Brand New to AGR...

[Brido99]

...and to the AU site. Greetings all!

Just signed up for AGR last week. Hadn't ridden Amtrak in 10 years, but the idea is to accumulate enough points for either a trip or an upgrade for my anniversary this year.

Did a 2x round-trip points run this weekend, on a route that is literally less than 5 minutes long. Never saw a crew member on any of the trains. Thought nothing of it until a friend told me today that you don't actually "GET" the points until/unless you are "scanned by the conductor.

I have the tickets/numbers/etc. Will AGR give me a break and let me have the points? Or am I out of luck? Many thanks...

 

[abcnews]

Yes - no problem, just call AGR with the reservation number, or mail them the tickets. You can also use the ticket again for a future trip, or maybe receive the full credit towards a future trip - if the tickets were never scanned. It's like a gift card in a way. Just use on a future Amtrak purchase.

 

[Brido99]

Thanks, and you were so right! Just hung up with AGR and they were great. Although they did tell me they were making a "one-time exception", they agreed to put the points into my account. And were really nice about it.

Anybody else ever talked with an agent named Liesel? Funny, efficient, and a real pro.

 

[Shortline]

As a new AGR member, one thing I can tell you, is the fastest way to earn points is not on the train-I pull in around 70,000 points a year, and only about 4000 or so is from actual rail travel!

If you travel for work, Hilton can earn AGR points if you choose to double dip as your earning preference. The online shopping portal, can also earn a lot, though you usually have to fight to get them to post them up-I'm waiting on around 3000 points from best buy now....Flowers tend to post well, from 1-800 flowers. Hertz rental car gives 200 pts/day, at least for now during their promotion, which seems to have been going on now for at least a year or so. There are a few credit cards that work well, the AGR MasterCard is good, but in retrospect, I wish I had gone with (and still might switch to) the Chase sapphire preferred card, so I could use points at AGR, or other rewards programs, without being pigeonholed into AGR points. Between all those things, and other earnings methods on the AGR site, if you're creative, you can rack up points faster than you can use them, especially if you are a road warrior at work!

 

[Brido99]

Thanks for the tips, Shortline! I was a flight attendant for 20 years, so of course lived on the road. But we couldn't get points from most hotels, since it was at a special rate. Stay close to home these days for work...

Do the points you're talking about count toward tiers? Trying to head toward higher levels. And 4 R/Ts at 6 or 12 bucks each every week for a 5 minute ride seems like a good way to get there. Don't need a new credit card. Quick, easy, cheap round trips plus referrals seems like my best bet right now.

But I will keep researching and looking for good advice from folks like you. Like I said, I hadn't ridden Amtrak in years, and am brand new to the program. So I know I have lots to learn. Just hoping to be somewhere "useful" in time for my anniversary late this year.

Thanks again!

 

[the_traveler]

Only the points earned for actually traveling on Amtrak is counted for elite status. Points earned from partners (hotels, credit card, shopping, etc...) do not count.

Your tickets must be collected or scanned in order to receive credit. And contrary to what the previous poster said, you can not use the tickets again. If the tickets were e-tickets, if the route is a reserved train (the Capitol Corridor is one of the very few that is unreserved), if the ticket is not scanned or collected, all future segments on that reservation are cancelled!

If your tickets are not scanned, seek out a conductor as you get off.

 

[Brido99]

Thank you the_traveler! That's the advice I got from AGR today, too. FIND SOMEONE to scan the tickets!

AGR is sort of odd. Every airline FF program I've belonged to has had the rules and regulations clearly spelled out. AGR is nebulous, at best. But I will do what I can to navigate it, and am happy to be involved in the program and this community.

Thanks again for everyone's help!

 

[Brido99]

Yikes. I'm showing up as "Guest". Got signed out and not sure why. Learning, folks! Bear with me, and thanks again...

 

[the_traveler]

AGR is sort of odd.

