AGR World MasterCard - Best Signup Bonus?

[Devil's Advocate]

Can anyone here tell me what sort of signup bonus is considered to be the highest Amtrak & Chase will offer?

 

[the_traveler]

I have once seen a 36,000 point sign-up bonus, but it was targeted, Currently, there is a 32,000 point sign-up bonus, but it is also targeted!

My BIL had that 32K offer on his acct, but by the time he got around to signing up, it was only 12K!

My sister still has the 32K offer on her acct though!

 

[grounded flyboy]

I responded to the 32k offer about 6 weeks ago. Got the card in 3 days, used it once, and the 32k have already been posted to my AGR account.

Downside: now get an offer a day from Chase for other cards with other angles but the deal seems to be worth a daily trip to the shredder.

 

[boxcar479]

I have once seen a 36,000 point sign-up bonus, but it was targeted, Currently, there is a 32,000 point sign-up bonus, but it is also targeted!

My BIL had that 32K offer on his acct, but by the time he got around to signing up, it was only 12K!

My sister still has the 32K offer on her acct though!

Where are these "targeted" offers, offer thru? Random E-mail? AGR account? Amtrak.com? I am constantly checking my AGR account(and my wifes) but I am only getting the 12,000 point offer to turn up. On the other hand my wife just got an offer from Continental for a credit card with a 50,000 point reward after first purchase. More than one way to skin a cat

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Where are these "targeted" offers, offer thru? Random E-mail? AGR account? Amtrak.com? I am constantly checking my AGR account(and my wifes) but I am only getting the 12,000 point offer to turn up.

I would think a targeted email would be the opposite of random. I don't know what criteria they have but the 32k offer showed up in the email address I have tied to my AGR account.

 

[the_traveler]

Where are these "targeted" offers, offer thru? Random E-mail? AGR account? Amtrak.com? I am constantly checking my AGR account(and my wifes) but I am only getting the 12,000 point offer to turn up.

I would think a targeted email would be the opposite of random. I don't know what criteria they have but the 32k offer showed up in the email address I have tied to my AGR account.

"Targeted" means just that - it is "targeted" to some people, but not to others!

I have been "targeted" with a bonus offer "... to come back and ride Amtrak ..." since I didn't ride for a few months!

Towards the end of the year, those who are Select or Select+ are sometimes targeted that the bonus points they earn during the fall promotion count toward status, while some are not!

And some get a higher bonus that count, while some get a lower bonus that count.

(Last year, I was one who got the lower amount!

)

 

[Vrml_Basic]

Brutal, I didn't get any cool offer like that. I signed up as soon as I found out about the card, which was when I decided to take my tour of the continent via Amtrak, & bought my USA Rail Pass (right after they killed the NA rail pass) so I started off with several thousand Amtrak points.

The only offer I've gotten from Amtrak was a bonus point for purchase offer, as I hadn't been using the card much at all. The letter they mailed me was themed around remembering Amtrak, and they hilariously put a bag of Forget-Me-Not seeds in with the letter.

However, I certainly didn't get 32,000 points. I truly wish I had. Especially since I'm local to the NE corridor. 32,000 points is enough for 10.66 trips on the NE corridor. That would be awesome in so many ways.

 

[FlyingBoat]

Brutal, I didn't get any cool offer like that. I signed up as soon as I found out about the card, which was when I decided to take my tour of the continent via Amtrak, & bought my USA Rail Pass (right after they killed the NA rail pass) so I started off with several thousand Amtrak points.

The only offer I've gotten from Amtrak was a bonus point for purchase offer, as I hadn't been using the card much at all. The letter they mailed me was themed around remembering Amtrak, and they hilariously put a bag of Forget-Me-Not seeds in with the letter.

However, I certainly didn't get 32,000 points. I truly wish I had. Especially since I'm local to the NE corridor. 32,000 points is enough for 10.66 trips on the NE corridor. That would be awesome in so many ways.

FYI, you should go for the Continental card for 50K as mentioned here earlier. It isn't targeted, but you need to go through the right link or you will only get 25K. Look on FlyerTalk in the MilesBuzz forum. LOL, I even called up a Chase bank and had to take the rep there through how to get the 50K offer. She was only aware of the 25K offer and if you go through the Continental site, that is all that comes up. The 50K offer is good through May 15th. Some people are getting the points within 2 weeks of applying. When you call in to activate, set your account closing date for 4 days out, then use the card once and the 50K should be there on your Cont account. Then call in while you can and get those miles transferred to Amtrak. I already have the card but got it last year when it was only a 30K mile offer.

