An AGR Discussion from the Amtrak Forum

[the_traveler]

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!

If your wife dies not yet have her own AGR account, if you refer her to AGR and she travels within 90 days of signing up (even ALB-SDY :lol: ), she will earn a 500 point bonus and you will also earn an additional 500 point bonus!

It may seem silly to have her sign up and not earn many points, but here's an example:

A few years ago, I traveled KIN-ATL with my sister in a roomette. I forget the amounts, but I got points for my rail fare and the roomettes, so I earned something like 1,500 points. My sister only got points for the rail fare, so she only got something like 300 points. With some other travel, her balance was something like 4,500 points last month. She redeemed for an AGR award from KIN-WIL for 3,000 points last month!

 

[RailFanLNK]

Not being an AGR member when you travel is just not right! :blink: I (and my girlfriend) started in AGR in 2006 and 2007 repspectively. We have "worked" it and saved our points. We have watched for "double point" promos etc. We have used the AGR mall extensively. We have used our AGR cards so much that her kids will say, "can we get points on the AGR card for this?" :lol: (like buying cars etc) We redeemed our points for a trip fron LNK (NE) to NYC and WAS. I also have redeemed points for a RT to Chicago and also she has redeemed points for our return trip from BOS for the Gathering next year. I recently wanted to renew Pro Football Weekly magazine. I had it for 4 years but didn't read it all that much. When the subscription ended, well.....I missed it! Lo and behold Magazines.Com or something like that is a new vendor on the AGR Mall. I think I recieved 1600 points for purchasing it through them and the subscription cost was the same if I would have just gone through PFW. Dude...use the mall, Christmas shop on the mall and work the crap out of it. Do not buy things you don't need, but use the card! I recently saw my points by 3000 points. All due to the Magazines.Com purchase and for the double points added to the double points I had already acrued for the trip to the October gathering in LA. Wallah! I checked my account and the $1000 I had used to pay off the AGR CC along with the other points, it was like a 4,000 point jump.

 

[the_traveler]

I agree with using the card. I was stupid :angry: and just got the AGR credit card a few months back! When I got recent statement, I realized how stupid I've been!

We are a group of 4 adults living together. I use the card for almost everything, but most of it was for "luxuries" like food from the market for dinner or gas for the cars. But some was for necessaries - like Amtrak travel! :lol: On a recent statement, I earned 2,888 AGR points! And that was just 1 month - multiply that by 12 months, and that is a free trip! B)

And with Amtrak's liberal redemption policies, it is very easy to get that free trip!

 

[sky12065]

Thanks to all for the answers and for other helpful information. Obviously there's much more to this than one could ever figure out through the AGR website!

Now, I'm gettng so excited by the AGR idea that I think I'll start planning on a distant future Amtrak trip with Traveler's sister to a place that PRR60 mentioned.... Australia! :huh:

Sorry guys, with having just posted my 666th message, I have to blame the devil for my last statement. And RRich, if your comment influences Traveler's sister and I get a poke in the eye for dragging her into this, I'll blame you for the black eye! Make sure your liability policy is paid up! :lol:

 

[Ryan]

What a timely discussion!

Having returned from a round trip on the Auto Train this morning, I've discovered that I really, really, really like traveling in a sleeper. Also, the family really seemed to like the trip, so we were discussing the possibility of applying for the AGR card and hopefully piling up enough points for a trip every year or so (I'm already a member, so I'll get the rail points for this trip, but am really wishing that I had the credit card to have paid for the trip and get twice as many points). That discussion (and reading this thread) spawned 3 new questions that I'm sure you'll be able to answer.

1. It appears that there is no way to transfer points between members - true?

2. It appears that you get 5,000 points for signing up for the card, but that there was a promotion for 8,000 points that just expired - any chance that this is going to come back anytime soon?

3. I'm planning on a trip to Atlanta this September - if I earn select status sometime between when I book and when I travel, to I earn the 25% premium for the trip? (essentially, do you have to be select when you book or when you travel to get the bonus?)

Thanks!

 

[the_traveler]

1. It appears that there is no way to transfer points between members - true?2. It appears that you get 5,000 points for signing up for the card, but that there was a promotion for 8,000 points that just expired - any chance that this is going to come back anytime soon?

3. I'm planning on a trip to Atlanta this September - if I earn select status sometime between when I book and when I travel, to I earn the 25% premium for the trip? (essentially, do you have to be select when you book or when you travel to get the bonus?)

