Select, Select Plus, Select Executive population

[TinCan782]

I haven't received a card or email or anything yet; just Select status on my profile and the coupons added to my account. Will I get an actual card in the mail?

You will have a card (eventually) mailed to you.

 

[jis]

I haven't received a card or email or anything yet; just Select status on my profile and the coupons added to my account. Will I get an actual card in the mail?

That profile if it is not broken will change sometime in Feb to give you a full year. Right now it is broken in bizarre ways.

For me it claims I have 11000+ TQP and I need 8000+ more TQP to reach Select Plus. Of course I am already Select Plus for this entire year so that garbage does not make any difference this year. The AGR agent told me to ignore that entire web page for now. Amtrak IT excellence center continues to be performing at its best as usual

 

[John Bredin]

It does. 1,000 TQPs for each $5000 spend. Up to 4,000 TQPs max per year.
I did notice that with the FNBO card, there is no mention of a maximum as the BofA card did.

It apparently doesn't have the 4,000 TQP maximum, as I reached Select for the first time entirely from the 1,000 TQPs per $5,000. In the past, I always ran up against the 4,000 TQP limit, and I almost never buy Amtrak tickets to get TQPs that way.

It raises a question for me: my coupons and lounge passes have September or November 2023 expiration dates, but my Select status itself expires 3/1/23. I won't have spent $25,000 by March, Christmas notwithstanding. So when my Select status expires in March, will the unused coupons & passes still last until September/November?

 

[MARC Rider]

That profile if it is not broken will change sometime in Feb to give you a full year. Right now it is broken in bizarre ways.

For me it claims I have 11000+ TQP and I need 8000+ more TQP to reach Select Plus. Of course I am already Select Plus for this entire year so that garbage does not make any difference this year. The AGR agent told me to ignore that entire web page for now. Amtrak IT excellence center continues to be performing at its best as usual

Yeah, I noticed the same thing when I logged into my AGR account. Good to know that it's just a computer glitch.

 

[jis]

It apparently doesn't have the 4,000 TQP maximum, as I reached Select for the first time entirely from the 1,000 TQPs per $5,000. In the past, I always ran up against the 4,000 TQP limit, and I almost never buy Amtrak tickets to get TQPs that way.

It raises a question for me: my coupons and lounge passes have September or November 2023 expiration dates, but my Select status itself expires 3/1/23. I won't have spent $25,000 by March, Christmas notwithstanding. So when my Select status expires in March, will the unused coupons & passes still last until September/November?

If you had 5,000TQP accumulated in 2022 your Select status will run through 1 March 2024. You will get another set of Select Status stuff sometime in February covering all of 2023.

 

[TinCan782]

It apparently doesn't have the 4,000 TQP maximum, as I reached Select for the first time entirely from the 1,000 TQPs per $5,000. In the past, I always ran up against the 4,000 TQP limit, and I almost never buy Amtrak tickets to get TQPs that way.

Correct, one of the enhancements over the old card. I noticed early-on that the 4,000 point limit was not stated by FNBO but, a recent email from Amtrak confirms the new no-limit policy for TQPs.

 

[Shortline]

I've been Select Executive for quite a while. Not sure how long, because I really don't pay attention to it. Occasionally I'll remember to use a companion coupon, but usually book my own travel, early, then need to add a companion later-And apparently you can't do that with the companion coupons, so I end up paying or using points to add my wife. Last 2 years have been all long distance, I average 10-15 overnight trips a year, mostly Chicago West, but some Crescent/Capitol/Cardinal trips thrown in. I had a few years where I did some NYP-WAS trips, on Acela, but most of my trips are all LD. Really, doesn't mean much. And with the prices going significantly higher, more frequent train cancelations/sleeper cars being removed causing a move to coach (not an option.....) it's harder to justify the train over flying.

So, this probably will be my last year as Select Executive, (which again, doesn't really mean much) I'm having to move all, or almost all of my business travel back to the airlines. I have one more long business trip next month on the train, BHM-WAS-LAX, that will probably be the only one for all of 2023. After decades of 10-15 trips a year, until service, and costs stabilize, I'm basically done. I hate that, but, they've basically priced the business traveler off the trains, can't justify spending two to three times the price of a flight, often even much more than a first class airline ticket just to take days longer to get somewhere, and never really know if you'll get there at all, or even close to on time. In my travels, I've experienced everything.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I've been Select Executive for quite a while. Not sure how long, because I really don't pay attention to it. Occasionally I'll remember to use a companion coupon, but usually book my own travel, early, then need to add a companion later-And apparently you can't do that with the companion coupons, so I end up paying or using points to add my wife. Last 2 years have been all long distance, I average 10-15 overnight trips a year, mostly Chicago West, but some Crescent/Capitol/Cardinal trips thrown in. I had a few years where I did some NYP-WAS trips, on Acela, but most of my trips are all LD. Really, doesn't mean much. And with the prices going significantly higher, more frequent train cancelations/sleeper cars being removed causing a move to coach (not an option.....) it's harder to justify the train over flying.

