I will be Selective Executive another year, with a little help from TQP bonuses from credit card.
Will you try for AGR status in 2016?
- Thread starter CHamilton
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Tennessee Traveler
Conductor
I made Select and may make Select+ in December. How do you earn TQP bonuses from the credit card? I have the fee card but have not received TQP bonuses from the card.
jis
Permanent Way Inspector
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You have to spend enough money using it.
amamba
Engineer
The lack of the 750 point one way on Acela in FC - even with an upgrade coupon - has kept me from status. I won't bother to try this year. First year in sometime that I won't be select and my H won't be S+.
Tennessee Traveler
Conductor
Yes, I live in Nashville about 200 miles from nearest Amtrak station either on the CONO or Crescent routes and only use my BoA CC for Amtrak charges mostly LD trips. I make enough of those each year to make Select. This is first year I will make it to Select+ and I had to add a day trip DC to Wilmington Regional BC and return Wilmington to DC on Acela FC to earn the +. Only benefit I can use is the extra bonus points for Select+ on all my paid trips. Never been able to use the upgrade or companion tickets traveling sleeper class on LD trains.
penguinflies
Service Attendant
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- Dec 30, 2015
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I am 91 points away from Select plus with one trip not counted yet. I noticed it's taking Amtrak longer than usual to post the trips. My CZ trip posted two days into our travel. Of the last two Lincoln service rides, one took 6 days to post, the other ride taken now 11days and has not posted. (Not a complaint, just an observation).
T
This year was about 40-50 round trips between CHI and STL with business class upgrades. I think I rode coach about 6 times out of that. 1 oneway on the California Zephyr CHI to RIC. The B of A card maxed out.
BofA you need to spend $5000 to get 1000 tqp with the max amount earned by credit card spending being 4000 TQP per calendar year.
I maxed out that benefit by prepaying my utilities (speed pay fee of $2.75 per transaction with no % fee per transaction), and prepaying my condo dues ($2.75 per transaction with 2% to reduce their cost of the credit card fee).
I just started my last Lincoln Service multi ride ticket of the year during the tail end of double days to max out on my point earning during the promotion. During the promotion I was buying one-way business class tickets to max out the 25% premium bonus. With the 10-ride and accommodation upgrade, Amtrak only gives a bonus on the $21 accommodation charge.
For 2016 to make Select Plus in the midwest:
4000 -B of A
1633 - CZ Trip over Halloween.
5500 - Riding the Lincoln Service
T
This year was about 40-50 round trips between CHI and STL with business class upgrades. I think I rode coach about 6 times out of that. 1 oneway on the California Zephyr CHI to RIC. The B of A card maxed out.
BofA you need to spend $5000 to get 1000 tqp with the max amount earned by credit card spending being 4000 TQP per calendar year.
I maxed out that benefit by prepaying my utilities (speed pay fee of $2.75 per transaction with no % fee per transaction), and prepaying my condo dues ($2.75 per transaction with 2% to reduce their cost of the credit card fee).
I just started my last Lincoln Service multi ride ticket of the year during the tail end of double days to max out on my point earning during the promotion. During the promotion I was buying one-way business class tickets to max out the 25% premium bonus. With the 10-ride and accommodation upgrade, Amtrak only gives a bonus on the $21 accommodation charge.
For 2016 to make Select Plus in the midwest:
4000 -B of A
1633 - CZ Trip over Halloween.
5500 - Riding the Lincoln Service
I am Select until the end of February of next year. With the change of AGR in January and the loss of the 100 point minimum, there is no way I can achieve Select for next year. I have been a Select member for several years, but all good things end.I was one of those point run people. I would get 400 points during Double days riding the Keystones between Elizabethtown and Harrisburg or Lancaster for $11,04 round trip for many years.. It was a great run.
neroden
Engineer
I got Select status by accident this year, due to waaaaay more trips than normal. I don't know what good it does me, since it expires at the end of February and I have no more trips planned. The free upgrade coupons are pretty useless since I don't travel on trains on which they work.