Yes, it is odd! And that's why I love it!
Unlike airline FFPs, if there is a seat or room on the train, you can redeem an award for it. Even if it's the last seat or room. And the redemption rate is the same!

 

[Brido99]

Do you mean redemption rate is the same whether it is 3 months in advance or the day before? Teach me, oh Guest Rewards guru!

 

[printman2000]

Do you mean redemption rate is the same whether it is 3 months in advance or the day before? Teach me, oh Guest Rewards guru!

Yes, that is correct.

 

[the_traveler]

It's the same award level rate, no matter if you make your reservation 9 months in advance, 9 weeks in advance, 9 days in advance or 9 hours in advance! And like I said, even the last room on the train. A few years ago, I had an award that included 4 trains - and I got the last room on 2 different trains!

 

[PRR 60]

Yes - no problem, just call AGR with the reservation number, or mail them the tickets. You can also use the ticket again for a future trip, or maybe receive the full credit towards a future trip - if the tickets were never scanned. It's like a gift card in a way. Just use on a future Amtrak purchase.

No longer. Unscanned tickets are now considered "no shows." The ticket value is forfeited: no refund, no eVoucher.

 

[jebr]

Yes - no problem, just call AGR with the reservation number, or mail them the tickets. You can also use the ticket again for a future trip, or maybe receive the full credit towards a future trip - if the tickets were never scanned. It's like a gift card in a way. Just use on a future Amtrak purchase.

No longer. Unscanned tickets are now considered "no shows." The ticket value is forfeited: no refund, no eVoucher.

I thought that started March 1.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[the_traveler]

Even if it is, you can't ethically take a trip, get credit for that trip and then use that same ticket for another trip!

 

[Brido99]

Thanks to all for your help, suggestions, and advice! I'd never do anything unethical. Just trying to get the system down.

Many thanks, again.

 

[tomfuller]

If you do online shopping, go through the AGR portal to get to your shopping site. I shopped at shoebuy dot com for an amazing 12 points per dollar. They have many things other than shoes/boots.

Next month I take my first trip in a roomette from Arizona to Oregon on AGR points.

 

[Ryan]

AGR is sort of odd. Every airline FF program I've belonged to has had the rules and regulations clearly spelled out. AGR is nebulous, at best.

AGR's are as well. What do you think is nebulous?

Do the points you're talking about count toward tiers? Trying to head toward higher levels. And 4 R/Ts at 6 or 12 bucks each every week for a 5 minute ride seems like a good way to get there. Don't need a new credit card. Quick, easy, cheap round trips plus referrals seems like my best bet right now.

Points from referrals won't help there. What exactly are you hoping to get out of the the higher tiers?

 

[jim]

Yes - no problem, just call AGR with the reservation number, or mail them the tickets. You can also use the ticket again for a future trip, or maybe receive the full credit towards a future trip - if the tickets were never scanned. It's like a gift card in a way. Just use on a future Amtrak purchase.

No longer. Unscanned tickets are now considered "no shows." The ticket value is forfeited: no refund, no eVoucher.

That policy indeed goes into effect March 1st.......however, this month I've had 4 individual reservations in the NE in a few days that I had to skip. After a few days I called the refunds dept to check on my evouchers. Turns out 4 separate tickets had been lifted using the "lift ALL" function. The refunds agent was very insistent about the new policy.......but didn't seem to be aware that it doesn't go into effect until 3/1. It took a bit of effort to get my vouchers. As for the lift all function, I don't see any real reason crews won't just use it consistently going forward.

Obviously starting on 3/1, a no show is a no show, but until then, for anybody just assuming you'll get the evoucher if you have to skip the train, try to cancel online ahead of time. It seems at least some personnel at Amtrak are already getting into the swing of things.

 

[PRR 60]

Yes - no problem, just call AGR with the reservation number, or mail them the tickets. You can also use the ticket again for a future trip, or maybe receive the full credit towards a future trip - if the tickets were never scanned. It's like a gift card in a way. Just use on a future Amtrak purchase.