1. No. And all points have to come out of 1 AGR account only. (But see #2! ) Remember, if you sign up others, refer them before 3/31/09 and you will earn 500 bonus points if they sign up and travel within 90 days.

2. Not likely. (HINT: Sign up for the card and make the others authorized users. They will get their own cards, but all the points will go into one AGR account only! )

3. The select bonus is based on your travel date!

 

[sky12065]

Another question: If one earns the 5000 rail points to make select status, is that status permanent or does it expire and you have to earn another 5000 rail points again to during the next yearly period to retain it?

Update: Cancel this question. I just found the answer at http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?...st&p=142531

 

[AlanB]

Another question: If one earns the 5000 rail points to make select status, is that status permanent or does it expire and you have to earn another 5000 rail points again to during the next yearly period to retain it?

You need to earn 5,000 rail points each year to maintain Select status, it is not permenant.

 

[AlanB]

Update: Cancel this question. I just found the answer at http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?...st&p=142531

Too late, already answered.

 

[sky12065]

Update: Cancel this question. I just found the answer at http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?...st&p=142531

Too late, already answered.

You just gotta stop being so doggone fast in answering questions Alan! :lol:

 

[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.

I owe AlanB a big public thank you for having the patience to talk me into joining AGR starting last fall. He finally convinced me to join and two weeks ago I finally made the move and joined.

Today I received an offer on a large postcard from AGR that I couldn't refuse. It read "Had you joined Amtrak Guest Rewards a year ago, you would have earned 3142 pints on your last 4 trips. We want you to know it's not too late. If you join Amtrak Guest Rewards by April 30, 2009, we'll give you the 3142 points you missed. Etc."

Thinking it too good to be true I called AGR to confirm what I was told. The rep told me that I could still get the points even though I had already joined prior to receiving the notice, but I had to have the reservation no. or some information from my ticket. Thankfully I saved the stubs and also still had the email copy of my reservation for my trip last year. So she entered the reservation no. into my AGR account and I'll now be receiving the points.

This must be my day! My approved AGR Master Card also arrived today!

Now if that's no enough, I also learned a few days ago by studing the AGR site that I have a potential of earning give or take about 40,000 points in one shot! That's right... forty thousand points. However, I'm not gonna tell you how! I'll give a little time to see if anyone can guess how I can do it!

If there is any negative side it's that my wife went out about 3 weeks ago and purchased a new washer & dryer, stove and dish washer for the house we will be moving to soon. I'm still drying the tears over all the AGR points I've lost because we didn't have the AGR/CC yet. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though! We are planning on a refridg & wall mount m/w oven down the road when the mu-la replenishes itself!

Again, thanks Alan for cracking my thick skull! :wacko: :lol:

 

[AlanB]

Today I received an offer on a large postcard from AGR that I couldn't refuse. It read "Had you joined Amtrak Guest Rewards a year ago, you would have earned 3142 pints on your last 4 trips. We want you to know it's not too late. If you join Amtrak Guest Rewards by April 30, 2009, we'll give you the 3142 points you missed. Etc."
Thinking it too good to be true I called AGR to confirm what I was told. The rep told me that I could still get the points even though I had already joined prior to receiving the notice, but I had to have the reservation no. or some information from my ticket. Thankfully I saved the stubs and also still had the email copy of my reservation for my trip last year. So she entered the reservation no. into my AGR account and I'll now be receiving the points.

Wow, first time I've ever heard of that promotion. It must be new and how lucky for you to pick up those old points!

And you're welcome.

 

[sky12065]

Today I received an offer on a large postcard from AGR that I couldn't refuse. It read "Had you joined Amtrak Guest Rewards a year ago, you would have earned 3142 pints on your last 4 trips. We want you to know it's not too late. If you join Amtrak Guest Rewards by April 30, 2009, we'll give you the 3142 points you missed. Etc."
Thinking it too good to be true I called AGR to confirm what I was told. The rep told me that I could still get the points even though I had already joined prior to receiving the notice, but I had to have the reservation no. or some information from my ticket. Thankfully I saved the stubs and also still had the email copy of my reservation for my trip last year. So she entered the reservation no. into my AGR account and I'll now be receiving the points.

Wow, first time I've ever heard of that promotion. It must be new and how lucky for you to pick up those old points!

And you're welcome.

You're right about being lucky... at least for today. Not only all that but a couple of other things happened today that makes it an unbelievable day. Too bad I didn't buy a lottery ticket while I was out! :lol: