AGR Companion Coupons and Upgrades

[diesteldorf]

A couple moths ago, I booked a trip for me and a family member in February using the AGR Companion coupon. Since the price of the bedrooms was a bit high at the time and it was for only one night, I booked coach. Now the price of the bedrooms is much lower.

After reading the coupon restrictions here:

Free companion fare when traveling with one (1) regular (full) Adult, Senior or Disabled Adult rail fare.

· Valid for sale and travel between March 1, 2010, and February 28, 2011. Travel blackouts apply: April 2, 2010; April 4-5, 2010; November 23-24, 2010; November 27-29, 2010; December 17-23, 2010; December 26-30, 2010; January 2-3, 2011; February 18, 2011; February 21, 2011.

· Valid for travel as one (1) one-way or one (1) roundtrip on one reservation per coupon. Both tickets for roundtrip must be reserved at the same time.

Valid for travel on all Amtrak service except joint Amtrak/VIA Rail service and 7000-8999 Thruway series.

Free Companion offer may be combined with corporate discount, but not combinable with any other discount, coupon or Amtrak Guest Rewards redemption travel.

Offer valid for coach fail fare only; not valid for sleeper accommodations. Upgrade to Business class or First class is available upon full payment of applicable accommodation charges. Coupons are transferable. Other restrictions may apply. .

·

· Amtrak Guest Rewards members are not eligible to earn points on the certificate redemption trip, regardless of whether they are the qualifying paid adult or free companion.

· Coupon has no cash value. Photocopies or reproductions will not be accepted.

· Offer valid for Coach rail fare only. Upgrade to First or Business class available upon full payment of accommodation charges. Other restrictions may apply.

Reservations must be made via an Amtrak reservation agent at 1-800-USA-Rail or at an Amtrak ticket counter - ask for Discount Offer H114. Reservations using this voucher may not be made using Amtrak.com, Julie, or a Quik-Trak machine.

It looks like it is possible to upgrade to Business or First and just pay the accommodation charges. Does anyone know if it is possible with Sleepers? Has anyone actually booked a reservation initially with sleepers and got the agent to subtract the rail fare for the second person?

Now, I already have coach tickets and also a unticketed and unpaid for sleeper reservation with rail fare added again. If sleeprs are allowed the same as an upgrade to First or Business, how should I resolve the issue. There have been a couple of times, I have gotten the agents to issue me a seperate ticket for just the room with no rail fare added. Would this work?

 

[amamba]

A couple moths ago, I booked a trip for me and a family member in February using the AGR Companion coupon. Since the price of the bedrooms was a bit high at the time and it was for only one night, I booked coach. Now the price of the bedrooms is much lower.

After reading the coupon restrictions here:

Free companion fare when traveling with one (1) regular (full) Adult, Senior or Disabled Adult rail fare.

· Valid for sale and travel between March 1, 2010, and February 28, 2011. Travel blackouts apply: April 2, 2010; April 4-5, 2010; November 23-24, 2010; November 27-29, 2010; December 17-23, 2010; December 26-30, 2010; January 2-3, 2011; February 18, 2011; February 21, 2011.

· Valid for travel as one (1) one-way or one (1) roundtrip on one reservation per coupon. Both tickets for roundtrip must be reserved at the same time.

Valid for travel on all Amtrak service except joint Amtrak/VIA Rail service and 7000-8999 Thruway series.

Free Companion offer may be combined with corporate discount, but not combinable with any other discount, coupon or Amtrak Guest Rewards redemption travel.

Offer valid for coach fail fare only; not valid for sleeper accommodations. Upgrade to Business class or First class is available upon full payment of applicable accommodation charges. Coupons are transferable. Other restrictions may apply. .

·

· Amtrak Guest Rewards members are not eligible to earn points on the certificate redemption trip, regardless of whether they are the qualifying paid adult or free companion.

· Coupon has no cash value. Photocopies or reproductions will not be accepted.

· Offer valid for Coach rail fare only. Upgrade to First or Business class available upon full payment of accommodation charges. Other restrictions may apply.

Reservations must be made via an Amtrak reservation agent at 1-800-USA-Rail or at an Amtrak ticket counter - ask for Discount Offer H114. Reservations using this voucher may not be made using Amtrak.com, Julie, or a Quik-Trak machine.

It looks like it is possible to upgrade to Business or First and just pay the accommodation charges. Does anyone know if it is possible with Sleepers? Has anyone actually booked a reservation initially with sleepers and got the agent to subtract the rail fare for the second person?

Now, I already have coach tickets and also a unticketed and unpaid for sleeper reservation with rail fare added again. If sleeprs are allowed the same as an upgrade to First or Business, how should I resolve the issue. There have been a couple of times, I have gotten the agents to issue me a seperate ticket for just the room with no rail fare added. Would this work?

You can't use the free companion fare coupons with sleeper accomodations UNLESS you do an onboard upgrade.

My recommendation, if you really want the sleeper fare, is to save the companion ticket for another use and just pay the railfare for one along with the sleeper accomodation charge.

 

[amamba]

oh wait, reading comprehension fail.

Do you already have the paper tickets? UGH. I don't know if you can get your coupon back. I am going to let someone else with more experience in this area answer.

My #1 rule of amtrak is never ever print your tickets until your day of travel.

 

[RRrich]

My #1 rule of amtrak is never ever print your tickets until your day of travel.

Problem is, if you are using a voucher you have to deal with a live agent. Althought many of the agents are real nice folks, they always PRINT YOUR TICKET

 

[kal-tex]

When you purchase tickets for a 2-person sleeper trip, you pay the rail fare for each individual and a single accomodation charge.

If a person paid for one rail fare and one accomodation charge, wouldn't it be logical to allow a second individual to travel as the free "companion" (in the same room)? Just a thought - I'm not an expert in fine print interpretation.

 

[the_traveler]

That reasoning makes too much sense for it to be true!

 

[AlanB]

When you purchase tickets for a 2-person sleeper trip, you pay the rail fare for each individual and a single accomodation charge.

If a person paid for one rail fare and one accomodation charge, wouldn't it be logical to allow a second individual to travel as the free "companion" (in the same room)? Just a thought - I'm not an expert in fine print interpretation.

It might seem logical to you, but it didn't to Amtrak. I can only guess that they felt that they didn't want to loose that extra revenue on the sleepers, so it's not allowed on sleepers.