Replying to Route planning feedback/advice.

I haven't taken the Cardinal, but I think a general consensus is that the scenery heading East on the Cardinal is really nice as you get to see the New River Gorge in the daylight. However, the cardinal only has one sleeper and only runs three days a week, plus it doesn't have a full diner, so there are some concerns. Also I think it is more prone to delays than the LSL. But you get more train time and have more meals on the train. In any case, enjoy your trip

Just to check back in, I had intended to buy some points before the bonus ended, so that we could do two 2-zone redemptions. That just seems like the simplest way to go, and for me the cost would be worth it to have everything planned out far in advance. Unfortunately I was a way for a couple days and it slipped my mind until after the deal expired. Luckily, since the rates for roomettes didn't increase and we won't be traveling until fall/winter anyway we can afford to hold off on booking and acquire some more points in the meantime. If we don't have enough points when the time comes it shouldn't be too expensive to buy enough to make up the difference.

Everyone seems to recommend going to NOL via Atlanta and returning through Chicago, and I think that's almost certainly the route we'll take. Now we just have to decide on which line to take the Cardinal or the Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to NYC. The Lake Shore may win by default since it runs daily.

But the price difference isn't $102 or $110, it's $40.

Just wondering where you got that $40 figure? I'm confused!

OP stated the fare was $70 plus $102 for the roomette!

amamba, I did try it for both directions on several random days in fall and all came up as $70 base fare plus $102 for the roomette for $172 total.

Sure--to bump from 35,000 points to 40,000 points costs about $110 thanks to the 30% buy bonus expiring in a few hours. That gets you roundtrip in sleeper NYP-NOL.

With 35,000 points in the bank, ATL-NOL needs to be bridged with a pair of coach tickets for the party of 2, which the OP priced out at $70 for low bucket.

$110 - $70 = $40 difference between these options.

But the price difference isn't $102 or $110, it's $40.

Just wondering where you got that $40 figure? I'm confused!

OP stated the fare was $70 plus $102 for the roomette!

amamba, I did try it for both directions on several random days in fall and all came up as $70 base fare plus $102 for the roomette for $172 total.

When on a Superliner on your trip, make sure to book a roomette 1-10, not 11-14, since those are downstairs and less desirable.

I very much doubt that you can get Roomette 1 on a Superliner - unless you're an Amtrak employee working that sleeper! Roomette #1 is the attendant's room!

I was actually aware of this. For the OP's simplicity, I stated 1-10, while I knew it was 2-10 in reality. I also suggest going via ATL there and CHI back

Yup, $110 an buy a fantastic meal (or any other fantastic adventure of your choosing...) in NOL. But the price difference isn't $102 or $110, it's $40. For that difference I'd just go sleeper all the way and enjoy the extra meals and privacy for the 10-hour ride.

Now, some might prefer the openness and side-by-side seating of a coach car for daytime travel, particularly for parties of two.

For $110 - or even $102 - two people can have a GREAT dinner in NOL! And most times, I only eat lunch because it is included (free) with the sleeper. If in coach, normally I pass on lunch.

The choice is yours to make!

Per OP's post, best case for coach is $70. Until 3/31, buying 5000 points to guarantee the sleeper is about $110. The choice is yours.

I would suggest buying a COACH ticket from ATL to NOL! If it is not sold beyond ATL, you may be allowed to stay in the roomette beyond ATL! You will not get included meals beyond ATL, but it's all a daytime run. Eat breakfast before ATL (which is very easy to do), and you will only miss lunch. (Buy something at the cafe if you must.) Then have a nice dinner in NOL! (There is only 1 setting for dinner on the train, and it is early anyway!)

I'd strongly recommend buying points to reach 40,000. Trying to save 5,000 points by buying 2 coach seats or a room NOL-ATL isn't going to save much, if anything. Much less stress simply to book NOL-NYP and be done with it.

If you'd like to spend more time on those wonderful Superliner trains, consider NOL-CHI-WAS-NYP which will include the Capitol Limited. Oddly, this routing is only bookable northbound so you'd have to reverse your circuit to take advantage of it.