Trip on SWC, spend night in DDG

[margo]

I need advice for a trip in the Fall on the SWC. Please advise if my plan would work:

Leave LCH Wed., Sept 22, on SL arrive LAX .Fri 5 am

Depart LAX Fri 10 am. on SWC arrive Dodge City (DDG) Sat. 12:12 am on SWC

I would like to spend a night in DDG. Can I pay cash for TRI to DDG?

Depart DDG 12:12am Sun on SWC,

Arrive CHI Mon. 3 pm

Depart CHI on CONO Mon. 8 pm

Arrive NOL Tues 3 pm Spend the night

Depart NOL Wed 9am on SL

Arrive LCH Wed 2 pm

We want a bedroom all the way, except coach from TRI to DDG.

How many points would I need? Thank you very much.

 

[greatcats]

I think your trip will work, but some of it is a day off, but it corrects itself. The SL arrives LAX at 5:35 am on a Friday, but the SWC does not depart at 10 am, but at 6:15 pm. Therefore, it arrives DDG at 12:12 am on a Sunday morning. If you depart DDG at 12:12 am on Monday, it will land you in Chicago Monday afternoon to connect with the CONO arriving NOL, Tues., and you can return to Lake Charles on Wed. I don't know why you would want to give up your bedroom between Trinidad and Dodge City. Others can advise you better about points, but this trip is in two zones. About two years ago I used 20,000 points for a roomette Chicago to Flagstaff; a bedroom would be more.

 

[margo]

Thank you . I have corrected the itinerary. I hope someone can help me with the points and the overnight in DDG.

 

[PaulM]

If I understand your itinerary correctly, I calculate

2 zones LCH to TRI

1 zone DDG to NOL

1 zone NOL to LCH.

LCH to DDG is also a published route; but you would most likely fall victim to the circular route rule: central zone --> western zone --> central zone. Thus the paid coach TRI to DDG makes sense. Personally, I would not spend the points for a BR on the NOL-LCH segment either.

You will have to look up the points per BR for 1 and 2 zones; I always find the roomette acceptable.

 

[the_traveler]

The points are:

If you can book LCH-TRI, it will be 2 zones or 40,000 points for a bedroom.

You can pay cash for TRI-DDG. If that room is not sold, the SCA may let you occupy it to DDG. Ask your SCA.

DDG-LCH (if it can be booked via CHI) would be 1 zone or 20,000 points for a bedroom.

 

[margo]

Thank you everyone. Also, we could do the trip in reverse, if it would work better. We're retired so we're flexible.

 

[tomfuller]

Be aware that neither TRI nor DDG have checked baggage service. You will have to carry on all your baggage at LAX to get off with it at DDG.

If you wanted to pay cash for a section you could switch to coach at ABQ. Stay up until you get to DDG and get your good night's sleep in Dodge City.

 

[PaulM]

DDG-LCH (if it can be booked via CHI) would be 1 zone or 20,000 points for a bedroom.

I was curious and looked it up. The answer is no; the only choice is via LA.

 

[margo]

Thank you all for your help. I think we've decided to go LCH to DDG round trip in Sept. I think this would be 4 zones. We can pay coach from TRI to DDG and back. Am I correct? Have any of you spent any time in DDG or stayed at the Boot Hill B&B? Thanks again.

 

[the_traveler]

Yes, you can pay coach for TRI to/from DDG! You might be able to do so with the AGR agent - but certainly online.