posted
Due to ill health, I have been unable to travel by train for 3 yrs. My Guest rewards points were due to expire at the end of April. Being back on my feet (although a tad unsteady), I figured I would give a go at a very short round trip ride (Springfield, MA to New Haven, CT) in order to preserve the points.
Regional down to NHV was sold out. Train full by Hartford.(Standing room only) Station in NHV jam packed but I found a spot on a bench and people watched for the layover.
Returned to SPG on the Vermonter. Sold out - no seat to be found - attendent made announcements about clearing possesions from adjacent seats. He then walked the car and had some seats cleared of personal possesions for several of us left standing.
Train was 40 minutes late into and out of NHV - and we crawled through CT with many long stops until after HFD (with COPD and bad knees even I can walk faster than that train moved).
Who was that man that was sure Amtrak was just empty trains going to nowhere?
In the end, my points are preserved and though life has slowed me down I feel I can still handle a point to point train trip.
The experience has left me wondering why this Expiration policy exists? Not exactly passenger friendly!
Dee
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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posted
Interesting to learn that there are "use 'em or lose 'em" provisions within the Guest Rewards program.
Apparently my Auto Train journey during February fell during some kind of bonus point period. Exciting; but I'm now holding 12044 of those things. Can't wait to find out how many more of 'em my upcoming trip to Detroit will bring
But alas, lest I seem too much of the 'who cares' varietal regarding the various rewards plans out there, I do seem to cash in a night a year from either Holiday Inn or Marriott (yippee; I'm Silver at the moment with Marriott). I'll have a point stay at a Holiday Inn in Bowling Green KY during May.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
I didn't realize that the points expire. I must read the small print!
On the other hand, I'll be using my points as fast as they accumulate.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
Do they warn you some how when you are about to lose points? I am terrible about reading small print and keeping track of things.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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Amtrak Guest Rewards points expire 36 months after your last paid Amtrak trip. Redemption travel reserved with points does not constitute paid travel. While a cardholder of the Amtrak Guest Rewards® MasterCard® from Chase® with an open account, your points will not expire
I guess the moral of the story is to sign up for their affinity credit card; but then, doesn't every last outlet of consumer products and services seem to have one?.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
I received an email advising me that my points were due to expire about a month before the expiration date.
After checking with two different Guest Rewards representatives I determined that what constitutes a trip is any trip from point A to point B (no minimum mileage.)We will see when new points are posted.
As to the credit card option---
I was offered this option when I called inquiring what was needed to keep points.
I have lived nearly 70 years without benefit (?) of credit cards. House purchased with mortgage, but other than that if I can not pay cash - I can not afford it.
Also no one could answer this -- My question is what constitutes an "open card"?
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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posted
Safe assumption "Open card" means an account that is active and not one that has been closed either at cardholder's request, or, shall we say it gracefully, 'another party".
A final thought; it would appear from knowing more than a dozen here face-to-face, as well as from reading the postings, that more points are racked up simply using the affinity (Chase AGR) card for everyday transactions than from riding trains.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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