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- Feb 18, 2003
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- 8,527
If you earned Select status in calendar year 2016, your status is good through 2/28/2018. The AGR page now shows 2/28/17, but sometime on or before 3/1/17 it will refresh and show 2018.
jis
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I would point out though that this year I had to travel 2,200+ additional miles (compared to last year), collect bonus TQP on a few Acela First paid trips over that period when it was offered, and collect 2,000 TQP from the BoA Card in addition to that to make Select+. The amount of Free travel I had each year was about the same distance. Good thing I had some significant expenses like replacing some appliances and such. Though the real big travel bills were still payed on the United Card for the expensive international tickets.
neroden
Engineer
Oh! Thank you, that's very helpful. I have a trip planned in March, so it will have some benefit.
Tennessee Traveler
Conductor
Interestingly, I just got a AGR Monthly Status Report email in which my Select Status earned this year expires 2/28/2018 while the website still uses the 2017 expiration date. In checking I found that Hilton Honors interestingly shows status earned this year on the website as expiring Feb 2017 while 2018 is the correct date. American Airlines website has the same date anomaly since I am permanent Gold(million miler earned in 2005 before the more restrictive elite earning was instated). The expiration date is rolled and updated every year in February.
PaulM
Engineer
No changes here. With the exception of overseas travel, if Amtrak doesn't go there, I don't go. AGR changes don't affect that.
I've never "tried" for AGR status, but have been Select for the last 3 years. The first two due primarily to LD sleeper travel (14 nights per year), and the most recent due to BoA credit card use. This year I will make my 14 night quota, but haven't "earned" many points because most trips have been one night stands using points, of which fewer were required than with old system.
Incidentally, I question the wording of the first question. It seems to be asking whether you would purchase Amtrak tickets merely for the purpose of achieving status (so-called points runs). It never made sense to me to pay for travel just to get points. The points are just a fringe benefit.
The only real question I see is is my credit card strategy of loading all customary and normal expenses on the AGR fee card optimal. Since my only luxury is sleeping car travel, I don't see the point of wasting what brain power I have left on that question.
I've never "tried" for AGR status, but have been Select for the last 3 years. The first two due primarily to LD sleeper travel (14 nights per year), and the most recent due to BoA credit card use. This year I will make my 14 night quota, but haven't "earned" many points because most trips have been one night stands using points, of which fewer were required than with old system.
Incidentally, I question the wording of the first question. It seems to be asking whether you would purchase Amtrak tickets merely for the purpose of achieving status (so-called points runs). It never made sense to me to pay for travel just to get points. The points are just a fringe benefit.
The only real question I see is is my credit card strategy of loading all customary and normal expenses on the AGR fee card optimal. Since my only luxury is sleeping car travel, I don't see the point of wasting what brain power I have left on that question.
uppereastsider
Train Attendant
Believe I just took my final Amtrak trip of the year. Will end up at 17,000 TQPs and see no need to try to get to Select Executive. Now, I only wish Amtrak had rollover TQPs similar to Delta!
I have never had select status and never worried about attaining it since train travel was infrequent. But this year, due to multiple family crises, I traveled so much that I am within range of it! (800 points).
So if someone could help me figure this all out?
What is the advantage to select status?
How do I calculate how many points I can earn for trips? I gather from other posts that it has to do with segments but I haven't yet found a definition for "segment" - it sounds like it is one train. Do the number of trains matter more than the length of my trip on a train?
I'd really appreciate someone explaining all this.
So if someone could help me figure this all out?
What is the advantage to select status?
How do I calculate how many points I can earn for trips? I gather from other posts that it has to do with segments but I haven't yet found a definition for "segment" - it sounds like it is one train. Do the number of trains matter more than the length of my trip on a train?
I'd really appreciate someone explaining all this.
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- Feb 18, 2003
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- 8,527
Select gets you:
- Two one-class upgrade coupons (coach to business, business to first, but no sleeper). Upgrades confirmed within 12 hours of departure.
- Two single-visit passes to Club Acela or Metropolitan lounges
- 25% bonus for points earned for Amtrak travel (bonus points do not count toward tier qualification)
- Ability to make outbound points to points transfers to Choice and Hilton hotel programs up to 50,000 points
- Priority call handling for phone reservations or service (allegedly)
wdscott
Train Attendant
Historically there have been reports of a "soft landing". That being defined as dropping no more than one AGR status level in one transition. However there has not been, to the limited extent I've looked, any publicly facing policy on that pre or post the 1Q16 AGR plan transition. Anyone have some insight here?
--Bill
--Bill
