Long Distance AGR Rewards

[jmbgeg]

I am new to AGR and quickly hit Select and am on my way to Select Plus. I have yet to book an AGR award, so I am learning the ropes. One regret that I have is that I didn't join AGR when I first started my long distance train travel four years ago. I would have a lot of points. Please accept my regrets if I pose questions that have been asked and answered many times before. The awards I will pursue are for sleeper accomodations on long distance trains.

1. If there are multiple routes for me to get to a destination, must I take the shortest, simplest routing or can I be creative? For example, say I want to travel Spokane to Chicago. I would normally travel there on the EB on a paid trip. If I pull a two zone bedroom award, would I have to travel direct on the EB, or could I take the EB to PDX, the CS to SAC, and then the CZ to CHI, to take an alternative sightseeing route?

2. I read in thread on this board about a no stopover rule on AGR awards. Where do I find these rules? Back to stopovers; say I take the EB & CS SPK to LAX and the CS gets into LAX at 9:00 PM. Most connections east would not be until the next day. Is that an unallowed stopover? I don't have enough points yet for two awards.

 

[diesteldorf]

Unfortunately, AGR requires direct routing and I would be surprised if they would allow this.

They normally will book the most direct route for each reward.

 

[AlanB]

You definately cannot get an award that will connect through LA if it requires an overnight in LA. It will require two awards if you go that way, unless perhaps you are connecting to a mid-point station on the Sunset Limited or the SW Chief. But you cannot get say Portland-LA-New Orleans. They will route you from Portland to Chicago, then south on the City of New Orleans.

It's possible, but I won't swear to it, that you might get them to give you Spokanne-Portland-Sacramento-Chicago. But even if they won't, just buy a coach ticket to Portland and then use points for the rest of that itinerary.

One of the better ways to figure out things is to simply try to book the trip normally through the paid interface. Don't actually book the trip, but if you put in a start and an end point it will usually show you a few routing choices. Generally, although not always, any itinerary shown that way is bookable by AGR. Do not use the Multi-city option, as that can produce many itineraries that AGR cannot book.

 

[the_traveler]

As Alan suggested, try to request a trip on Amtrak.com using the "regular" way from point A to point B. If it shows up as a choice, generally it can be booked as an AGR award. You do not have to chose the most direct routing, you can chose any routing shown!

Depending on the starting point, it may be better to buy a ticket to another city to start the award. Example, if you are going from say LAX to BHM (a favorite 2 zone award of mine), you will be routed to CHI on the SWC. However, if you book from ONA (Ontario, CA), that station is only served by the SL/TE. So you will be routed via Texas to get to CHI! To me, that is worth buying a $9 ticket!

Another example is if you live in CLE and are going to PDX, you may want to buy a ticket from CLE to TOL (the zone border) and get a 2 zone award. (From CLE, it is a 3 zone award.) To me, the few $ for a ticket for the short ride is worth more than the extra 15K that would be spent for the award!

 

[jmbgeg]

You definately cannot get an award that will connect through LA if it requires an overnight in LA. It will require two awards if you go that way, unless perhaps you are connecting to a mid-point station on the Sunset Limited or the SW Chief. But you cannot get say Portland-LA-New Orleans. They will route you from Portland to Chicago, then south on the City of New Orleans.
It's possible, but I won't swear to it, that you might get them to give you Spokanne-Portland-Sacramento-Chicago. But even if they won't, just buy a coach ticket to Portland and then use points for the rest of that itinerary.

One of the better ways to figure out things is to simply try to book the trip normally through the paid interface. Don't actually book the trip, but if you put in a start and an end point it will usually show you a few routing choices. Generally, although not always, any itinerary shown that way is bookable by AGR. Do not use the Multi-city option, as that can produce many itineraries that AGR cannot book.

Well, here is what my research yielded. I found a great rate paid on a SPK/CHI EB trip with a bedroom traveling over the 4th of July weekend. That will get me there. I can't find a deluxe bedroom any day on the return trip via the EB so I looked at the CZ to Emeryville and had a similar problem. Looking further, I found a deluxe from CHI/LAX on the SWC, connecting without a layover to a deluxe on the CS, connecting without a layover to a deluxe on the EB. Sounds like a "legal" routing. Wednesday I will see if I can do it with a 30,000 point two zone award. Quite a return trip for comp if I can clear it with AGR. I don't see why not.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Another example is if you live in CLE and are going to PDX, you may want to buy a ticket from CLE to TOL (the zone border) and get a 2 zone award. (From CLE, it is a 3 zone award.) To me, the few $ for a ticket for the short ride is worth more than the extra 15K that would be spent for the award!

