Current Point Balance / What you Saving For?

[lennyj17]

What's you're Current Point Balance and what are you Currently Saving Points for?

ME:

Balance - 24,837 points

Saving - I commute PHL to NYP 3-4 days a week, so I hoard my points to save me from paying Last Minute Walk-Up Fares, should I need to take another train other that I originally Scheduled. Hording my points and booking during the 14-day Advance Pricing comes out to a better deal for me than buying Monthlies or 10-Trips tickets.

 

[Anderson]

Balance: 120,403 (thank you Chase)

Saving: Two-fold answer. On the one hand, I'm not spending many points because I'm seriously gunning for SE+ (I did burn 20,000 on a two-round earlier this year, as well as on a "returned favor" leg for a friend who had "pointed" me a leg before) and that involves spending money. On the other hand, I'm also always saving for lengthy cross-country trips (i.e. Flagstaff, LA, etc.) or for short jaunts down to Florida.

 

[Misty.]

My current balance is 5,159. I'm not saving for anything in particular, but I'm making an S+ run myself (I'll save SE for when I get better money and more freedom to pick up and travel whenever. In the meantime, lounge access when I'm in the area of one is good enough for me).

 

[the_traveler]

I only have 131,368 AGR points!

I'm not really saving for anything special, but I hope to make as many Gatherings as possible. Sometimes the points come in handy. An example is this year, going to Chicago.

Normally I would not use a 2 zone award for such a short trip from New England to Chicago. However so many AU members (I assume) are on the LSL that day, when I booked the fare was $650+! Thus using a 2 zone award was feasible.

And having the AGR MasterCard and earning 500-2000 more points each month certainly helps.

 

[BCL]

What's you're Current Point Balance and what are you Currently Saving Points for?

ME:

Balance - 24,837 points

Saving - I commute PHL to NYP 3-4 days a week, so I hoard my points to save me from paying Last Minute Walk-Up Fares, should I need to take another train other that I originally Scheduled. Hording my points and booking during the 14-day Advance Pricing comes out to a better deal for me than buying Monthlies or 10-Trips tickets.

Seems to make sense for that purpose. I looked it up. $584 for a 10-ride when there some you could book some times right now for $51. However, I'm not sure how much more points you get. I took NYP-EXT about a month ago and got a whopping 104 AGR points (plus Double Days bonus). I suppose the deal is that a higher bucket fare could be about $90 and the 10-ride would allow for more flexibility.

Now if you consider what we deal with on Capitol Corridor. An example would be Berkeley to San Jose, which is $18 (always the same price except for weekend fare specials) or $110 for a 10 ride. The difference in AGR points is enormous. You'd get 220 points for using up a 10-ride, but 1000 for booking 10 rides separately. There might also be the flexibility of breaking up those rides into multi-city stops for the same $18, which would actually double the points (or more) with each segment with a 100 point floor. However, the question is whether or not those additional points are worth the extra cost.

 

[amamba]

I have 26K points right now, my H has 24K. I am not saving for anything in particular, I just need to find time to take an LD trip or use them for an acela roundtrip or something.

 

[chakk]

Just a few thousand now, has I have used most of my recent balance to book sleeper travel from ATL to DEN early next year.

 

[alben]

Was 160,033 points 3 weeks ago (Gotta love Chase). Purchased a total of 4 sleeper awards on the Empire builder for my family. Nice start to summer vacation

 

[GoldenSpike]

230,000 after after spending 20K for a STL-KCY-LAX-PDX-SPK trip later this month.

 

[Shanghai]

I have several thousand AGR points, but I usually buy my train travel to accumulate Rail Points (TQP)

to get Select Plus status. That gives me access to the Acela Lounge in New York which we often use

when transiting between New Jersey Transit trains and Long Island Railroad trains.

 

[SanAntonioClyde]

Was able to use my points for roomette this spring to go from San Antonio to Philly and back via New Orleans. Now saving for trip to New England or Great Lakes area.

Was very pleased as to how easy it was to make and change reservations over the phone. Agent was very helpful both times.

 

[pennyk]

I have several thousand AGR points, but I usually buy my train travel to accumulate Rail Points (TQP)to get Select Plus status.

Ditto. However, I am saving mine hoping to "pay for" 2 cross country trips in 2014.