So, this probably will be my last year as Select Executive, (which again, doesn't really mean much) I'm having to move all, or almost all of my business travel back to the airlines. I have one more long business trip next month on the train, BHM-WAS-LAX, that will probably be the only one for all of 2023. After decades of 10-15 trips a year, until service, and costs stabilize, I'm basically done. I hate that, but, they've basically priced the business traveler off the trains, can't justify spending two to three times the price of a flight, often even much more than a first class airline ticket just to take days longer to get somewhere, and never really know if you'll get there at all, or even close to on time. In my travels, I've experienced everything.

Even some of us who are Retired feel the same way. I for one, flew to or from my destination the past few years for the reasons you mentioned.( I was Select Plus for Several Years but not since 2020 when the Pandemic hit)

I'm fortunate to have a Daily Train ( Texas Eaglette)run through my City, but still have chosen to fly due to Dependability, Affordable Fares and frequent Flights on Southwest Airlines.
,

 

[Shortline]

Yeah, I certainly prefer it when it works. When I lived in OKC I took the Heartland Flyer to Ft Worth, then the Eagle to Chicago and points beyond, or LA quite a bit. Moved to Alabama 5+ years ago, so going west meant flying to Chicago, which I would do on my points, then train to Seattle, Chicago or Emeryville, but I did pick up a lot of Crescent trips to NOL and NYP/WAS being here in the East. I took the train almost exclusively for almost all of my travel during 2020/2021 but with prices going up, and cost cutting/focus on travel budgets now, its hard to justify on the expense report anymore, its no longer just a "little more" expensive than flying.......it's now a LOT more expensive. Oh well, had a good run.

 

[Railroad Bill]

I just received my Select Plus packet in mail today and the card for lounge access also says expiration on Feb 28, 2023. Hoping that Jis is correct in that I will receive another card for 2023 in Feb 2023.

 

[TinCan782]

I just received my Select Plus packet in mail today and the card for lounge access also says expiration on Feb 28, 2023. Hoping that Jis is correct in that I will receive another card for 2023 in Feb 2023.

Yes, you should received a new card when it gets close to expiration. When you acheive a status level it is always for AT LEAST 12 months.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I just received my Select Plus packet in mail today and the card for lounge access also says expiration on Feb 28, 2023. Hoping that Jis is correct in that I will receive another card for 2023 in Feb 2023.

After the Holidays are over and the Weather improves, I'd call AGR to be sure Bill!

 

[Chellerz]

I agree that Select Plus is not as useful as it was when you didn’t have to have a same-day ticket. In the good old days, when I was doing a getaway in Philly, I would take SEPTA down and hang out in the lounge til my hotel room was ready if I got there too early. And then one or two days when there, I’d take SEPTA over from near the hotel, get lunch and eat in the lounge, and SEPTA back.

Those days are gone. However, I did find it very helpful this year to have lounge access at PHL—I had some mobility issues and a cane for a while, and sometimes was traveling with a friend with some mobility issues, and it was nice to have the redcap take us up to the lounge and come and get us and take us right to the train. It was a very relaxing place to wait.

Of course, all of PHL is peaceful, so there’s nothing wrong with being in the beautiful main hall—especially if you still get a redcap to avoid the lines.

I avoid New York but imagine it’s more crucial there to have a lounge to get away from the crowds and noise and congestion out in the main station. Although if they don’t take you right to the train platform like they do in PHL, and you still have to get to the train by yourself through the crowds pushing and shoving and knocking you down, I’m not sure what the point of the lounge is.

I also read that New Yorkers have taken it over as the newest “trendy” bar— so there goes any peace and quiet. Also, if they’re not traveling, how are they getting in without a ticket?

Back to Select Plus, I guess it is worth it or not depending on someone’s circumstances in a particular year.

I have always wondered whether Select Executive is worth it, though. Not sure what real benefits you get except extra points.

The "trendy" place you read about is called The Bar at Moynihan. It's the not Amtrak lounge.