No longer. Unscanned tickets are now considered "no shows." The ticket value is forfeited: no refund, no eVoucher.

That policy indeed goes into effect March 1st.......however, this month I've had 4 individual reservations in the NE in a few days that I had to skip. After a few days I called the refunds dept to check on my evouchers. Turns out 4 separate tickets had been lifted using the "lift ALL" function. The refunds agent was very insistent about the new policy.......but didn't seem to be aware that it doesn't go into effect until 3/1. It took a bit of effort to get my vouchers. As for the lift all function, I don't see any real reason crews won't just use it consistently going forward.
Obviously starting on 3/1, a no show is a no show, but until then, for anybody just assuming you'll get the evoucher if you have to skip the train, try to cancel online ahead of time. It seems at least some personnel at Amtrak are already getting into the swing of things.

They started the "lift all" in the NEC in November. March 1 is the official date, but in every practical sense, the policy is in effect now.

 

[jebr]

Yes - no problem, just call AGR with the reservation number, or mail them the tickets. You can also use the ticket again for a future trip, or maybe receive the full credit towards a future trip - if the tickets were never scanned. It's like a gift card in a way. Just use on a future Amtrak purchase.

No longer. Unscanned tickets are now considered "no shows." The ticket value is forfeited: no refund, no eVoucher.

That policy indeed goes into effect March 1st.......however, this month I've had 4 individual reservations in the NE in a few days that I had to skip. After a few days I called the refunds dept to check on my evouchers. Turns out 4 separate tickets had been lifted using the "lift ALL" function. The refunds agent was very insistent about the new policy.......but didn't seem to be aware that it doesn't go into effect until 3/1. It took a bit of effort to get my vouchers. As for the lift all function, I don't see any real reason crews won't just use it consistently going forward.
Obviously starting on 3/1, a no show is a no show, but until then, for anybody just assuming you'll get the evoucher if you have to skip the train, try to cancel online ahead of time. It seems at least some personnel at Amtrak are already getting into the swing of things.

They started the "lift all" in the NEC in November. March 1 is the official date, but in every practical sense, the policy is in effect now.

Wait, what?

So they're implementing a policy to just pull everyone's ticket without actually checking them? What purpose at all does that serve?

There are at least a few things wrong with this:

-What about people with flexible fares that can be refunded after-the-fact if they don't take the trip? What about business class?

-What about people traveling who don't pay? If there's a no-show and a person who wants a free ride, they'll cancel out and the person will get a free ride (instead of paying for it.)

-What about accurate head counts for ridership figures?

-What about accurate head counts in case of an emergency?

-What if a train is extremely late (2+ hours) and a customer wants to invoke that clause to get a refund? I think that only applies if you don't travel at all (if you travel, you have to call in to Customer Relations and negotiate a travel voucher.)

All for what benefit? The system should be able to just not issue a refund after-the-fact if someone has a value fare.

 

[Blackwolf]

Sounds like a good use of those Gate Dragons would be, instead of just useless power-tripping, to actively scan and lift tickets as people file through the door and onto the platform.

 

[amamba]

If they are doing "lift-all" on the NEC, dies that mean that I can book my PVD acela tix starting in Pvd again for the 500 points? I've been afraid bc worry that the tix will cancel if the do t get scanned between rte and PVD

 

[the_traveler]

I'm not sure, but I think the "lift all" means all tickets from a city are "scanned" by the push of a button. Thus when the BOS/BBY/RTE are "lifted", by the time you board in PVD it will already have been "scanned"! But I may be wrong about that - if wrong, please correct me.

 

[jim]

I just got off 67 NWK-PHL. About 20 mins out of PHL, I went to the cafe and asked the conductor to scan my ticket. I'm assuming it was already scanned with lift all, but wanted to be sure since I'm shooting for some free NER trips with current promotion.

One good thing if they always use lift all, is I guess one could do a points run without travelling. I spent a couple evenings in December on 10 minute keystone rides to hit status. Would have loved to just buy the tier points instead!