How difficult is it to buy a round trip using both points and cash?

Planning our summer trip West and want to use points for the going trip and buy for cash on the return trip. Having never done this I would appreciate some tips. Do I need to go through the ticketing process twice or can I book the trip as a package? If so how?

Just book the outbound and return as two separate trips.

Which is a good way of doing things anyways.

If you're getting a sleeper, and want a specific room, it is best to call AGR. And the agent can also make the paid reservation too!

I just did this for my next trip, and it was no problem at all.

Ryan said:

Just book the outbound and return as two separate trips.

Which is a good way of doing things anyways.

Click to expand...

I agree but what worries me is that if we book two separate trips; after the first one is booked and we start the process again will the room be sold on the return trip ? Probably not if its done within a few minutes but that is a concern.

I have no idea what you're concerned about.

Your return trip is presumably going the other direction on a different day. How do you think that your reservation on the outbound trip is in any way relevant?

dlagrua said:

Ryan said:

Just book the outbound and return as two separate trips.

Which is a good way of doing things anyways.

Click to expand...

I agree but what worries me is that if we book two separate trips; after the first one is booked and we start the process again will the room be sold on the return trip ? Probably not if its done within a few minutes but that is a concern.

Click to expand...

If you book the outbound and inbound trips on two separate reservations, what you do on either does not affect the other reservation so your sleeper accommodations are safe and not affected by any action you take on the other reservation. Does not matter which you decide to change.

In fact I have booked and paid with points a trip in April from DC to EMY via the CL and CZ on one reservation. On a separate reservation I have booked my return trip EMY to DC on CZ and CL with an overnight on my own in Chicago. This reservation I paid cash for. So that is how I book a roundtrip using points one direction and $$ the other direction. Note: You do not have to stay overnight in Chicago since it is a guaranteed connection but I choose to do so for my own sanity and no worries if we are late and miss the CL 6:40 PM departure.

Just make two trial bookings online too see if rooms are available in both directions . Then, immediately finalize the transactions online or with an agent.

Booking six months in advance, the odds of a desired room being grabbed during the time it takes to go from one completed reservation to the next is pretty much like the odds of being struck by lightning. Yes, it could happen, just like someone could by a MegaMillions ticket and be the big winner. There is a greater chance your #1 choices could be taken during the time it takes to get answers here.

Just pick up the phone, call the AGR customer service number (1-800-307-5000), and book both the paid and award reservations. There will not be an issue.

Well I got it done online. First booked the trip from PHL to DEN for cash and then used points to book a separate return trip a week later. Surprisingly the cost of the DEN-PHL trip was far higher that the fare from PHL to DEN. The fare finder on the return trip showed only 1 room left. We ended up with N.E. Reg Bus- WAS and CL Bedroom - CHI and CZ Bedroom- DEN. Same on the return.

It would have been preferable to do the two train route CARD-CZ and return but the prices on the Cardinal route have risen so high that it no longer pays to take it. Would you believe that the bedroom fare cost was like $2300 one way. I'd like to know who's paying these prices?? Amazing!