 

[jcastallack]

I avoid New York but imagine it’s more crucial there to have a lounge to get away from the crowds and noise and congestion out in the main station. Although if they don’t take you right to the train platform like they do in PHL, and you still have to get to the train by yourself through the crowds pushing and shoving and knocking you down, I’m not sure what the point of the lounge is.

Plush lounge with free food, eating on the balcony overlooking the station vs. standing or sitting on the floor in the main hall (the ticketed waiting area is frequently full) is the point.

 

[Anderson]

Even some of us who are Retired feel the same way. I for one, flew to or from my destination the past few years for the reasons you mentioned.( I was Select Plus for Several Years but not since 2020 when the Pandemic hit)

I'm fortunate to have a Daily Train ( Texas Eaglette)run through my City, but still have chosen to fly due to Dependability, Affordable Fares and frequent Flights on Southwest Airlines.
,

So, I am/was Select Executive basically from when that came into being. I wasn't right off the bat, but that first year it was there I cleared in fairly easily.

Last year I just barely limped in at Select Plus.
Now, some of this was pandemic travel patterns - I was on target to requalify for SE in 2020, but obviously after March 2020 travel dropped off sharply (and IIRC I booked an Auto Train trip or two using points later in 2020) and I didn't start to seriously consider Amtrak as a travel option until the mask rules went away. And it probably goes without saying that Amtrak's erratic service reductions did them no favors.

With a "normal" full 2022, I'd have come in a bit higher in terms of TQPs before accounting for how I might have adapted my travel in the last 2-3 months of the year if I was coming in "close but not quite there". (Instead, I was way short and just tried to make a point of limping through to 10k. It's funny, though...I got one SE upgrade card this week and I'm gonna try to get another pocketed before the end of February.)

 

[Roadpupp]

I hit Select Plus every year with the CC spend and my travel. I live in New Haven, CT and ride Acela or NE Regional every week to NYC and sometimes to Boston. For me Select Plus is a must have so I can camp out in the Boston or NYC lounges. I often get to Boston, work for an hour from the lounge, go see a client and work/take zoom calls from the lounge again until I can get my train out. The Moynihan Lounge is great and I often check in there for an hour or just a few minutes so I can get the track number before the masses.
Select Executive this year for the first time. I feel like people who use Amtrak enough to get the highest tier should get a few more perks than they do. Very little difference from SExec to SPlus.

 

[vap0rtranz]

I just missed Select Plus by a few points -- kick myself in the butt.

Max out my ccard points. I'm the old Amex method: use ccards for everything, and pay their balances in full, = 0% interest + points.

Only 6k pts needed after the ccard points. Tampa<->Chicago is about 1k points each way. I took it to visit the in-laws. The long hauls really add up.

What needs to change is the 1Class upgrade. It needs to include Roomettes as an upgrade.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I just missed Select Plus by a few points -- kick myself in the butt.

Max out my ccard points. I'm the old Amex method: use ccards for everything, and pay their balances in full, = 0% interest + points.

Only 6k pts needed after the ccard points. Tampa<->Chicago is about 1k points each way. I took it to visit the in-laws. The long hauls really add up.

What needs to change is the 1Class upgrade. It needs to include Roomettes as an upgrade.

I would suggest that Sleeping Car Passengers should get the Bonus Points that Biz Class and Acela FC Riders get.

Also, Select Executive should have more perks, including Upgrades on Space Available Basis to Biz Class and/or Sleeping Car Rooms.( like the High Status Airline Passengers/ Hotel Guests get!)

 

[Widfara]

I just got an email promoting me to Select Plus for 2023. Nice. Was facing being dropped to Select Minus.

 

[TheVig]

 

[Steve4031]

I received an email that I made Select Plus Executive too. I am not even sure how many points I had because I was no where near making executive but I was sure of select plus once I finished my trip in October.

 

[zetharion]

I got Select even though im like 1300 points shy which my April trip this year would have put me in.

 

[joelkfla]

I got Select even though im like 1300 points shy which my April trip this year would have put me in.

April doesn't count. It's a new year.

 

[zetharion]

So that means it was definitely a good thing that they bumped me up to Select now.

 

[Rambling Robert]

For 2022 I had 11,744 miles, about 10,000 miles in Coach. In October 2022 I spent 1500 AGR points on the Metropolitan Lounge in DC - leaving me way under in points for Select Status.

I was pleasantly surprised I was awarded Select Status.

But no one has yet to ask about my measurements for the coveted BLUE JACKET.