business class for part of an agr award

if one used agr points for a bedroom on a journey that required changing trains and a part of the trip did not offer sleeping accomodations but did offer business class would you be upgraded to business class for that segment of the trip? thanks

One must specifically ask for Business Class, otherwise Amtrak will take the cheap way out and just book you into coach. But if you request the BC seat, they will give it to you when using an award for a sleeper that requires one leg of the trip to occur on a train without sleepers.

I don't recall specifically asking for Business Class when I used a reward ticket to travel CHI-NYP-NHV, but they gave me business class NYP-NHV anyway.

rmadisonwi said:

I don't recall specifically asking for Business Class when I used a reward ticket to travel CHI-NYP-NHV, but they gave me business class NYP-NHV anyway.

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When did you make that reservation? Up until I believe March of 2006, AGR automatically used to book BC no matter what, when an award reservation was made in conjunction with a sleeper award. After that point, one had to start asking for it, otherwise a properly trained agent would just book coach instead.

AlanB said:

rmadisonwi said:

I don't recall specifically asking for Business Class when I used a reward ticket to travel CHI-NYP-NHV, but they gave me business class NYP-NHV anyway.

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When did you make that reservation? Up until I believe March of 2006, AGR automatically used to book BC no matter what, when an award reservation was made in conjunction with a sleeper award. After that point, one had to start asking for it, otherwise a properly trained agent would just book coach instead.

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Either late November or early December of last year. Trip was in mid-December.

AlanB said:

One must specifically ask for Business Class, otherwise Amtrak will take the cheap way out and just book you into coach. But if you request the BC seat, they will give it to you when using an award for a sleeper that requires one leg of the trip to occur on a train without sleepers.

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That practice is borderline fraud. How many people accept the coach booking thinking that is all they are entitled to get for that leg? Having to ask for the level of service that you paid for (with points) otherwise you will be booked at a lower class is a business practice that would land a real transportation company in court.

If I book a Trans-Pacific Business Class award on United, I get a First Class seat transcon to the west coast. I don't have to ask for it. They don't try to book me in Coach hoping I don't notice. Amtrak should be called on this publicly and be shamed into changing the practice.

one more question on this topic. if 2 people travel in a roomette on a 15,000 point award and part of the journey has no sleeper accomodations will the award cover that for 2?

yarrow said:

one more question on this topic. if 2 people travel in a roomette on a 15,000 point award and part of the journey has no sleeper accomodations will the award cover that for 2?

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Absolutely. As long as you make all the reservations at the same time. And again, if you request Business Class, assuming that it is available, then you'll get two business class tickets.