New Amtrak Guest Rewards Master Card - Fall 2015

[George K]

Somewhere (Facebook?) I read that Chase Sapphire Ultimate Rewards will still be transferrable to AGR. That would be a good thing, if true.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Somewhere (Facebook?) I read that Chase Sapphire Ultimate Rewards will still be transferrable to AGR. That would be a good thing, if true.

Only "until further Notice" per 'AGR Insider' ( Anthony) on Flyer Talk!

Since Chase and AGR are severing their relationship, it almost certainly won't be for long George!

 

[jebr]

The letter states that the AGR card will still work until the new Freedom card arrives and you activate it. You'll just earn Freedom points instead of AGR points.

 

[George K]

I'm really agnostic as to who gives the points, as long as they're transferrable to AGR somehow. I'll even jump through a hoop if I need to.

But, I'll probably end up just getting the new BoA AGR card and putting the new Chase Freedom card in a drawer - then canceling it.

 

[printman2000]

Somewhere (Facebook?) I read that Chase Sapphire Ultimate Rewards will still be transferrable to AGR. That would be a good thing, if true.

Only "until further Notice" per 'AGR Insider' ( Anthony) on Flyer Talk!
Since Chase and AGR are severing their relationship, it almost certainly won't be for long George!

There are other examples of airlines you can transfer UR points to that Chase does not have a credit card for. So hopefully they will keep the AGR transfer. Not holding my breathe, though.

 

[crescent2]

I applied for the Chase AGR MC only for its AGR rewards, and I'm sorry to see it go.

Is there really any reason for me to activate the new Freedom card when it comes? I don't need it, but I don't want to negatively affect my FICO score. I'm not very knowledgeable on how getting/refusing/closing credit cards affects this score, but I'm hovering right at 800 and am so close that now I would love to go above it. I do know your debt to available credit ratio matters, and the length of time you've had the accounts. Number of hard credit inquiries also has some impact. I've had the Chase AGR card several years, and I always pay my balances in full each month. I currently use both the Chase AGR card and a Skymiles Amex. I also have at least half a dozen other cards sitting in a drawer, some of which I've had since the 1990's.

I'm undecided whether to get the new BOA AGR card or not. When I use the 40,000+ AGR points currently in my account, my train traveling days will probably be over except for an occasional trip to/from New Orleans on the Crescent. I love LD train travel, but not enough to pay several thousand dollars to do so, and I'll never again have enough AGR points under the "new and improved" :blush: plan. Like many others who've posted, trains are very scarce where I live, and the trips I'd want to take would require vast quantities of points.

Will the Freedom card essentially function as a replacement card for my current Chase AGR card (extend the time I've had that account, etc.), or be treated as an application for a totally new card?

What do you financial whizzes advise for someone in my situation re the Freedom and BOA cards? (I think the person who posted the new thread that Sarah linked to this one perhaps was seeking similar advice.) Thanks.

 

[Rob_C]

Hey all,

I apologize, I've been reading this thread for about an hour and didn't find an answer so I will just ask. It looks like I will just use up my AGR points under the old system and not get the new card. I have enough points under the old system for a couple of nice trips. I understand the program changes in January. My question is do I need to complete my old reward trip by then? Or just book my reward for later in 2016 by the end of January?

Thanks for any clarification!

Rob

 

[Bob Dylan]

Rob: you can book trips under the current AGR Rules until Jan.23, 2016 for travel up to 11 months ahead.

Any changes or modifications to the rez after that time, will fall under the New and Devalued, er Improved AGR2.0, and be subject to the then current Fares, and result in a 10% Point Penalty, and if cancelled less than 14 Days before departure, a 20% Penalty!!!

Some of the Longer LD trips after 1/24/16 will require Double, and even Triple, the Number of points required now!

So be careful when and what you book, that's a draconian hit to your account!

AGR2.0 More for Us! Less for You! Unless you Live where We Do on the NEC!!!

 

[chakk]

I'm sorry, jis, I wasn't clear. I meant would the replacement card that Chase sends have the same number, not the new AGR card.

Letter I received today from Chase says my new card from Chase will be Visa (no longer MC) with a different number, but still no annual fee.

