Buck-eye

[Guest]

I am looking to do a long two zone trip on my AGR points in a roommette but I want a friend to join me for a portion of that trip. For example both of us travel from NYP to TOL, he gets off and I continue to ABQ. Since the roommette redemption is for two people, is that doable? Anyone try it before.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

No problem. The redemption rate is the same for 1 or 2 people in a roomette. Just book the reward and tell the agent the name and portion that the second person is joining you, and you'll be all set.

 

[Bob Dylan]

LTR beat me to it, not a problem as he said! Nice trip!!

 

[the_traveler]

I have done this many times - with someone joining me for the 1st part of the trip, just the middle part or just the last part of the trip. Book him/her for the whole trip. As said, not a problem.

 

[willem]

Would it be possible to have one friend travel on part of one segment and a different friend travel on a different part of the same segment? on a part of a different segment?

 

[the_traveler]

Yes and no. If they look at the name on the reservation, John and Bob could pass for each other. However, that may not accept Andrea to pass for John - she could be challenged. Technically you can't, but 99% of the time it's no problem.

 

[willem]

Maybe I wasn't clear, or maybe I misunderstood. My starting point is the assertion that an AGR member can make a points reservation for a room (bedroom or roomette) and there is no increase in the number of points required to have a second occupant of the room. (Since I've done it, I'm confident in this assertion.) Also, I am asking about making legitimate reservations, not gaming the system or having a passenger fake an identity.

Could the second occupant change? For example, if I book a roomette from Chicago to Emeryville on the Empire Builder and Coast Starlight, could I have one person accompany me from Chicago to Portland and a different person accompany me from Portland to Emeryville? I would expect each second occupant would need an open sleeper ticket, since the AGR redemption would be Chicago-Portland-Emeryville and neither second occupant would use that itinerary. Thoughts?

A further nuance would have one or both second passengers start or end travel away from the segment end points. Would this be a problem?

 

[the_traveler]

The same second passenger name must be on the award from the start of the award to the end of the award. The only possible exception is to book to/from a border city. This may or may not work.

If a roomette award is used, a 3 zone award costs the same as a 1 zone award plus a 2 zone award. (35,000 vs 15,000 + 20,000) So if "John" wants to travel fron NYP to CHI or GBB and "Andrea" wants to go ABQ to LAX, you could book a 2 zone award with John and a 1 zone award with Andrea for the same 35,000 points. However if Andrea wants to go from KCY to LAX, both would need 2 zone awards and the total cost would be 40,000 points.

 

[willem]

Thanks for the clarification.