AGR Redemption Guidelines

[Ryan]

Hrm.

Wonder if I'd be allowed to combine a paid open sleeper ticket at the child rate with a room redemption to get my son into a bedroom with my wife and I.

 

[AlanB]

Hrm.
Wonder if I'd be allowed to combine a paid open sleeper ticket at the child rate with a room redemption to get my son into a bedroom with my wife and I.

Technically there is nothing that would prevent that from happening. I've done a paid open sleeper on a sleeper AGR reservation in the past.

But this is not to suggest that an agent would allow it, especially if it has been put into the rules to not allow it for a situation like this.

 

[amamba]

One concern that I have that I don't think we have discussed on AU recently came up on Flyertalk with no response from AGR Insider. The new policies state that the max occupancy of the room for an AGR trip can only be the RECOMMENDED guidelines posted on amtrak.com for sleepers. This means that the max occupancy for a bedroom is 2 people - either 2 adults or 1 adult or 1 child.

AGR Insider did respond to that concern - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/21056510-post5.html

My question is are family bedrooms still allowed to be redeemed at the bedroom rate?

For what it's worth, I redeemed points for a family bedroom a few minutes ago at the bedroom rate (25,000 points for a 1 zone trip).

Did you read the entire thread on flyer talk? Because I specifically asked AGR Insider to confirm that the bedroom rate can still be used for family bedroom. That is the unanswered question right now. I guess I meant that the "no response" was on a) the family bedroom issue and b) if one can book children into the room at an additional paid rate. It has never been allowed before, but I can see how some folks might be concerned if they are traveling with a 4 year old and two adults, for example. I think we can all agree that a small child and two adults is quite reasonable in a bedroom, and it seems ludicrous to me that it wouldn't be allowed since one can book the family bedroom for the same point amount.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I originally responded to the OP on AGR Flyer Talk that the Agent that announced this Policy was in error but AGR Insider corrected it quickly and informed us that this was now the Redemption Policy for Bedroom Awards! It makes No Sense to be able to book a Paid Trip with 2 Adults and a Child or 1 Adult and 2 Children in a Bedroom and be denied by AGR doing this as an Award! I really wonder how they can justify this, sounds like the Right Hand not knowing what the Left Hand is doing which seems to be a regular thing @ Amtrak! :help:

 

[AlanB]

Jim,

As insider responded, their policy is already rather generous. At least with a paid Bedroom, Amtrak is collecting the room fare, as well as a railfare for each person in the room including the child. With an award, Amtrak is getting nothing extra for that third person.

Yes I know that some will argue that Amtrak is also getting no additional revenue for putting 3 or 4 people in the family room. But that room was designed for 2 adults & 2 kids; the Bedroom was not. And one loses the perk of the ensuite bathroom in exchange for that extra capacity.

It may be a fine line, it may be an illogical line to some, but nonetheless that is where they chose to draw the line. I for one don't see them altering this rule.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Jim,
As insider responded, their policy is already rather generous. At least with a paid Bedroom, Amtrak is collecting the room fare, as well as a railfare for each person in the room including the child. With an award, Amtrak is getting nothing extra for that third person.

Yes I know that some will argue that Amtrak is also getting no additional revenue for putting 3 or 4 people in the family room. But that room was designed for 2 adults & 2 kids; the Bedroom was not. And one loses the perk of the ensuite bathroom in exchange for that extra capacity.

It may be a fine line, it may be an illogical line to some, but nonetheless that is where they chose to draw the line. I for one don't see them altering this rule.

I understand Alan, it doesnt apply to me but I do wonder about all the Grandparents and Single Parents that want to Travel via Amtrak, with the Grandchildren or their 2 Children! Since there is only 1 Family Room per Superliner Sleeper it will be tougher than ever to Book it and of course the Viewliners don't have a Family Bedroom! What would be wrong with an exception for One Adult and 2 Children in a Bedroom on an AGR Award??

 

[Anderson]

I think the more realistic question is why Amtrak is being so generous to begin with. Look, you can easily book a non-loophole trip with two in a roomette and get the effective cash value of your points back on meals alone. What might make sense would be to add some points to the cost of a non-standard number of people in a room...but it would probably also make sense to charge at least something for the second person in a roomette as well (even if it was something like 5000/7500/12500 versus the roughly 3x that for the roomette with one).

 

[crescent2]

Like Jim, I'm not affected by this, but it could be a real problem for someone traveling with young children, especially in the Viewliners. If AGR restricts the occupancy to the suggested number of occupants, that's fine, but an option to pay for an additional person up to the maximum number otherwise allowed would be something for Amtrak to consider. Someone (amamba?) suggested adding the railfare for the extra person, which seems reasonable. I would not be comfortable having a young child sleep in a separate accommodation without an adult.

 

[Ryan]

but an option to pay for an additional person up to the maximum number otherwise allowed would be something for Amtrak to consider. Someone (amamba?) suggested adding the railfare for the extra person, which seems reasonable.

That was me, and it's probably doable.

Hrm.

Wonder if I'd be allowed to combine a paid open sleeper ticket at the child rate with a room redemption to get my son into a bedroom with my wife and I.

Technically there is nothing that would prevent that from happening. I've done a paid open sleeper on a sleeper AGR reservation in the past.

But this is not to suggest that an agent would allow it, especially if it has been put into the rules to not allow it for a situation like this.

 

[rrdude]

but an option to pay for an additional person up to the maximum number otherwise allowed would be something for Amtrak to consider. Someone (amamba?) suggested adding the railfare for the extra person, which seems reasonable.

That was me, and it's probably doable.

Hrm.

Wonder if I'd be allowed to combine a paid open sleeper ticket at the child rate with a room redemption to get my son into a bedroom with my wife and I.

Technically there is nothing that would prevent that from happening. I've done a paid open sleeper on a sleeper AGR reservation in the past.

But this is not to suggest that an agent would allow it, especially if it has been put into the rules to not allow it for a situation like this.

Well, glad I booked my CS/CZ/CAP trip a few months ago with AGR, 'cause they ticketed me, and two minors, bedrooms all the way back.

So Ryan, what you are saying is that AGR will book me and wife in a bedroom, but if I want to add my minor child, I'd have to pay the coach fare for them? I dun't like it, but I can live with it.

I still say the easiest to understand, fairest to earn, and easiest to book and use, is SWA Rapid Rewards..........Might now be in MY best interest, but I think it would be in Amtrak's. But I don't see THAT coming until ARROW is scrapped, and a whole new RESV/Ticketing s/w system is installed.