 

[Railroad Bill]

We received our notices from Chase yesterday and after reading some of the "benefits" of the Freedom card there are some similarities in coverage with the Chase Sapphire Card we also have. Works somewhat like the Discover Card we once used with the quarterly upgrades of % points for gas, hotels, etc. Also with travel insurance,price protections, etc. As long as Sapphire has a transfer to AGR we will continue using it and will wait to see what the new AGR card offers.

Looks like you may need an accountant to figure out which credit cards give the best deals for your individual needs.

 

[printman2000]

We received our notices from Chase yesterday and after reading some of the "benefits" of the Freedom card there are some similarities in coverage with the Chase Sapphire Card we also have. Works somewhat like the Discover Card we once used with the quarterly upgrades of % points for gas, hotels, etc. Also with travel insurance,price protections, etc. As long as Sapphire has a transfer to AGR we will continue using it and will wait to see what the new AGR card offers.

Looks like you may need an accountant to figure out which credit cards give the best deals for your individual needs.

You can combine all Chase Ultimate Reward points to your Sapphire Preferred card. So we use our Freedom card on the 5% bonus catagories (currently gas and Kohls) and Sapphire Preferred for everything else. Then combine all points to Sapphired Preferred to be able to transfer to AGR.

 

[C855B]

I've seen a couple of folks talk about closing accounts. Don't do it if you're concerned about your credit score(s), as closing accounts usually results in small negative impacts to your score. If the Chase MC/AGR card automatically reissues to a Chase Visa Freedom card without having to reapply, take it. Whether you use it or not is up to you (I like to "ping" my unused cards once or twice a year with small transactions just to keep the account active). I was reminded that this was important a couple of months ago when Citibank canceled a card because it sat in a drawer gathering dust for two or three years 'cause I forgot about it. So there you go.

Anyway... I received "the letter" this morning. I may apply for the BofA card when AGR lets us know it's available, provided they're going to do that while the old points schedule is in effect. If they're playing the game of not issuing the new affinity card until AGR 2.0 hits, then BofA can... uh... kiss "it", since like others have said they have not exactly been a friend of mine, for many years.

I will not play the category cash-back games like Discover and the others offer. The "5% on $1500 in three months" crap that the Chase Freedom card is offering is more BS than I'm going to mess with, either. All of it is an incredible waste of my time and attention, and that's what it's all about - forcing you to think about using their card. I have an offer in hand for 2% cash back on every purchase with no cap, so if the BofA offer doesn't show up in a couple of weeks I'm moving my activity to the card with the unrestricted bonus system.

 

[printman2000]

I will not play the category cash-back games like Discover and the others offer. The "5% on $1500 in three months" crap that the Chase Freedom card is offering is more BS than I'm going to mess with, either. All of it is an incredible waste of my time and attention, and that's what it's all about - forcing you to think about using their card. I have an offer in hand for 2% cash back on every purchase with no cap, so if the BofA offer doesn't show up in a couple of weeks I'm moving my activity to the card with the unrestricted bonus system.

For me, it is just a matter of pulling out the Freedom card instead of the Sapphire. Not a big deal. Not a time waster. For that very small effort I get 5% on something instead of 2%.

 

[crescent2]

I've seen a couple of folks talk about closing accounts. Don't do it if you're concerned about your credit score(s), as closing accounts usually results in small negative impacts to your score. If the Chase MC/AGR card automatically reissues to a Chase Visa Freedom card without having to reapply, take it. Whether you use it or not is up to you (I like to "ping" my unused cards once or twice a year with small transactions just to keep the account active). I was reminded that this was important a couple of months ago when Citibank canceled a card because it sat in a drawer gathering dust for two or three years 'cause I forgot about it. So there you go.

Anyway... I received "the letter" this morning. I may apply for the BofA card when AGR lets us know it's available, provided they're going to do that while the old points schedule is in effect. If they're playing the game of not issuing the new affinity card until AGR 2.0 hits, then BofA can... uh... kiss "it", since like others have said they have not exactly been a friend of mine, for many years.