A warning for that one--

If you book from ALC-SEA (which is across the zone) you'll be given the CL/CZ/CS routing in addition to the direct CL/EB route. If you book TOL-SEA you'll ONLY get LSL/EB or CL/EB. Yet if you use CHI-SEA you get BOTH options again.

 

[Ispolkom]

You definately cannot get an award that will connect through LA if it requires an overnight in LA. It will require two awards if you go that way, unless perhaps you are connecting to a mid-point station on the Sunset Limited or the SW Chief. But you cannot get say Portland-LA-New Orleans. They will route you from Portland to Chicago, then south on the City of New Orleans.
It's possible, but I won't swear to it, that you might get them to give you Spokanne-Portland-Sacramento-Chicago. But even if they won't, just buy a coach ticket to Portland and then use points for the rest of that itinerary.

One of the better ways to figure out things is to simply try to book the trip normally through the paid interface. Don't actually book the trip, but if you put in a start and an end point it will usually show you a few routing choices. Generally, although not always, any itinerary shown that way is bookable by AGR. Do not use the Multi-city option, as that can produce many itineraries that AGR cannot book.

Well, here is what my research yielded. I found a great rate paid on a SPK/CHI EB trip with a bedroom traveling over the 4th of July weekend. That will get me there. I can't find a deluxe bedroom any day on the return trip via the EB so I looked at the CZ to Emeryville and had a similar problem. Looking further, I found a deluxe from CHI/LAX on the SWC, connecting without a layover to a deluxe on the CS, connecting without a layover to a deluxe on the EB. Sounds like a "legal" routing. Wednesday I will see if I can do it with a 30,000 point two zone award. Quite a return trip for comp if I can clear it with AGR. I don't see why not.

Please let us know what AGR says. I can't get amtrak.com to give me any routing from Chicago to Spokane other than 7/27, but Chicago-Portland does give a routing via Los Angeles. If worst comes to worst, you could always have AGR book you from Portland to Chicago, then pay for a coach ticket from Portland back to Spokane. Still a nice trip!

 

[the_traveler]

I can't get amtrak.com to give me any routing from Chicago to Spokane other than 7/27, but Chicago-Portland does give a routing via Los Angeles. If worst comes to worst, you could always have AGR book you from Portland to Chicago, then pay for a coach ticket from Portland back to Spokane. Still a nice trip!

That's what I did in March. A routing from TOL (the zone border) to PDX only gave me LSL/EB. But from CHI, it also gave SWC/CS! So I spent a little extra cash and began the award in CHI and went via LAX!

BTW: A coach trip PDX-SPK can be had for $46 (regular fare), $42 (10% off) or $38 (20% off IIRC until 6/30 for travel to Sept)!

 

[jmbgeg]

You definately cannot get an award that will connect through LA if it requires an overnight in LA. It will require two awards if you go that way, unless perhaps you are connecting to a mid-point station on the Sunset Limited or the SW Chief. But you cannot get say Portland-LA-New Orleans. They will route you from Portland to Chicago, then south on the City of New Orleans.
It's possible, but I won't swear to it, that you might get them to give you Spokanne-Portland-Sacramento-Chicago. But even if they won't, just buy a coach ticket to Portland and then use points for the rest of that itinerary.

One of the better ways to figure out things is to simply try to book the trip normally through the paid interface. Don't actually book the trip, but if you put in a start and an end point it will usually show you a few routing choices. Generally, although not always, any itinerary shown that way is bookable by AGR. Do not use the Multi-city option, as that can produce many itineraries that AGR cannot book.

Well, here is what my research yielded. I found a great rate paid on a SPK/CHI EB trip with a bedroom traveling over the 4th of July weekend. That will get me there. I can't find a deluxe bedroom any day on the return trip via the EB so I looked at the CZ to Emeryville and had a similar problem. Looking further, I found a deluxe from CHI/LAX on the SWC, connecting without a layover to a deluxe on the CS, connecting without a layover to a deluxe on the EB. Sounds like a "legal" routing. Wednesday I will see if I can do it with a 30,000 point two zone award. Quite a return trip for comp if I can clear it with AGR. I don't see why not.

Please let us know what AGR says. I can't get amtrak.com to give me any routing from Chicago to Spokane other than 7/27, but Chicago-Portland does give a routing via Los Angeles. If worst comes to worst, you could always have AGR book you from Portland to Chicago, then pay for a coach ticket from Portland back to Spokane. Still a nice trip!

