New Amtrak Guest Rewards Master Card - Fall 2015

[jis]

You know how to earn those points. By riding Amtrak. That is the core AGR program. The affinity card program is a side show, which probably makes Amtrak some additional money.

 

[Ryan]

Sure we do, riding Amtrak trains. Shopping through the AGR portal. Same stuff we're used to. Chase card for the next month, then a new card we'll hear about next week.

Hardly a mystery to me.

 

[19/20]

I've been thru this 3 times before, PIA, first was MBNA, then BofA, then Chase, now back to BofA, like I said, PIA.

 

[George K]

Sure we do, riding Amtrak trains. Shopping through the AGR portal. Same stuff we're used to.

Good points, and my bad for not thinking of that. I shop through AGR ALL THE TIME (got 250 points for a car seat today!).

I guess I was just venting about it being 4 weeks from the end of the AGR Card and not knowing what benefits/etc we will be transitioning to. Reading through these threads, I think we still don't have anything official about which bank it'll be. Do we?

Next week? Really? That would be good.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Sure we do, riding Amtrak trains. Shopping through the AGR portal. Same stuff we're used to.

Good points, and my bad for not thinking of that. I shop through AGR ALL THE TIME (got 250 points for a car seat today!).

I guess I was just venting about it being 4 weeks from the end of the AGR Card and not knowing what benefits/etc we will be transitioning to. Reading through these threads, I think we still don't have anything official about which bank it'll be. Do we?

Next week? Really? That would be good.

Sept 12th is the magic date.

 

[jis]

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).

I attempted to do that once. They gladly cancelled the one card I wanted cancelled, and then they proceed to give me a credit hike on the card that I wanted to keep. When I checked I found that they had hiked my credit on that card by twice what the credit line was on the cancelled card. Go figure. I am not complaining. it just improves my FICO score by a bit for doing absolutely nothing.

 

[Ryan]

Sure we do, riding Amtrak trains. Shopping through the AGR portal. Same stuff we're used to.

Good points, and my bad for not thinking of that. I shop through AGR ALL THE TIME (got 250 points for a car seat today!).
I guess I was just venting about it being 4 weeks from the end of the AGR Card and not knowing what benefits/etc we will be transitioning to. Reading through these threads, I think we still don't have anything official about which bank it'll be. Do we?

Next week? Really? That would be good.

Officially no, but apparently BoA CSRs have mentioned it, and it's one of the worst kept secrets.

 

[PaulM]

Chase is actually actively reducing risk by not issuing credit cards at all to people with five or more inquiries over the past two years, regardless of how good credit they have.

Personal credit accounts didn't nearly bring Chase (and the rest of the world's largest economy) crashing down. Personal credit accounts didn't need trillions of dollars in bailout money.

I was going to ask a more basic question. How do you reduce risk by turning away good credit customers?

 

[Carolina Special]

There logically has to be a contractual reason for Amtrak to delay the announcement till the 12th. Most likely part of the termination deal with Chase. BOA would seem to have no reason to delay an announcement.

 

[PaulM]

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.

Here I thought I was the only one who feels this way. As far as I'm concerned, playing the cash-back games goes into the get-a-life category.

And they wonder why old people hate change. Well when it comes to change, I'm from Missouri. Show me the improvement. Most change is merely for someone else's fun and profit.

 

[George K]

This.

First of all, though 5% sounds great, it's only on selected categories. And then, it's limited to $1500 of purchases. So, the most you can get as cash back is $75, assuming you spend a grand and a half on gas/hotel/whatever in the 90 days of the promotion.

 

[jis]

I will probably get rid of the Freedom Card. I don't really need yet another credit card. As for whether I will or will not get the new AGR card that is YTBD. Need to see the terms and the fine print first.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yep, except for the free travel insurance and no annual fee, the Chase Freedom Card isn't among the best of the cards out there!

If you want a Chase Card go with Sapphire Prefered or Ink!

I'll look @ the BOA (BOA= Barely Offers Anything)offer if they EVER send something out, but it will have to offer something really good for me to apply for one!

Say waiving the annual fee, Bonus AGR Points for signing up, not requiring another account with BOA, ability to do on line transactions, same or Higher Credit Line, Low Interest rate perhaps entry into Amtrak CAs and Metro Lounges and the United Clubs etc.)

 

[19/20]

I'll probably get the new AGR card, but will consider Choice Privilages, those pts are transferable back and forth and hotel stays are getting pricy.

 

[Ryan]

Taking the cash rarely works out.

The points have allowed me to have many flights and hotel rooms without paying, so I'm pretty happy with my life, thanks.

 

[bryan9]

Any news on when the new BofA Amtrak card will be available or what the points earnings will be? I'm using my Chase card again full time in an effort to build up points, but there's only three weeks to go...

 

[pennyk]

They don't expire.

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

Anthony posted this on Flyertalk:

We will extend a grace period from 8/27/15 to 1/24/16 when the new rules regarding point expiration will be in place. During this time, members with qualifying earning or redemption activity under the new program rules in the last 36 months will be exempt from point expiration. This includes members who had the Amtrak Guest Rewards MasterCard from Chase on 9/30/15.
Anthony

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amtrak-guest-rewards/1700885-new-amtrak-guest-rewards-mastercard-arriving-fall-2015-a-8.html

 

[Rob_C]

Thanks, Jim! That's great news, as I'd much rather travel in the spring than the fall. But we may do one of each depending on what we can do.

Rob

 

[leacrane]

Very confused. Is my Chase AGR card good till 9 30? Am leaving on a trip with it. Need the credit and the points for all travel expenses. Tx

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Very confused. Is my Chase AGR card good till 9 30? Am leaving on a trip with it. Need the credit and the points for all travel expenses. Tx

From what I understand the accumulation of AGR Points dies after 30 SEP but the card itself is still good until the new one arrives, with credit going to the cash back program of the new card.

 

[leacrane]

Tx

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

It's September 12 -- any official news announcing the new card?

 

[TinCan782]

It's September 12 -- any official news announcing the new card?

My calendar says today is September 5.

Hang in here..."something" will be coming.

 

[Trailrider1951]

Oh, man, decisions, decisions! I currently have the Chase AGR card and am planning a round trip to SEA and back beginning the middle of November, using $$$, not points. Please give me your thoughts on the following scenarios:

1. Use the Chase AGR card now for the trip, earning points both for using the card and for the travel.

2. Wait until the new BOA card comes out, and perhaps get a sign on bonus for making this trip, along with points for using the card. There is a chance that the trip may cost more if I wait.

Also, I qualify for the Senior fare. Will I still be able to earn points on the new system (after Jan 24) with this fare, or will I have to travel as Adult at the higher fare?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Oh, man, decisions, decisions! I currently have the Chase AGR card and am planning a round trip to SEA and back beginning the middle of November, using $$$, not points. Please give me your thoughts on the following scenarios:

1. Use the Chase AGR card now for the trip, earning points both for using the card and for the travel.

2. Wait until the new BOA card comes out, and perhaps get a sign on bonus for making this trip, along with points for using the card. There is a chance that the trip may cost more if I wait.

Also, I qualify for the Senior fare. Will I still be able to earn points on the new system (after Jan 24) with this fare, or will I have to travel as Adult at the higher fare?

I can only answer the senior fare question. You can earn points (they'd be less than full fare, of course), but points will be valued at the adult fare when using points to pay