 

[benjibear]

I have about 90,000 point. I was originally saving for two roomettes (one for me, one for the wife) to New Orleans. Now, we are thinking of visiting Texas instead. Anyone have any suggestions for any good two zone destinations for around Christmas (preftably warmer) time from the northeast?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I have a whopping 6908 and will have an add'l 500 when someone I referred travels. I'm hoping to have enough for a one-zone roomette trip before the points expire next year. May have to buy points at this rate.

If not, I'll just take a trip or two on the NEC somewhere.

 

[Train Rider]

24,000. Was 84,000 thanks to 32K from Chase and 19K for Shoebuy.com the day after Thanksgiving points special.

Just cashed in a two-zone bedroom and two-zone roomette for Glacier trip for our honeymoon -- that was a $2,400 trip if paid cash. Putting the wedding on the Chase card has helped a lot too (paid off each month, of course).

Saving up now for a winter trip from CHI to Tuscan.

 

[Shortline]

101,348 left after a recent redemption. Not really saving them for anything specific. Just redeemed a 50K award for 2 bedrooms OKC-CHI-NOL for the family. Was going to put all three of us in one bedroom, then thought why not add a roomette, them decided to splurge and use a few more for the 2 room suite. Should make a much more comforatable 2 night trip all in one zone!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

40,000 actual AGR points with a back fill of another 100,000 or so in easily convertible points. Not saved for anything specific as of yet.

 

[Anthony]

I have a whopping 6908 and will have an add'l 500 when someone I referred travels. I'm hoping to have enough for a one-zone roomette trip before the points expire next year. May have to buy points at this rate. If not, I'll just take a trip or two on the NEC somewhere.

Unlike some airlines, the points you earn at a given moment don't have specific expiration dates. As long as you have any paid Amtrak travel activity in your account once every 36 months, or if you have the Chase card, your points will never expire.

 

[the_traveler]

I have a whopping 6908 and will have an add'l 500 when someone I referred travels. I'm hoping to have enough for a one-zone roomette trip before the points expire next year. May have to buy points at this rate. If not, I'll just take a trip or two on the NEC somewhere.

Just remember that if you take even a short trip (in your case SEPTA to PHL, and then take Amtrak to Paoli one way for $5-6, then take SEPTA home), because you earned AGR points for Amtrak travel, ALL your AGR points are extended for another 36 months! :excl:

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Duh, I forgot that I just needed to take the train at least once every 3 years. I'm good then. Thanks for the reminder guys.

 

[PRR 60]

I have a whopping 6908 and will have an add'l 500 when someone I referred travels. I'm hoping to have enough for a one-zone roomette trip before the points expire next year. May have to buy points at this rate. If not, I'll just take a trip or two on the NEC somewhere.

Unlike some airlines, the points you earn at a given moment don't have specific expiration dates. As long as you have any paid Amtrak travel activity in your account once every 36 months, or if you have the Chase card, your points will never expire.

Which airlines assign expiration dates to specific earned miles? The programs I know reset the clock for all miles with any account activity (not just travel, and activity even includes redemptions). In that respect, Amtrak, requiring actual travel earning to reset the clock, is more restrictive than any of the airline programs I know.

 

[I always rode the Southern]

Unfortunately I have given up on ever getting status since our location limits us to the silver star and little opportunity for cheap round trip point runs without overnight stays(Tampa to Winter Haven is totally dependent on OTP). Most of our trips are on the Silvers and auto train and generally expensive enough that we will use AGR points for that one direction.

Hubby has 28,262, I have 32,856, and 55,000 ultimate rewards(Thank you Chase for Sapphire Preferred!).

Would like to plan for our 3rd cross country trip, this time trying to work in both the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone.

Next would be a trip to Montreal..

 

[colobok]

I have about 430,000 points, don't know when I will spend all of them...

Now I am collecting United miles instead.

 

[JayPea]

I have 20,064 points right now which should go up by another 1500 or so when my points from 1-800-Flowers.com post from my purchase for my mom for Mother's Day. I'm not saving for anything in particular right now, but will no doubt go toward whatever trip my uncle and I concoct for next year.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I have about 430,000 points, don't know when I will spend all of them...Now I am collecting United miles instead.

Wow! You could always BookTrips for the poor AU Members like, well, Me! :giggle: (A 2 Zone Roomette Trip is only 20,000 less 5% MC Rebate! Hint, Hint! )