Dumb AGR redemption rule

[the_traveler]

I ran across a dumb redemption rule when I went to redeem some AGR points yesterday! :blink:

Now I do understand the rule of no stopovers. Such as if you wanted to go from FLG to PDX, you could not stop in LAX for 2 days on the same award. But my situation is more stupid!

I wanted to redeem a 1 zone award from ATL-KIN. The redemption offered ATL-NYP on #20, layover for 3 hours and then take #194 NYP-KIN. Instead I asked if I could connect in WAS (ATL-WAS on #20 and WAS-KIN on #194). The only difference would be a 3 hour layover in WAS instead of a 3 hour layover in NYP! (On different days, I have seen both listed, but this day only had NYP listed.)

The response - I would have to redeem 1 award ATL-WAS and 1 award WAS-KIN if I wanted to connect in WAS! :blink: It connects to the SAME exact train!

Does this make any sense? :huh:

 

[AlanB]

The rule is what it is, and we have to live with it.

I hit a similar situation back in 2006 on my big circle tour on Amtrak. Except in my case it almost cost Amtrak big time. I had stopped our run on the Coast Starlight in Portland, in part because I wanted to see Portland briefly, in part because I wanted to ride a Talgo for the first time, and in large part because 2006 was the year where the CS was typically hours late into Seattle.

In any event, I wanted to take the first Talgo train out of Portland, so as to be certain that I would connect with that evening's Empire Builder departing out of Seattle. AGR couldn't book that train, unless I wanted to spend more points for it. It didn't matter that the later train only had about a 50 minute window, less than the normal allowance for a guaranteed connection. But since Amtrak considered that a guaranteed connection, AGR could only book me on that train. Thanks to a stuck bridge, they had to hold the Builder for us and several other connecting pax about 10 minutes or so. And they had to bring the Talgo in on the other side of the platform so as to ensure that people could easily connect.

Had AGR been allowed to book the earlier train, there would have been no danger of a misconnect and no need for Amtrak to spend money putting us up for the night or bussing us to catch up with the Builder.

 

[Ispolkom]

I ran across a dumb redemption rule when I went to redeem some AGR points yesterday! :blink:
Now I do understand the rule of no stopovers. Such as if you wanted to go from FLG to PDX, you could not stop in LAX for 2 days on the same award. But my situation is more stupid!

I wanted to redeem a 1 zone award from ATL-KIN. The redemption offered ATL-NYP on #20, layover for 3 hours and then take #194 NYP-KIN. Instead I asked if I could connect in WAS (ATL-WAS on #20 and WAS-KIN on #194). The only difference would be a 3 hour layover in WAS instead of a 3 hour layover in NYP! (On different days, I have seen both listed, but this day only had NYP listed.)

The response - I would have to redeem 1 award ATL-WAS and 1 award WAS-KIN if I wanted to connect in WAS! :blink: It connects to the SAME exact train!

Does this make any sense? :huh:

Lots of things in AGR rewards don't make sense, but that's why we love the program. After all, I'm going on a 3-night trip from Atlanta to Minot for the same one-zone cost as your quick jaunt up the east coast.

I'm curious about the highly suspicious itinerary you describe. Atlanta, huh? You wouldn't be coming off a 4-night El Paso-Atlanta one-zone AGR reward trip would you? Any time the Traveler is on the Crescent, I'm suspicious.

 

[the_traveler]

I'm curious about the highly suspicious itinerary you describe. Atlanta, huh? You wouldn't be coming off a 4-night El Paso-Atlanta one-zone AGR reward trip would you? Any time the Traveler is on the Crescent, I'm suspicious.

Now would I do that? :huh: :lol:

I'm coming off a 5-night 2-zone trip from LAX (via SAS, CHI and WAS) to ATL! (Give me some credit! )

 

[Guest_MontanaJim_*]

I'm curious about the highly suspicious itinerary you describe. Atlanta, huh? You wouldn't be coming off a 4-night El Paso-Atlanta one-zone AGR reward trip would you? Any time the Traveler is on the Crescent, I'm suspicious.

Now would I do that? :huh: :lol:

I'm coming off a 5-night 2-zone trip from LAX (via SAS, CHI and WAS) to ATL! (Give me some credit! )

How did you get them to route you on the texas eagle? when i try it on amtrak's website they always give me the southwest chief

 

[the_traveler]

I'm curious about the highly suspicious itinerary you describe. Atlanta, huh? You wouldn't be coming off a 4-night El Paso-Atlanta one-zone AGR reward trip would you? Any time the Traveler is on the Crescent, I'm suspicious.

Now would I do that? :huh: :lol:

I'm coming off a 5-night 2-zone trip from LAX (via SAS, CHI and WAS) to ATL! (Give me some credit! )

How did you get them to route you on the texas eagle? when i try it on amtrak's website they always give me the southwest chief

The "trick" (and you know I'm full of tricks - while some just say I'm full of "it" :lol: ) is not to request from LAX. Request instead from the next stops (Pomona or Ontario)! These stops are only served by the SL/TE, so you will be routed via SAS. Then BUY a ticket from LAX to there!