AGR says they will not allow an award for the three segment routing, even though there is no stopover. Both connections are legal. They prefer to book me on the EB. They will give me an award for Chicago to LAX on the SWC but I would have to buy a paid ticket LAX-PDX and PDX-SPK.

 

[the_traveler]

Please let us know what AGR says. I can't get amtrak.com to give me any routing from Chicago to Spokane other than 7/27, but Chicago-Portland does give a routing via Los Angeles. If worst comes to worst, you could always have AGR book you from Portland to Chicago, then pay for a coach ticket from Portland back to Spokane. Still a nice trip!

AGR says they will not allow an award for the three segment routing, even though there is no stopover. Both connections are legal. They prefer to book me on the EB. They will give me an award for Chicago to LAX on the SWC but I would have to buy a paid ticket LAX-PDX and PDX-SPK.

The AGR agent is wrong - especially about the 3 segment routing! :angry: I have a 3 segment routing coming up LAX-(SAS)-CHI, CHI-WAS and WAS-BHM. I had a 3 segment trip recently SAS-CHI, CHI-WAS and WAS-KIN. I also had a 4 segment trip PDX-SAC, SAC-CHI, CHI-CVS and CVS-NOL. All of these were AGR awards!

What AGR can not do is book piecemeal - using a multi-city booking. But if you enter A-B, and a routing comes up, AGR can book it!

So I don't understand not allowing a routing of CHI-LAX-PDX! I know it can be done - I did it in March! I do understand (maybe) them not allowing the PDX-SPK portion. (But that can be bought for $46 less discount.)

I would say call back. I bet you will get a different answer (or 2 or 3 or ...)!

 

[Ispolkom]

I would say call back. I bet you will get a different answer (or 2 or 3 or ...)!

Patience, the key to circuitous AGR routings.

 

[jmbgeg]

I would say call back. I bet you will get a different answer (or 2 or 3 or ...)!

Patience, the key to circuitous AGR routings.

After all of my research I believe that I am going to change my plans. The SWC connecting to the CS connecting to the EB is ample opportunity for a misconnect and a lot of time on the train. Too bad I can't get a straight CHI-SPK on the EB. There is ample space eastbound in deluxe rooms but none the week after the holiday westbound. I could take a roomette, but I large framed and sleeping in the roometes is something I don't do when I can avoid it.

Instead of going to Chicago again, I am going to take the CS to LAX and visit southern California pre-holiday and over the weekend. Much less wear and tear than the long trip back from CHI I considered.

 

[the_traveler]

After all of my research I believe that I am going to change my plans. The SWC connecting to the CS connecting to the EB is ample opportunity for a misconnect and a lot of time on the train. Too bad I can't get a straight CHI-SPK on the EB. There is ample space eastbound in deluxe rooms but none the week after the holiday westbound. I could take a roomette, but I large framed and sleeping in the roometes is something I don't do when I can avoid it.
Instead of going to Chicago again, I am going to take the CS to LAX and visit southern California pre-holiday and over the weekend. Much less wear and tear than the long trip back from CHI I considered.

I'm confused! :blink:

You say that there is ample space eastbound and none westbound - but then you say you will take the CS to LAX - which would be westbound from SPK! :blink: You also mentioned the connection between the SWC and CS is tight. True, there is "scheduled" 2+ hours in between - but every time I have taken the SWC into LAX, I've been 1/2 to 1 hour EARLY! Going from the CS to the SWC is a certain overnight - since the CS is scheduled to arrive ~9 PM and the SWC is scheduled to depart ~7 PM! And if this will be an AGR award, they will not allow he overnight on 1 award. You must redeem 2 awards, or for a same day connect, you will be routed via SAC and BFD (via 2 Thruway buses and the SJ)!

 

[Cascadia]

Not sure if this is a non sequiter but I was able to get the routing

from Wolf Point to Seattle on the Empire Builder,

connecting to the Coast Starlight going south,

connecting to the California Zephyr going east,

by putting Denver as my final destination.

Try booking SPK to DEN, I bet you can get this three part routing, and then buy a separate ticket from Denver to Chicago (if that's what you were talking about doing in your original post.)

 

[rile42]

I used a one zone reward last February from Wolf Point to Denver via EB, CS, and CZ without an agent batting an eyelash.

 

[Cascadia]

I used a one zone reward last February from Wolf Point to Denver via EB, CS, and CZ without an agent batting an eyelash.

Did you write a trip report? I'd like to read that. Did you do it in a roomette?