Revenue+Points Itinerary

[William W.]

Hello all, I just had a quick question about redemptions:

Can I mix revenue and points within one itinerary?

Example: I pay to go from WAS to CHI on the CL, and then use points to go from CHI to LAX on the SWC.

The reason I ask is for guaranteed connection purposes, and because I don't have enough points for a three zone redemption (but I do for a two zone).

Thank you.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yes you can, an AGR agent can do both transactions for you but what about just paying to Toledo ( the Zone Border) and start your Award trip there to CHI to Cali? It'll save you some money and its easy, lots of our Eastern Members do this to save points and money!

 

[William W.]

Hmm, I hadn't thought about that. In this case, paying to go all the way to Chicago is only $40 more, but any savings is a savings. I'll have to look into it.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Hmm, I hadn't thought about that. In this case, paying to go all the way to Chicago is only $40 more, but any savings is a savings. I'll have to look into it.

I'm doing NYP-TOL in coach (pd) then switching to a roomette (points) to CHI and beyond. Figured I could get a nap if I don't sleep well in coach. Plus I'll get breakfast w/the roomette.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Hmm, I hadn't thought about that. In this case, paying to go all the way to Chicago is only $40 more, but any savings is a savings. I'll have to look into it.

Since WAS-TOL is only a. 13 hour trip (4:10pm-5am) with just One Meal in the Diner included (Dinner) you could ride Coach WAS-TOL Paid and as Betty says ( shes going on the LSL out if NYP)move to your Room in Toledo and save maybe a Few Hundred Dollars!, Worth a look!!

Its not that hard to sleep I'm a Superliner Coach seat and even paying for Dinner in the Dinner you save Big $$$!!

 

[Dovecote]

Yes you can, an AGR agent can do both transactions for you but what about just paying to Toledo ( the Zone Border) and start your Award trip there to CHI to Cali? It'll save you some money and its easy, lots of our Eastern Members do this to save points and money!

I concur with Jim on your requested scenario. In my experience though I usually find it cheaper on a cross country trip to use AGR points in the east & central zones and pay for the western zone when one is lacking the required 3 zone AGR points. Perhaps since my travel starts in either JAX or ATL is the reason why it is cheaper doing it this way. I still however would check both ways for a price comparison.

 

[William W.]

I was also looking at trying to get the best bang for my buck. CHI-PDX-LAX is a published two zone route. It seems like the best deal to me (EB plus an almost full length trip on the CS for two-zones? That's a bargain).

 

[the_traveler]

Yes, it is a great deal! And if you start your award in TOL, it is still the same 2 zone award!

Just be aware that if you take the EB->CS, due to the delays on the Hi-Line you must overnight between the EB and CS. That overnight is on your own dime! (It is not a guaranteed connection.)

 

[William W.]

When I search for itineraries on Amtrak's website, it comes up as being a valid connection. I was under the impression that non-guaranteed connections would not come up when searching normally between city pairs (not using multi-city).

 

[the_traveler]

Normally, it would not. But the EB "temporary" schedule right now only goes until a certain date (say 7/28). It may or may not be extended beyond that. So if you were looking today for 8/3, it would show up. If you look after it gets extended to say 8/22, it would not show up.

Personally I expect it to be the "temporary" schedule for some time!

 

[William W.]

That's odd, because the date I looked at was for January 2015. I wouldn't think that they would have temporary booking rules apply to a date that far in advance. I wasn't able to post the screenshot here, but if you look up a CHI-LAX reservation on their website for a date that far in advance, it should show up as a valid itinerary. Again, I'm assuming that any route that shows up through the normal booking process should have guaranteed connections.

 

[amamba]

That's odd, because the date I looked at was for January 2015. I wouldn't think that they would have temporary booking rules apply to a date that far in advance. I wasn't able to post the screenshot here, but if you look up a CHI-LAX reservation on their website for a date that far in advance, it should show up as a valid itinerary. Again, I'm assuming that any route that shows up through the normal booking process should have guaranteed connections.

Sadly that's an incorrect assumption regarding the EB.

 

[crescent2]

Does the overnight on your own dime between the EB and the CS end the AGR award, or is it covered by the 23-hour stopover rule?

 

[William W.]

As long as an itinerary is a published route (that is, it comes up when you search through the booking engine), it is covered by the rule.

 

[SteveSFL]

Does the overnight on your own dime between the EB and the CS end the AGR award, or is it covered by the 23-hour stopover rule?

According to the guidelines (and AGR Insider on FT), they should allow you to use one award. This can be difficult to explain to the AGR people on the phone, though. And for some reason it seems to depend on your routing. I was finally able to convince them to let me to DEN-SAC-PDX (my overnight) and then PDX-WPT the following day on one award. But when I asked about ABQ-LAX-PDX (overnight) PDX-WPT or ELP-LAX-PDX (overnight) PDX-WPT they wouldn't budge.

 

[the_traveler]

when I asked about ABQ-LAX-PDX (overnight) PDX-WPT or ELP-LAX-PDX (overnight) PDX-WPT they wouldn't budge.

Even a supervisor would not budge? :huh:

 

[SteveSFL]

when I asked about ABQ-LAX-PDX (overnight) PDX-WPT or ELP-LAX-PDX (overnight) PDX-WPT they wouldn't budge.

Even a supervisor would not budge? :huh:

At that point I had gotten them to book the DEN-SAC-PDX-WPT as one zone "since they told you that you could do it when you called this morning, even though it was a mistake." I didn't want to screw that up, and figured I'd call back as the trip gets closer with the hope that the guidelines are more clear.