Best $9 I ever spent! And it earns another 100 AGR points! And this summer, it will earn another 100 points on top of that!

 

[Ryan]

That's awesome.

I may pull that stunt for the honeymoon.

Back to the original question, would it not be possible to get your tickets in hand for ATL-NYP-KIN, and then take them to an agent and have them swap you for ATL-WAS-KIN tickets? I can't see where any agent would refuse to make a swap that simple, even if they are AGR tickets.

 

[Ispolkom]

I'm coming off a 5-night 2-zone trip from LAX (via SAS, CHI and WAS) to ATL! (Give me some credit! )

Let me get this straight. You beat the system so bad it's off in the corner, sobbing, and yet you complain that you don't get a second Washington layover? You're not going to get much sympathy when I just blew 20k points on a one-night, 2-zone reward from St. Paul to Washington. Pshaw.

 

[saxman]

I'm coming off a 5-night 2-zone trip from LAX (via SAS, CHI and WAS) to ATL! (Give me some credit! )

Let me get this straight. You beat the system so bad it's off in the corner, sobbing, and yet you complain that you don't get a second Washington layover? You're not going to get much sympathy when I just blew 20k points on a one-night, 2-zone reward from St. Paul to Washington. Pshaw.

I don't think he was trying to get a second layover. He was just trying to get his layover moved to a different city.

And I had a similar issue during my Amtrak Tour 2009. Going from Miami to Boston, I really wanted to layover in New York. But for some reason the system wouldn't let me. It makes you get off in WAS and take the Regional all the way from WAS to BOS instead of being able to enjoy my roomette an extra 3 hours into New York. I had to suck it up, and just layover in WAS, even though I had already laid over there earlier on the trip.

 

[the_traveler]

I'm coming off a 5-night 2-zone trip from LAX (via SAS, CHI and WAS) to ATL! (Give me some credit! )

Let me get this straight ... you complain that you don't get a second Washington layover? Pshaw.

All I'm saying is that on certain days (like M-F), it gives a choice of ATL-NYP-KIN or ATL-WAS-NYP - both connecting to the same train, but on this day it only gives ATL-NYP-KIN as a choice. Nothing personal against NY, but I find WAS to be a more enjoyable place to spend 3 hours than to spend 3 hours at NYP!

 

[Ispolkom]

All I'm saying is that on certain days (like M-F), it gives a choice of ATL-NYP-KIN or ATL-WAS-NYP - both connecting to the same train, but on this day it only gives ATL-NYP-KIN as a choice. Nothing personal against NY, but I find WAS to be a more enjoyable place to spend 3 hours than to spend 3 hours at NYP!

I was just busting your chops, as I know all to well the desire to get a trip *exactly* right, having just spent an hour adjusting train and rental car reservations.

For that matter, I too much prefer Washington to New York for a layover, or Charlottesville for that matter. If it's still showing I highly recommend the exhibit at the Sackler Museum of Asian Art, of 16th and 17th century gifts from the Turks and Persians to the Russian tsars. It's small enough to see in an hour but features some wonderful medieval-looking bling. Something to consider even if you only have the layover in Washington on your way to Atlanta.

Isn't train 194 the one someone was complaining about always being late? I hope that this isn't setting up something like last year's Cardinal debacle.

 

[AlanB]

Back to the original question, would it not be possible to get your tickets in hand for ATL-NYP-KIN, and then take them to an agent and have them swap you for ATL-WAS-KIN tickets? I can't see where any agent would refuse to make a swap that simple, even if they are AGR tickets.

Regular Amtrak agents are not allowed to modify AGR reservations, with one exception, when there is a misconnection caused by Amtrak. Otherwise all changes must be done by an AGR agent.

 

[the_traveler]

Isn't train 194 the one someone was complaining about always being late? I hope that this isn't setting up something like last year's Cardinal debacle.

I think it is!

That's more reason I would like to connect in WAS! If it is going to be 1 hour or so late, I would rather spend that extra time on the train in BC than sitting in NYP! I hope it's not as bad. (Actually not much could be as bad!)

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Isn't train 194 the one someone was complaining about always being late? I hope that this isn't setting up something like last year's Cardinal debacle.

I think it is!

That's more reason I would like to connect in WAS! If it is going to be 1 hour or so late, I would rather spend that extra time on the train in BC than sitting in NYP! I hope it's not as bad. (Actually not much could be as bad!)

WEll your coming off a sleeper right? At least then in either city you can kill the time in a Club Acela vs. being trapped in NYP where the waiting room is joke...

 

[the_traveler]

Well your coming off a sleeper right? At least then in either city you can kill the time in a Club Acela vs. being trapped in NYP where the waiting room is joke...

Actually, because I'm cheap I'm taking this Crescent segment in coach! (I know OVERNIGHT! But I figure I can survive 1 night in coach - plus it's 9,500 points less AND it is the final night so I can sleep at home the next night!) So I'll be stuck in the "waiting room" at NYP!

I gotta save some points for my NEXT (next next next) trip!