First Timer Questions

[PaulM]

I'm planning my first trip using AGR rewards and have several basic questions. I've read the T&C web page, including the "Claiming Rewards" section (aren't web pages great with the ability to blow up the fine print!).

1. What constitutes a "trip". I know a round trip requires two rewards; and obviously, CHI to WAS on the CL is a trip, but what about multi-segment trips such as:

a. QCY to CHI via the IZ, connecting to the CL to WAS?

b. What about a single overnight stay when there is no same day connection, e.g., ATL to LA, spending the night in NOL (assuming you leave ATL when the SL will be running the next day).

c. What about a single over night stay when a same day connection exists, but you don't want to arrive a 2AM, e.g., CHI to CLT.

d. Would SED to CHI, i.e. Missouri service to STL and then Lincloln Service to CHI. count as a 1000 point "SPECIAL ROUTES:" award trip, or can specials have only one segment?

2. How do you handle a cross zone trip; e.g., CHI to WAS with a 1 zone roomette reward? Looking at the zone map, it appears TOL is on the boundary. Given that it is a gospel truth that AGR does not talk to Amtrak, do you book your one zone roomete reward from TOL to WAS with the AGR people and then call Amtrak to reserve a roomette from CHI to TOL and hope it's the same room (I don't mind changing rooms, but not at midnight)

3. When I stayed at a Choice hotel and collected AGR points, I apparently was signed up for Choice's rewards program. If I stay at a Choice hotel in the future, can I double dip, or do I have to choose between Amtrak and Choice? The choice (pardon the pun) would be a no-brainer, of course.

4. I understand that if you book a roomette reward, a second person also goes free. Right?

5. I understand that if you book a sleeping accommodation reward, you get a free upgrade to business class on segments with business class? Nicht wahr?

6. A prize to anyone that can answer my final question (3/4 of Amtrak employees from a car cleaner to chairman of the board would tell me it's impossible, I'm sure). How are bicycle tickets handled? For those who live on the East Coast, most midwest, south, and western corridor trains accept unboxed bicycles. Purchasing a bike ticket on the internet is similar to booking an upgrade such as a roomette or business class; but unlike normal upgrades, a separate ticket is issued.

Finally a rhetorical question. Several places on the website, it says that "most" rewards are bookable on-line. It then says that multi-segment trips and sleeping car upgrades are not bookable. Wouldn't this eliminate the vast majority of actual awards.

 

[AlanB]

1. What constitutes a "trip". I know a round trip requires two rewards; and obviously, CHI to WAS on the CL is a trip, but what about multi-segment trips such as:a. QCY to CHI via the IZ, connecting to the CL to WAS?

b. What about a single overnight stay when there is no same day connection, e.g., ATL to LA, spending the night in NOL (assuming you leave ATL when the SL will be running the next day).

c. What about a single over night stay when a same day connection exists, but you don't want to arrive a 2AM, e.g., CHI to CLT.

d. Would SED to CHI, i.e. Missouri service to STL and then Lincloln Service to CHI. count as a 1000 point "SPECIAL ROUTES:" award trip, or can specials have only one segment?

A. Would be a connecting trip and require one award.

B. Would be a connecting trip and in fact, I just booked a similar trip from NYP to LAX, via NOL in a bedroom for 50,000 points.

C. Would not be, since there is an option if it is undesirable.

D. Should be a 1,000 point trip, assuming that the STL-KCY route is a 1,000 point route. I didn't go check that.

2. How do you handle a cross zone trip; e.g., CHI to WAS with a 1 zone roomette reward? Looking at the zone map, it appears TOL is on the boundary. Given that it is a gospel truth that AGR does not talk to Amtrak, do you book your one zone roomete reward from TOL to WAS with the AGR people and then call Amtrak to reserve a roomette from CHI to TOL and hope it's the same room (I don't mind changing rooms, but not at midnight)

Exactly, you have to make your AGR reservation and get the room and car number. Then immediately call Amtrak and try to get booked into the same from from CHI to TOL. No other way to do it, but you should be able to pull it off as the room most likely won't sell that fast. You can also do it in reverse, and there may be an advantage to doing it in reverse, by calling Amtrak first. That way you get the lowest bucket price still available. Then call AGR and request that room. If you do AGR first, you could find yourself paying high bucket if AGR just happened to put you into a high bucket room.