 

[Rider]

I got the 32K offer in email, signed up, they turned me down; I called and after a brief conversation about my credit record they gave me the card. Got the bonus points very soon. I am going to Albuquerque in June (from Boston) and then to LA and on to Northern CA then back to Boston, mostly on the bonus. Lots of sleeper miles, some coach. (LSL/SWC/SWC/CS/CS/EB/LSL).

 

[VrmlBasic]

FYI, you should go for the Continental card for 50K as mentioned here earlier.

50K Continental miles, which equates to 50K amtrak points, would be awesome (and thanks for mentioning it), but I don't really feel like I need another credit card right now. I've already got the Big Three.

If only Amtrak had added "earning partners" to the online store earlier. TigerDirect.com & ThinkGeek.com weren't there when I made a TON of purchases from them. Over a thousand dollars easily. With 6* points per dollar @ ThinkGeek & 5* points per dollar @ TigerDirect, I'd be rolling in the Amtrak points.

Then there were some that I just forgot about, like the 2* points per dollar @ eBay, or the Bass Pro Shop's 5* ppd....I really should have a ton of points. Barnes & Noble also could have given me several hundred as I'm an avid reader, and that would have given me an excuse to use another purveyor of fine books besides Amazon. Speaking of Amazon, if they were ever to be featured in the Amtrak Online Mall, I'd be riding Amtrak by Reward Points alone for life.

(*-numbers are one higher than given as I'm adding on the extra point the AGR mastercard gives.)

 

[Ripper3785]

FYI, you should go for the Continental card for 50K as mentioned here earlier. It isn't targeted, but you need to go through the right link or you will only get 25K. Look on FlyerTalk in the MilesBuzz forum. LOL, I even called up a Chase bank and had to take the rep there through how to get the 50K offer. She was only aware of the 25K offer and if you go through the Continental site, that is all that comes up. The 50K offer is good through May 15th. Some people are getting the points within 2 weeks of applying. When you call in to activate, set your account closing date for 4 days out, then use the card once and the 50K should be there on your Cont account. Then call in while you can and get those miles transferred to Amtrak. I already have the card but got it last year when it was only a 30K mile offer.

This is great advice, in my opinion. Just applied for and received the CO card recently. the extra 18K+ points goes a long way.

As far as changing the account closing date to 4 days out after you get the card. Some have reported that this angle didn't work and they didn't get their bonus until the second statement. My first statement happened to post within a few days of receipt(without my intervention) and bonus was not on 1st statement for me either. Your mileage may vary.

The CO card can be closed when the $85 annual fee comes due in 12 months. That said, the AGR card is nice in that there is no annual fee and no worry about canceling the card before any fees hit. After that, get the AGR card for more bonus points!

 

[FlyingBoat]

FYI, you should go for the Continental card for 50K as mentioned here earlier.

50K Continental miles, which equates to 50K amtrak points, would be awesome (and thanks for mentioning it), but I don't really feel like I need another credit card right now. I've already got the Big Three.

If only Amtrak had added "earning partners" to the online store earlier. TigerDirect.com & ThinkGeek.com weren't there when I made a TON of purchases from them. Over a thousand dollars easily. With 6* points per dollar @ ThinkGeek & 5* points per dollar @ TigerDirect, I'd be rolling in the Amtrak points.

Then there were some that I just forgot about, like the 2* points per dollar @ eBay, or the Bass Pro Shop's 5* ppd....I really should have a ton of points. Barnes & Noble also could have given me several hundred as I'm an avid reader, and that would have given me an excuse to use another purveyor of fine books besides Amazon. Speaking of Amazon, if they were ever to be featured in the Amtrak Online Mall, I'd be riding Amtrak by Reward Points alone for life.

(*-numbers are one higher than given as I'm adding on the extra point the AGR mastercard gives.)

LOL, does anyone ever "need" another credit card? Get it, use it once, sock drawer for a year, in case they come back with some nice bonus for using it, then cancel.

Actually, I would like to have the AGR card for the 5% redemption rebate, but am waiting for a targeted offer.

I am going to keep the TigerDirect and ThinkGeek in mind, as I have some purchases to do. Thanks.