Questions on kids' points - can adult use, half price fare

[CarolynG]

Hi everyone! My two toddlers have 1100 points each, so they are 400 short of the 1500 for certain coach one way trips. If I got more points to reach that 1500 mark, can we use them for my husband, who has never traveled Amtrak before?

Also, if I got up to 1500 on the other kid's account, can I call and get a round trip for that kid since the kids' fares are half price?

I looked into transferring the points, but it costs $10, and since our fare from St Louis to Chicago is only $24 for adults, $12 for kids, it doesn't make sense to do that.

Thanks!

 

[rrdude]

Hi everyone! My two toddlers have 1100 points each, so they are 400 short of the 1500 for certain coach one way trips. If I got more points to reach that 1500 mark, can we use them for my husband, YES, you can "get" a ticket, using your points, in virtually anyone's name. who has never traveled Amtrak before?

Also, if I got up to 1500 on the other kid's account, can I call and get a round trip for that kid since the kids' fares are half price? Nope. "Points are Points" No diff between "adult" and "kid" when using points.

I looked into transferring the points, but it costs $10, and since our fare from St Louis to Chicago is only $24 for adults, $12 for kids, it doesn't make sense to do that. I would suggest trying to save enuff points for at least a one zone Roomette, better utilization of points, versus using for coach.

Thanks!

 

[PRR 60]

Hi everyone! My two toddlers have 1100 points each, so they are 400 short of the 1500 for certain coach one way trips. If I got more points to reach that 1500 mark, can we use them for my husband, who has never traveled Amtrak before?

Also, if I got up to 1500 on the other kid's account, can I call and get a round trip for that kid since the kids' fares are half price?

I looked into transferring the points, but it costs $10, and since our fare from St Louis to Chicago is only $24 for adults, $12 for kids, it doesn't make sense to do that.

Thanks!

Your points or your kids points can be used to get an award ticket for your husband. When the award reservation is made, you simply have the ticket issued in your husband's name. Unfortunately, there are no reduced-point awards for kids. An award ticket for someone 15 and under costs the same number of points as an adult ticket.

 

[Ryan]

Would Amtrak's unaccompanied minor policy prevent me from redeeming an award for myself and paying cash for a half price ticket for the kid?

Or does the half price fare only kick in when purchased with a full adult fare (i.e. not a points reward)?

 

[fairviewroad]

Would Amtrak's unaccompanied minor policy prevent me from redeeming an award for myself and paying cash for a half price ticket for the kid?

Or does the half price fare only kick in when purchased with a full adult fare (i.e. not a points reward)?

Interesting question. On the face of it, the answer would seem to be that the kid's ticket would have to be full price:

Up to two children ages 2-15 are eligible to receive a 50% discount on the lowest available adult rail fare on most Amtrak trains with each fare-paying adult (age 18+).

OTOH, it depends on what "fare-paying adult" means. An AGR redemption is arguably a "fare" although good luck convincing the Amtrak website of that. My guess is the only

way to make this work is to book the tickets over the phone or at a station.

 

[gatelouse]

Paging the experts--I've read on this board that one can book AGR tickets for the adults and a cross-referenced, paid reservation for the half-fare kids.

 

[Anthony]

Paging the experts--I've read on this board that one can book AGR tickets for the adults and a cross-referenced, paid reservation for the half-fare kids.

I don't see a problem with that. You would probably need to do that with a human agent, though, as opposed to self-service on Amtrak.com.

 

[Dan O]

Paging the experts--I've read on this board that one can book AGR tickets for the adults and a cross-referenced, paid reservation for the half-fare kids.

I don't see a problem with that. You would probably need to do that with a human agent, though, as opposed to self-service on Amtrak.com.

Alan, this sounds right, no?

 

[AlanB]

Paging the experts--I've read on this board that one can book AGR tickets for the adults and a cross-referenced, paid reservation for the half-fare kids.

I don't see a problem with that. You would probably need to do that with a human agent, though, as opposed to self-service on Amtrak.com.

Alan, this sounds right, no?

Sounds OK to me.

 

[Dan O]

Paging the experts--I've read on this board that one can book AGR tickets for the adults and a cross-referenced, paid reservation for the half-fare kids.

I don't see a problem with that. You would probably need to do that with a human agent, though, as opposed to self-service on Amtrak.com.

Alan, this sounds right, no?

Sounds OK to me.

Thank you very much.