I will not play the category cash-back games like Discover and the others offer. The "5% on $1500 in three months" crap that the Chase Freedom card is offering is more BS than I'm going to mess with, either. All of it is an incredible waste of my time and attention, and that's what it's all about - forcing you to think about using their card. I have an offer in hand for 2% cash back on every purchase with no cap, so if the BofA offer doesn't show up in a couple of weeks I'm moving my activity to the card with the unrestricted bonus system.

Thanks,, C855B. That was one of my questions: Will the Freedom card be basically a reissue of the existing card, or a new application? From the letter I received, I expect it to just show up in my mailbox, but by activating it, am I "applying" for it?

And I agree about the category games. I know myself well enough to know I'm not going to bother with all that for long.

 

[printman2000]

Thanks,, C855B. That was one of my questions: Will the Freedom card be basically a reissue of the existing card, or a new application? From the letter I received, I expect it to just show up in my mailbox, but by activating it, am I "applying" for it?

I don't know this for sure, but I suspect you will get a card in the mail without doing anything. I do not think there is an "activating" it. Weather you call to confirm you received it or not, you will have the card and the account will be active on your credit. And no, there will be no applying. It is a simple switch from one card to another. A continuation of the same credit.

 

[Lazy Z]

Just got my notice from Chase stating relationship between them and Amtrak ends Sept 30. No information on anything related to awards program.

Chase will say nothing about AGR. The AGR credit card is an optional benefit of the Amtrak rewards program. Participation in the AGR program is possible without having or using a credit card. Information about the new awards program will (and has already) come from Amtrak

What I would like to know is: by having the Chase Amtrak card, my points were safe even I did not have any paid travel....wonder what will happen now? The 3 year clock is ticking....

 

[Bob Dylan]

If you already have any other Chase Cards, my understanding is that you can call and have them transfer any line of Credit you have on a Freedom Card to your other Chase Card(s).

IIAC you do not have to activate the new VISA Freedom Card. (Like others I already have one, but it's a MC and they are automatically being converted to a VISA with Chip)

This actually should result in a "bump" to your Credit Score if I understand this "Smoke and Mirrors" process correctly????

 

[eee]

I'll be canceling my Chase Amtrak card ASAP.

I always see comments about how your credit score is affected by these minor changes, but I don't understand why I should be concerned? As a guy with a fine credit score who's not planning on buying anything major anytime soon, why would it matter?

Even if I were planning on buying a new home, any loan I would be seeking would be far, far less than the maximum amount the bank would approve, so I wouldn't think a minor blip on my credit score would have any impact on anything.

Do these minor credit score blips affect anything besides maybe slightly lowering the maximum amount for which you could get a home loan approved?

 

[jis]

Frankly I don't worry about blips in my credit scores. I just carry on ding what I want to do. I have sometimes seen a dip in score of as much as 20 points, but it recovers again soon enough. So yeah, I agree with you Ed.

BTW, significantly lower score could apparently affect the interest rate that one gets on a loan. But we are talking very very significantly lower scores for that to kick in.

Of course if one is already pretty borderline, score-wise, then such slight blips would matter much more since their effect is magnified as you bounce to one side or the other of significant thresholds.

 

[NE933]

So, what happens to the points already earned? Is there a grace period that they can be redeemed for Amtrak travel before they expire (if they expire, that is)?

 

[Ryan]

They don't expire.

 

[tonys96]

They don't expire.

Really? The three year rule on OLD points is now going to be waived? Citation needed, please.

 

[Ryan]

They don't expire as a result of the transition, which is what he was asking.

Also, now any activity resets the 3 year clock, not just paid travel (citation cleverly hidden in plain view on the AGR website).

 

[jis]

I finally got the official letter from Chase regarding termination of the AGR relationship and conversion to Freedom Card. Have not heard anything official any credit card regarding any other AGR affiliated credit card yet. So officially speaking AGR affiliated credit cards end on Sept 30. We'll see what comes about next, when it does

 

[George K]

Got mine today as well. It is interesting, isn't it how we have no official word about a transition of reward program to another bank? Other than knowing how your points will work, we really have zero information about how to earn those points.

Officially speaking.