I just received the 50,000 Bonus for Membership Rewards (AMEX) if we opened an American Express Gold card account and we spend a certain amount by a given date.
The offer is exceptional, here is why...
You do receive 50,000 Membership Reward Points or 25,000 - depending on your offer.
The 50,000 points can be redeemed for a $500 Amtrak gift card, or 25,000 can become $250. The certificates are redeemable at Amtrak for rail travel - and no blackout dates. Just cash value. You pick the date and train, and use these like cash for Amtrak travel.
So I can mix and match these certificates with AGR 20,000 redemptions to gain the best of both programs. The AMEX Certificate will allow you to purchase rail fare on Amtrak, so I will use the AMEX portion to get us to a "border city" on the Two-Zone AGR Map (such as Toledo).
Example.... Washington to Toledo will run about $270 for two people in a Roomette on the Capital Limited (low bucket), and from Toledo west, it's an AGR Two Zone award to anywhere on the West Coast. Yet for me, the trip is pretty much free, with just 20,000 points (actually 19,000 - with AGR Chase credit card account) and the use of AMEX Membership Reward Points.
The Membership Rewards points do not expire, and once you redeem a travel certificate you have about two years to actually use it. So I will often keep a $50 or a $100 certificate on hand for a quick trip. But it really is best to not redeem the points until you plan a trip, because the clock does start ticking once you redeem for a certificate (about a two year window).
The certificates may be redeemed for $50 or a $300 certificate, If you ticket is more - then you simply pay for the difference. If it is less - you receive a travel voucher from Amtrak for the unused money portion (good for one year). You can only redeem these certificates at an Amtrak ticket office, and not online or over the phone. But you can call Amtrak to make a reservation over the phone and they will usually give me about a week to get to an Amtrak ticket office/counter.
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