did Amtrak do that simply as a courtesy? Did Amtrak specifically say they were only doing it because these people had a guaranteed connection?

AMTRAK DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR INCONVENIENCE, EXPENSE OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM ERRORS IN ITS TIMETABLE, SHORTAGES OF EQUIPMENT OR DELAYED TRAINS, EXCEPT WHEN SUCH A DELAY CAUSES A PASSENGER TO MISS A GUARANTEED CONNECTION. When a guaranteed connection is missed, Amtrak will provide alternate transportation on Amtrak, another carrier, or overnight hotel accommodations at Amtrak’s discretion.

It was a guaranteed connection. It just happened to be on two separate reservations.

The person in question had a ticket on the Lake Shore Limited, and, before boarding in New York, bought a ticket for the next day's Empire Builder out of Chicago (a guaranteed connection). They were two separate reservations, but because he was holding a ticket for the connection, Amtrak had to accommodate him when the Lake Shore arrived many hours late into Chicago.

 

[sky12065]

You saying I need to get two memberships, one for myself and another for my wife and from what you said separately, if we both had accounts would I be able to apply my points to her tickets/reservation?

Yes, you should both apply and get an account. AGR doesn't offer any joint accounts, sadly, but there is no reason that she can't collect points either. Her total won't grow as fast as your total, because she'll only earn points on the railfare that you pay for her, whereas you'll be earning points on both your railfare and the accomodations charge for the H room.

And yes, if you use your points for a H room, that covers her too as long as you tell AGR at the time you book the award that she'll be with you. You can't add her to the room later on, at least easily. So always tell AGR at the time of booking that she'll be with you.

That said, just like I mentioned earlier, if she needed to go to NYC for example and without you, you could gift her a free ticket if she hadn't yet earned enough points through her own account. And if she ever does get enough points, then she can reserve the H room and bring you along.

I have another few questions on the above information.

Our reservations for this summer in an H room cost $1994.95 total after travel vouchers, and of that amount my wifes rail fair is $392.70.

Question 1: If my wife does not apply for GR, will her rail fair be deducted then the points calculated on $1602.05 and we'll lose getting the points on the $392.70?

Question 2: If my wife does apply for the GR, will the points definitely be respectively split between the two GR accounts based on the individual amounts or (not kowing the answer to Question 1 yet) can they all be applied to just my account?

If I cannot claim her rail miles then I see little use for her to have an account as it will take forever and a month of Sundays for her to have accumulation enough to redeem anything worthwhile... unless of course there are considereable bonus points and/or she purchases points, and then it will still might take several months of Sundays without the forever!

 

[RRrich]

When I buy tickets for wifey and myself, I typically sign in at Amtrak.com and it lists me first for shared accommodations (bedrooms) and her and I separately for coach or B/C. Everything goes on my AGR card.

I get all the purchase points (2 points/$) and we each get rail points for the $spent for mileage.

Wifey's AGR points are credited to HER account which is growing a heck of a lot more slowly than mine but its better than a poke in the eye ........

 

[PRR 60]

...Our reservations for this summer in an H room cost $1994.95 total after travel vouchers, and of that amount my wifes rail fair is $392.70.
Question 1: If my wife does not apply for GR, will her rail fair be deducted then the points calculated on $1602.05 and we'll lose getting the points on the $392.70?

Yes, you will get the points for your ticket value (your rail fare and the accommodation charge), and if your wife does not hold an AGR account, the rail fare on her ticket ($392.70) will not earn points. I don't like that set-up, but it is what it is.

Question 2: If my wife does apply for the GR, will the points definitely be respectively split between the two GR accounts based on the individual amounts or (not kowing the answer to Question 1 yet) can they all be applied to just my account?

The points will only be applied to the accounts on each ticket. There is no option to have them all applied to one account.

If I cannot claim her rail miles then I see little use for her to have an account as it will take forever and a month of Sundays for her to have accumulation enough to redeem anything worthwhile... unless of course there are considereable bonus points and/or she purchases points, and then it will still might take several months of Sundays without the forever!

It might still be worth while the small effort to open an account for her. You could have hotel, retail, and maybe even credit card point assigned to her account. Even if you never get the opportunity to grow her account to a balance worth redeeming, it costs nothing. Many years ago a United Airlines agent suggested I open Mileage Plus accounts for our kids (then ages 4 and 9). I thought it was silly, but I took her advice. Four years, several flights, and some big bonus programs later, the kids paid for their own round trips to Australia with their miles. You never know, and it's free.