Select Executive - Is it enough?

[TheCrescent]

It seems to me that most people take Amtrak because they genuinely want to take the train - and it's not as if Amtrak has a lot of competition from other train companies like the airlines have with each other.

I genuinely want to take trains.

But I could not fathom life without being Platinum on American Airlines.

So I will take Amtrak only to the extent that doing so instead of flying won’t jeopardize my airline status.

Lots of people are that way.

It would probably be more helpful to Amtrak if people who take trains between DC, NY and Boston could get miles in an airline frequent flyer program (not American or Delta due to their direct competition with Amtrak in the Northeast though).

 

[daybeers]

But I could not fathom life without being Platinum on American Airlines.

Might want to reconsider those priorities...

It would probably be more helpful to Amtrak if people who take trains between DC, NY and Boston could get miles in an airline frequent flyer program (not American or Delta due to their direct competition with Amtrak in the Northeast though).

And how would that help Amtrak in any way? Why would they want to give you currency you can use on their competitors?

 

[Joe from PA]

I genuinely want to take trains.

But I could not fathom life without being Platinum on American Airlines.

I use my Amtrak Platinum MC for 100% of my charges, and my wife uses her American Airlines card for 100% of hers. We do a fair amount of free travel.

 

[TheCrescent]

Might want to reconsider those priorities...


And how would that help Amtrak in any way? Why would they want to give you currency you can use on their competitors?

The point would be that airlines that don’t compete with the Acela would give miles. For people who don’t care about getting Amtrak points or status, that would be a benefit that they could find useful.

 

[daybeers]

The point would be that airlines that don’t compete with the Acela would give miles. For people who don’t care about getting Amtrak points or status, that would be a benefit that they could find useful.

But again, why would they allow you to use points on their competitors? Chicago-St. Louis? NC? CA? All of these places the airlines are competing. I don't understand the business case for this.

 

[jis]

At one time, for many years Amtrak and Continental and then after the merger, United had a cross use and cross earning arrangement between their two programs, together with co-listing some Amtrak services through EWR as United flight segments. Somehow they thought it was advantageous, and ultimately IIRC United put a kibosh on it.

The reason Amtrak entered into that agreement was to help gain NEC share on the Acela, by allowing Acela passengers to be able to use their points on international flights, like customers of their competition airlines could. The points of both were also freely convetible 1:1, so in effect one could earn abazillion point on Continental on a pricey international flight, convert them to AGR point (Amtrak making money selling those to Continental) and then use those for Amtrak journeys too. It was not a bad thing both ways.

 

[TheCrescent]

At one time, for many years Amtrak and Continental and then after the merger, United had a cross use and cross earning arrangement between their two programs, together with co-listing some Amtrak services through EWR as United flight segments. Somehow they thought it was advantageous, and ultimately IIRC United put a kibosh on it.

The reason Amtrak entered into that agreement was to help gain NEC share on the Acela, by allowing Acela passengers to be able to use their points on international flights, like customers of their competition airlines could. The points of both were also freely convetible 1:1, so in effect one could earn abazillion point on Continental on a pricey international flight, convert them to AGR point (Amtrak making money selling those to Continental) and then use those for Amtrak journeys too. It was not a bad thing both ways.

Exactly.

And it’s pretty likely that a regular commuter on the Acela isn’t going to take Amtrak to the Midwest. The person will fly elsewhere.

 

[chickpea]

I genuinely want to take trains.

But I could not fathom life without being Platinum on American Airlines.

It is possible and it is ok! I had AA Platinum for many years early 2000s and I thought I would miss it but I don't... the benefits were downgraded, and the upgrades few and far between. Alaska is great and paying a little for the better seats is worth it IMHO. I can pay for a lounge if I want and my CC covers bags, so really I fly on airlines with good service who go where I want and I am happy without status. Favorites are Alaska, JetBlue and Norwegian. I ride the train because I love it and I don't miss the hassle of airport security AT ALL!