Double TQP Aug 1 to Sept 23

[jis]

Looks like many if not all are getting double TQP between Aug 1 and Sept 23



Perhaps they have noticed that the people that will make Select this year has potentially dived precipitously as was predicted, and are trying to come up with innovative ideas to goose the numbers a bit. I don;t think they realize how many have simply given up and gone elsewhere to earn their stash of stuff.

Login to your AGR account to see if you've got it or not. I am sure if this is for all or it is a selected thing.

 

[pennyk]

It is targeted and I am NOT one of the targeted individuals. I received an email yesterday with a similar format with a "bonus" upgrade coupon. I would have preferred the double TQPs. I am Select Executive now and am working hard to retain it.

A friend, who is extremely close to attaining Select Plus again, received the same double TQP email (and it made his day since he was planning to travel during that time period anyway).

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

I received email and checked my account that AGR was awarding me 500 TQP bonus points. I have already made Select for this year. Living off the Amtrak route system I only make LD trips. My next trip is in October on the CZ from Chicago to Emeryville.

 

[jis]

Fortunately I have a weekend trip to Raleigh during this period. Incidentally, it is actually possible to do a weekend trip to Raleigh by train from Kissimmee and have significant free time in Raleigh.

Then I have a couple of Acela trips in the works during the weekend of Sept 16-17. So I am a happy camper. Looks lime I might make Select afterall.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Enjoy all of the benefits that come with it...

One class upgrades - Useless where I live and most of where I travel

Access to lounges - Useless where I live and included where I travel

50% bonus on 50% reduced value points - Worse than back to square one.

And more - Um, okay?

If Amtrak really gave a darn about increasing my travel levels they'd improve their frequency to daily, improve their calling times to something semi-reasonable, improve their dining options to something moderately appetizing, and maybe even pretend to be happy to have me aboard. Double, triple, or quadruple monkey points does absolutely nothing for me.

 

[seat38a]

I got one of this offers as well. After they changed the program this year plus with a bunch of recent mechanical cancellations and delays, I've really cut back on corridor travel this year and they must have noticed the big drop off in my account. They only benefit for me of having select plus is the United Club access, and I chose not to try and renew but just save the money and buy a membership next year.

 

[jis]

I cannot understand why people have difficulty understanding that Amtrak cannot give a darn about anything unless your legislative representatives give a darn. There is a clear correlation between where Amtrak gives and darn and where the legislature give a darn about Amtrak.. Amtrak is purely a creature of politics. It has always been so. Texas got its first daily train when Kay Bailey Hutchinson gave a darn. Gulf Coast might get a daily train because several of the relevant legislators give a darn. NEC and California gets a darn because a whole $hitload of legislators give a darn.

If Amtrak giving a darn is important then either move to an area where there already are a bunch of legislators that care, or figure out a way of making your legislators care.

I am really not sure that what AGR does really changes the travel habits of people in Amtrak wasteland at all. It is mostly targeted at people who have good access to Amtrak.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I cannot understand why people have difficulty understanding that Amtrak cannot give a darn about anything unless your legislative representatives give a darn.

Amtrak can't modify their calling times or create an AGR perk that works outside a major commuter corridor or cook a burger from scratch or fry an egg over-easy or act friendly toward passengers unless my legislative representatives gives a damn? How does that work?

There is a clear correlation between where Amtrak gives and darn and where the legislature give a darn about Amtrak. Amtrak is purely a creature of politics. It has always been so. Texas got its first daily train when Kay Bailey Hutchinson gave a darn.

If a pro-rail Kay Bailey Hutchison lookalike ran as a Republican candidate for Texas Senator today she'd be treated like a fringe lunatic insurgent by Texas primary voters and possibly threatened with physical harm. I'm not sure how you missed it but decades of News Corp and Clear Channel brainwashing have turned half the country (and most of Texas) into a bunch of irrational braindead zealots. Talking to them about major public transportation projects is like trying to explain why ice melts to Sarah Palin. Take a look around you for a moment. Stupidity is in, reason is out, and dumb is the new white.

 

[Bob Dylan]

True this Chris!