3. When I stayed at a Choice hotel and collected AGR points, I apparently was signed up for Choice's rewards program. If I stay at a Choice hotel in the future, can I double dip, or do I have to choose between Amtrak and Choice? The choice (pardon the pun) would be a no-brainer, of course.

Only the Hilton Family hotels offer a double dip option, where you can get both Hilton Honors points and AGR points for the same stay. All other chains that particpate with AGR, it's a choice, either their points or AGR points. I'm not positive on this, but I think that I checked it out once for Choice but again I'm not sure. However, in the case of Trip Rewards, now Wyndham Rewards (the Days Inn family), you have an option of either direct AGR points or Wyndham points. If you go with points directly to AGR, you get 1 point per dollar. However, if you take your points in hotel points and save them up for a while, you can then transfer a block of hotel points to AGR and get a net result of 2 points per dollar spent on your room.

4. I understand that if you book a roomette reward, a second person also goes free. Right?

Correct, provided that you inform the AGR agent at the time of the booking as they need the name to put on the ticket. If the second person is a child, you'll also need the age of the child.

5. I understand that if you book a sleeping accommodation reward, you get a free upgrade to business class on segments with business class? Nicht wahr?

Again, correct assuming that BC is actually available on that train as an accomodation type and that you request it. Otherwise you could end up in coach if either you fail to request or of course if it's simply not there.

6. A prize to anyone that can answer my final question (3/4 of Amtrak employees from a car cleaner to chairman of the board would tell me it's impossible, I'm sure). How are bicycle tickets handled? For those who live on the East Coast, most midwest, south, and western corridor trains accept unboxed bicycles. Purchasing a bike ticket on the internet is similar to booking an upgrade such as a roomette or business class; but unlike normal upgrades, a separate ticket is issued.

I'm not sure that I've ever actually seen anyone mention this, but I would believe that you would get a ticket for the bike, again assuming that it's an option and that you request it at the time you make the reservation with the AGR agent. Definately can't be done online, as that would be something special.

Finally a rhetorical question. Several places on the website, it says that "most" rewards are bookable on-line. It then says that multi-segment trips and sleeping car upgrades are not bookable. Wouldn't this eliminate the vast majority of actual awards.

I'm guessing, but it probably eliminates 25% to 30% of all awards. Many people just ride corridor trains on awards, which are bookable online.

 

[PaulM]

Thanks for the detailed and responsive response.

A followup to 1.a and 1.b. What is the rule here? I want to go from GBB to PRB or SLO via PDX on a two zoner. I heard it said that if the regular online reservation system will display an itinerary, then its a go. But is this a necessary, or just sufficient condition. The reservation system can produce strange results. For the GBB-PRB itinerary I described, the following showed up: SWC-CS, SWC-PS-bus, CZ and two buses, and, last but not least, the one I want IZ, EB, and CS. A little later, only the first three showed up. Then next time, I tried only IZ, TE, SL, PS, and bus showed up.

In general I noticed cases where stations A-B-C show up and B-C-D show up, but not A-B-C-D.

Would it be fair to say that if you can book a multi-city trip such that all the connection layovers are within guaranteed connection time, and there is no overnight stay unless there is no same day connection, then it's good.

 

[AlanB]

Would it be fair to say that if you can book a multi-city trip such that all the connection layovers are within guaranteed connection time, and there is no overnight stay unless there is no same day connection, then it's good.

I think that it's pretty fair to say that. I certainly wouldn't want to guarantee it, but the biggest key to AGR seems to be that you cannot overnight in a city, unless there is no same day alternative. Hence the reason that one can't do an CHI-SEA-LAX, but can do CHI-PDX-LAX.

Also keep in mind though that many of the AGR agents are still so new that they don't always know what they are doing, much less what all the rules are. So if you don't get an answer that you like, hang up, wait an hour and try again.

 

[Upstate]

c. What about a single over night stay when a same day connection exists, but you don't want to arrive a 2AM, e.g., CHI to CLT

If you stop the award ticket one station short of Charlotte at Kannapolis then you could force an overnight in DC since the Crescent does not stop at KAN. Then just buy your ticket from KAN-CLT. This would put you in NC at a nice evening hour riding on the Carolinian.

 

[PaulM]

If you stop the award ticket one station short of Charlotte at Kannapolis then you could force an overnight in DC since the Crescent does not stop at KAN. Then just buy your ticket from KAN-CLT. This would put you in NC at a nice evening hour riding on the Carolinian.

A clever idea. I hadn't thought of that.