Switching From Payment to AGR

[roomette]

Is it possible to reserve a roomette with a credit card to hold the space, then switch the reservation to an AGR?

I need a couple of weeks for my points to post to have enough and the rooms are going fast for my preferred dates of travel.

How could I go about this. If possible.

Thanks

 

[the_traveler]

It is possible, if the agent is on his or her toes!

Although it wasn't a sleeper, but BC, but I think it may be the same situation. I had a paid reservation from TOL to PGH in coach, a paid PGH to PHL in BC and coach PHL to KIN. I wanted to change this to an AGR award in BC. The change to BC from PHL to KIN was no problem, but PGH to PHL was sold out in BC (back when they has 18 seat BC cars). After I explained that I had a paid BC seat on that train, the AGR agent set up a conference call to a regular Amtrak agent. As soon as he canceled the paid res and it showed back in inventory, the AGR agent was quick to grab it!

The only problem I see with your plan to pay for the room and then switch to an AGR award is that you will have to pay for it first. Then when it gets converted (and cancelled), it will either be good for 100% value towards future travel or if you want a cash refund, you will only get 90% back!

 

[Ispolkom]

The only problem I see with your plan to pay for the room and then switch to an AGR award is that you will have to pay for it first. Then when it gets converted (and cancelled), it will either be good for 100% value towards future travel or if you want a cash refund, you will only get 90% back!

That would only be true if a) Roomette printed the tickets or b) it was within 7 days of travel. Otherwise there's a 100% charge-back to the credit card.

 

[roomette]

So the nice lady at Amtrak let me hold a reservation for 7 days or until my points post and then I can use AGR to pay for my return. no money down!

However, checking my conformation for AGR travel from OSD to CHI they dinged me for 1500 more points for business class on the Surfliner from OSD to LAX ... ***? I need to call about that one, thy've never don that before!

 

[the_traveler]

Are you going by sleeper LAX to CHI?

If so, on a sleeper award, you are entitled to BC on a route that does not offer sleeper service. (The last time I checked the Surfliner did not offer sleepers!

) If you have a coach award, count youself lucky. A two zone BC award (even if you only use BC in one of the zones) cost 2,500 points more!

 

[roomette]

Yes, this is a sleeper reward I'm cashing in. When she asked me if I wanted business class I thought 'cool, she remembered?' instead she sucks another 1500 points. I thought the same thing Traveler, it's always been included before.

 

[Anderson]

I'd say cancel and try again, or call for another agent.

 

[the_traveler]

I thought the same thing Traveler, it's always been included before.

It sill is!

I also had that happen to me too when I took a Cascade between PDX to SEA to connect to the EB. They tried to charge me 1,500 points!

 

[roomette]

They fixed it. Re-credited my points and, surprisingly, added two AGR Credit Card Travel Rebates one for 1,000 and one for 1,500 points. Never got those before but I'll take um! So, I didn't even have to wait for my normal Chase Card points to post and I now have a round trip booked! Good times!