Kay Bailey was the best Senator Texas has had since Lloyd Bensten, the last Democrat, left to be Clinton's Treasury Secretary!

Only Republican I've ever voted for!

( Besides Bill Clinton,the Second Best Republican President after Abe Lincoln! LOL)

 

[jis]

I cannot understand why people have difficulty understanding that Amtrak cannot give a darn about anything unless your legislative representatives give a darn.

Amtrak can't modify their calling times or create an AGR perk that works outside a major commuter corridor or cook a burger from scratch or fry an egg over-easy or act friendly toward passengers unless my legislative representatives gives a damn? How does that work?

Depends on the how the bosses of Amtrak see their relationship with their paymasters mostly - that being those legislators, and what they expressly want. When Mica says "reduce food service costs" a set of bosses beholden to them would act in a certain way, and guess who takes care of making sure what kind of bosses get appointed. Remember Boardman was a Republican appointee and even the Democrats have never believed Amtrak to be so important as to actually place someone radical enough to do something different at its helm. That is how it works. Democrats only give Amtrak a slightly better chance of survival, but not necessarily to do anything radical. Even with both Houses in their control together with the Presidency they did not see it fit to replace Boardman by someone who would make radical changes at Amtrak, specifically in the area of LD trains. That may be partly because LD trains are seen to primarily serve non-Democrat or lukewarm Democrat areas. That is not where the base of the strength of the Democrats is. Ergo.... and yet you cannot completely ignore them because you need the votes for horsetrading against something that they want to keep the setup going. Hence the LD system putters along.

I know it is not pleasant to dispassionately look at the underlying forces, But that roughly is how the mood of the legislators has an impact on the food that you may or may not get on an LD train.

There is a clear correlation between where Amtrak gives and darn and where the legislature give a darn about Amtrak. Amtrak is purely a creature of politics. It has always been so. Texas got its first daily train when Kay Bailey Hutchinson gave a darn.

If a pro-rail Kay Bailey Hutchison lookalike ran as a Republican candidate for Texas Senator today she'd be treated like a fringe lunatic insurgent by Texas primary voters and possibly threatened with physical harm. I'm not sure how you missed it but decades of News Corp and Clear Channel brainwashing have turned half the country (and most of Texas) into a bunch of irrational braindead zealots. Talking to them about major public transportation projects is like trying to explain why ice melts to Sarah Palin. Take a look around you for a moment. Stupidity is in, reason is out, and dumb-as-nails is the new white.

if you wish to take most advantage of Amtrak move to the West coast, Chicagoland or the Northeast, or even the East coast in general, though things get somewhat sparser as you go south of North Carolina. but still 3.5 trains a day is not bad. I say that partly tongue in the cheek, but I do empathize with your situation with your legislators. I have similar frustration with my Congressperson, but at least at the Senator level we have one Democrat who has generally been supportive of Amtrak, though not enough to publicly spank Mica, and an even chance of getting another.

When I moved to Florida I knew my frequent Amtrak riding days were over. With the old AGR I still had a chance of getting some status by doing short turns between KIS and ORL or ORL and WPK. But there are other important things in life. Then again I grew up through my college years in a place with no really usable train service nearby. The closest station was 14 miles away on a Meter Gauge low grade route with two Mail trains that called there in the middle of the night in both directions. We mostly traveled by buses to Delhi and back. So this is sort of back to the way I grew up. No big deal. Iget to drive 55/60 miles to KIS or ORL to get a train, or 90 miles to WPB or 150 miles to JAX.

 

[the_traveler]

If Amtrak really gave a darn about increasing my travel levels they'd ... improve their calling times to something semi-reasonable

You do realize that SAS is not the only city served by the SL. If they schedule it "at a reasonable time" for SAS, it would have to depart CHI and NOL in the middle of the night. Then it would serve STL, ELP and TUC "at an unreasonable time". But that's OK, because SAS will be served at a reasonable time. (I hear few complaints coming from those in SLC, LNC or CLE.)
Don't forget that the "unreasonable times" in SAS now are the same times it called before the extra time was added during the UP/SP meltdown. (When the SL departed LAX at 2 pm, and did not connect with the CS.)

