Double Days?

Last year the Double Points fall promotion began on September 8,today. Labor Day was six days earlier in 2014, so possibly they will begin next week. For the Spring promotion, I got an E Mail two weeks prior, Now, nothing, With the way Amtrak is cutting corners and with the new AGR rules upcoming, I wonder if Amtrak will even do Double days this month?

It would be nice to take advantage of the 100 point minimums while we can, but I have a feeling Double Days won't be happening. Hope I'm wrong.

Double Days are now likely things of the past.

Do you have any info that backs up that supposition, or is that just a guess?

Double Days runs September 21 - November 21 this year, just got the email.

hessjm said:

Double Days runs September 21 - November 21 this year, just got the email.

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Okaaayyyy.

So, I'm traveling on the 18th, the 22nd and 26th of September.

2 out of 3 ain't bad.

So I registered for the DD promotion. But I'm not really interested, am I? I'm busy burning points before the deadline, not earning points.

I suppose if someone outside of the usual corridor services really wanted status then this would probably be the best and last time to bother with it. As for me there is no particular need, no practical method, and no obvious benefit to doing so. YMMV.

If you add all the TQP'S total since joining AGR eight years ago, I wouldn't have enough to reach Select. However, it just so happens I am traveling from Seattle to Spokane on the 21st so did go ahead and register for the promotion.

It's right after Train Day in Philly. Guess I'll take SEPTA which won't cost me anything <extra> because I have a monthly pass.

Ryan said:

Do you have any info that backs up that supposition, or is that just a guess?

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I think since he said "likely" it was a guess?

is the promotion TQP?

chrsjrcj said:

is the promotion TQP?

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That's only Fast Track to Status. I didn't think multi-rides counted, but I got the points. They also counted as redemption points.

Double Days only doubles your standard points. Any bonus for S/S+/SE don't double. So a 100 point ride for S+ would be 100+100+50.

Yup, they're back! Just registered.

The AGR Rep registered me for Double Days while I was cancelling and rebooking AGR Redemptions in October.

I have 2 Paid trips during the Gathering, but since I'll not be gaining any AGR Status again, it won't do me alot of good!

Just got the E-mail, it must have gotten lost on the way to Texas! LOL

Last Rodeo Boys and Girls! Get 'em while you can!

Double miles is on folks! Heard a lot of opinions about it lately and I just sat back and waited instead of speculating. Sept. 21st is the day and pre-registration is happening. Time to take some point runs my friends, might be the last chance we get. :giggle:

Might as well gain as many points as I can while the 100 point minimum is still around, add what I'll earn to what I have and book a nice trip using the zones before the new AGR takes effect.

tonys96 said:

Ryan said:

Do you have any info that backs up that supposition, or is that just a guess?

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I think since he said "likely" it was a guess?

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Well that and the fact that it turned out to by completely wrong pretty much settles it.

Wierd, in either Chrome or Safari, each time I try to register, it bumps me back to a log in page, endless loop. Guess I'll wait a few hours n try again

Sounds like the same issue people had trying to check transactions (there is a recent thread). Try adding or removing a www from the URL as needed.

09/21...11/21/2015. According to Amtrak Guest Rewards site. Get em' while the gettin's good!

I was really surprised to see this figuring AGR seems to be on track to drying up the Points Kitty as much as possible. Maybe, just maybe, they will do a farewell Points Purchase Bonus, perhaps 2 for 1....

I wonder if they'll simply call it a "Full Days" promotion next year to account for the fact that points are worth half as much for purposes of longer trips and status.

Devil's Advocate said:

I wonder if they'll simply call it a "Full Days" promotion next year to account for the fact that points are worth half as much for purposes of longer trips and status.

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Well my Acela ride on Saturday of the Gathering instead of riding on Baltimore LRT becomes that much more valuable I guess. A thousand extra points to burn off before 25th of Jan Hopefully both the Gathering organizers and the OTOL Fest organizers will have the Amtrak itineraries in place before then so I can burn off my entire stash on Fests and Gatherings in 2016.

Upon further consideration, I have now backed off from gratuitously burning any points before 25th Jan. Actually most of my most common trips come out even or a bit cheaper. So why cut my nose to spite my face? I do not really travel by sleepers on multi night trips that often, for me to worry about what happened to awards in that context.

Devil's Advocate said:

I wonder if they'll simply call it a "Full Days" promotion next year to account for the fact that points are worth half as much for purposes of longer trips and status.

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Nice snark. But Amtrak can still reward double points (effectively 11.6% rebate instead of 5.8% rebate) and will probably do so. Under the new system, however, it would make the most sense for Amtrak to run the promotion during *normally-low-traffic* time periods, to fill up the January trains and even out the seasonal imbalance in riders...