 

[Devil's Advocate]

You do realize that SAS is not the only city served by the SL.

I had no idea Dave. I figured the SL just went in a big circle around one city.

If they schedule it "at a reasonable time" for SAS, it would have to depart CHI and NOL in the middle of the night. Then it would serve STL, ELP and TUC "at an unreasonable time".

Last time I checked the SL didn't serve CHI or STL and the calling times in ELP were perfectly reasonable with the old schedule.

But that's OK, because SAS will be served at a reasonable time.

Yes San Antonio will be served at a reasonable hour but so will Los Angeles. Hard to imagine how Tuscon would trump Los Angeles.

Don't forget that the "unreasonable times" in SAS now are the same times it called before the extra time was added during the UP/SP meltdown. (When the SL departed LAX at 2 pm, and did not connect with the CS.)

Yeah, it sucked back then and it sucks again now. Not sure how this helps make your case, but whatever.

 

[the_traveler]

I believe #2 arrived in SAS ~9 or 10 pm. And no the SL does not serve CHI, but 421/422 (the TE) does. Yes LAX will be served at a reasonable hour, however it won't connect to the CS.

 

[rtabern]

Just got my for Select Plus saying I get double TQPs through September. I only have 400 TQPs so even Select wont happen. The new AGR 2.0 can pound sand. I have been Select Plus for 11 years but am not even trying for Select for 2017. Honestly it was worth it for $800 in short hops to earn Select Plus and get lounge access. Not worth it spending $5000. We have moved on to using and abusing the Southwest Airlines points system. We have a companion pass through 12-31-2017. For the cost of two people on the Hiawatha ($100) we can fly to places like Atlanta, Nashville, etc and do a fun weekend trip there. I hope Amtrak brings back 100 point minimums or offers paid lounge access for $500-600 a year.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

I just discovered the benefits of flying SWA out of Nashville. I've earned enough miles to fly to Chicago in January for 7300+ award miles. My old airline American(now managed by US Air) requires minimum 12,500 miles and you can only fly very early morning or during evening. For that same vacation to ride the California Zephyr and Coast Starlight and fly home from LAX I had to use 45,000 miles to fly non stop first class in the daytime. The old 25,000 rate was only available for the overnight nonstop flight or early morning flights through Charlotte, NC. No flights were offered to me through DFW(they are premium flights now). When I passed age 65 and had earned one million miles, the good old American made me permanently Gold with all the rights and privileges. I've not paid for a flight on American for several years as I use my Citi

Advantage card for all my day to day charges, etc. similar to the way some of you use the Amtrak MC. But gradually the US Air "American" is gradually peeling away the benefits for Gold and greatly increasing the required miles for award travel. Since Amtrak does not serve Nashville and Southwest still does not serve some of my desired travel destinations(Shreveport, LA, and Honolulu, HI) for now I continue to build and use my American miles but they don't go as far as they use to. I guess no more 75000 first class roundtrips to Honolulu as I have flown regularly. Last time was 2014 at that rate and I had to play the system and book about 9 months out for March travel. And that was before the merger that turned American into US Air.

 

[Bex]

Ugh. I would have loved this and was not offered it.

 

[seat38a]

Just got my for Select Plus saying I get double TQPs through September. I only have 400 TQPs so even Select wont happen. The new AGR 2.0 can pound sand. I have been Select Plus for 11 years but am not even trying for Select for 2017. Honestly it was worth it for $800 in short hops to earn Select Plus and get lounge access. Not worth it spending $5000. We have moved on to using and abusing the Southwest Airlines points system. We have a companion pass through 12-31-2017. For the cost of two people on the Hiawatha ($100) we can fly to places like Atlanta, Nashville, etc and do a fun weekend trip there. I hope Amtrak brings back 100 point minimums or offers paid lounge access for $500-600 a year.

After the the 100 point minimum went bye bye, I have taken to driving to many of the places I used to jump on the train for. I've also turned to flying to the places that I used to take the train as well.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Include me in those who didn't get the offer.

I was Select or Select + for many years under AGR1.0, but like other posters here have turned to other means of transportation since the Bait and Switch known as AGR2.0 came into being with Trumpets blowing.( pun intended!)

My TQP for the year are 56 for a Round-trip from Austin to Temple and my next Amtrak ride will be a Round-trip on #22/Thruway/#5 for the Gathering in Denver in October booked RT under AGR1.0 for 38,000 points ( now it would be 60,000+)

I do plan to ride the Canadian between Vancouver and Toronto again this Winter when I can get one of the Special Fares that VIA offers. ( Alaska Airlines and Air Canada have cheap flights from Austin).

Two years ago I would already be Select and be riding Amtrak to/from Canada. Amtrak and AGR doesn't want people like me out here in flyover country anymore, the Nothing Else Counts Corridor is where the action is!

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Hey, Jim, don't feel bad--they don't want me, either. I didn't get any offers, and I do live in NEC territory.

I have not traveled too often or too far this year, though (some circumstances have kept me close to home, and I had to cancel a Florida trip in early spring), and I was "only" Select last year, so perhaps those facts play into it.

And with SEPTA not completely itself at the moment and Philly out as a day trip, I have been forced to be a tourist in my own town (it's getting really old really fast! )

 

[jis]

With this offer looks like I might hit Select middle of this month after my trip to Raleigh, as fortuitously I hit another of those 1000TQP thresholds on my AGR Credit Card this month.

I will try to advance myself towards Select+ as much as I can by sneaking in an additional Acela ride or two when I am out in the NY/NJ area mid September before the double TQP expires.

But still, if I ever make it to Select+ this year it will be beyond all expectations.

OTOH, on United I will breeze to Platinum without breaking a sweat or doing any points runs. And plans for Thanksgiving weekend are still up in the air, in a manner of speaking.

 

[PRR 60]

I'm sitting 650 TQP shy of Select (as close as I've ever come, thanks primarily to the credit card), and my problem is that I can't come up with a compelling reason to go out of my way for those last 650 points. Select does not seem to offer much other than bragging rights, and pretty sad bragging rights at that. A couple of upgrade and companion coupons (that I may or may not use) and some lounge entry passes (that I may or may not use) does not seem worth spending $250 or more if it is just for that reason. Maybe I'll get energized for an Acela joy ride this fall that also gets me the needed TQP, but for now, it's close but no cigar.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

I've reached Select for a couple years now but have never been Select +. I don't fly United so that benefit is not useful for me and since I live in Nashville a Metropolitan Lounge pass isn't either since I am usually passing through riding in Sleeper when in Chicago. As stated above I've never been able to use the upgrade or companion coupons since they are mainly for coach passengers. Since my Amtrak travel is vacation travel, I only travel sleeper and rarely travel coach. Only travel coach mostly while on the West Coast and riding Pacific Surfliner or Cacades. So I'm content to use BoA Amtrak World Master Card to charge all my Amtrak travel and thus benefits from those points.

incidentally, my favorite Amtrak train is the California Zephyr. I'll be riding it in October westbound and take Coast Starlight to Los Angeles and fly from from LAX. In January and April of next year, I have booked another Winter trip on the Zephyr westbound and Coast Starlight to Los Angeles last full week of January. In April is my most ambitious trip using AGR Points and paying for some parts. I fly SWA to New Orleans and take the Cresent to Washington DC to connect to Capitol Limited to Chicago and connect there to California Zephyr to Emeryville(all this in roomette for 46,000+ points). After a few days on the west coast, I will return on California Zephyr and Capitol Limited to Washington, DC where I will stay for a few days. Plan to fly SWA home to Nashville from Reagan National.

 

[Steve4031]

I received this targeted promotion. It states il earn double tier qualifying points. I'm trying to understand this. Does this mean that if I spend 500 dollars I earn 2000 points? Thank you.

 

[Steve4031]

And none of those posts answer my question.

 

[Steve4031]

And in the mean time can anybody answer this? Or am I getting another administrative brush off since I'm not part of the click.