Amtrak AGR Upgrade Voucher Compendium
Dec 19, 2013, 1:28 am
#46
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ORD
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Posts: 2,188
I am taking my daughter to celebrate a very special birthday in January and want to upgrade my acela r/t ticket on the NYP-BOS route. i don't have enough points to buy a pack of upgrade vouchers. Anyone have any ideas, suggestions, etc. to help this Senior.
Thanks so much for our help.
Thanks so much for our help.
Jan 27, 2014, 10:08 am
#48
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, AA ExecPlat, Amtrak Select Exec, former WN apologist
Posts: 1,428
Earned points based on travelled class of service: Unlike airlines frequent flyer programs, where you earned miles based on your purchased class of service, Amtrak will award points based on the upgraded class of service. This only makes a difference on Acela, where select city pairs earn 750 points for first vs. 500 points for business. You will earn 750 for an upgraded, select city-pair Acela ticket.
Jan 27, 2014, 10:23 am
#49
Company Representative - Amtrak
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Washington, DC
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Jan 27, 2014, 10:24 am
#50
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Apr 29, 2014, 12:03 pm
#51
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, Starwood Gold
Posts: 951
I am looking for one class upgrade (from accela business to first). I don't want to buy a five pack since I don't have five accela trips scheduled. Is it possible to just purchase one with miles? I only see the option to purchase five.
Apr 29, 2014, 3:53 pm
#52
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One can only get a 5 pack.
Jun 6, 2014, 2:02 pm
#53
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: Marriott Platinum; Hilton Diamond; United Platinum; AA Gold
Posts: 141
Not valid with most promotional discounts: The T&Cs state that only corporate discounts are valid with the upgrades. Since upgrade coupons require use of a H*** promotion code (asterisks are numbers, different each year), any discount that relies on a promotion code of the same form (X***, V***) will generally not qualify. Discounts that require advance purchase (NARP, AAA, Student Advantage, etc.) are unlikely to work since a reissue within 12 or 48 hours would kill the discount. It is unknown whether upgrade coupons are valid for deep-discount fares that aren't upgradeable at time of purchase, such as YE and YF coach fares (14-day NEC advance purchase, weekly specials, 3-day sales, and their ilk) and child and military tickets, which require no advance purchase. We suspect they won't work.
Another question, are the 8,000 point Acela Business Class tickets upgradable? Or are they treated considered discounted as well?
Jun 10, 2014, 11:26 pm
#54
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 33
I'm trying to understand this a little bit better. I have 2 one-way tickets that were earned through the "Go Free Acela" promotion that are valid to be redeemed this Jul1 - Aug 31. Would these tickets be considered un-upgradable discounted tickets? Or are these treated differently since they're travel vouchers and not like the 10% AAA discount.
Another question, are the 8,000 point Acela Business Class tickets upgradable? Or are they treated considered discounted as well?
Another question, are the 8,000 point Acela Business Class tickets upgradable? Or are they treated considered discounted as well?
Jun 11, 2014, 7:04 am
#55
In Memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: HH Diamond, Amtrak Exec
Posts: 3,262
I'm trying to understand this a little bit better. I have 2 one-way tickets that were earned through the "Go Free Acela" promotion that are valid to be redeemed this Jul1 - Aug 31. Would these tickets be considered un-upgradable discounted tickets? Or are these treated differently since they're travel vouchers and not like the 10% AAA discount.
Another question, are the 8,000 point Acela Business Class tickets upgradable? Or are they treated considered discounted as well?
Another question, are the 8,000 point Acela Business Class tickets upgradable? Or are they treated considered discounted as well?
I do understand the pay with money, as ARROW simply can't properly handle a mixed reservation that includes both an AGR award and money. But I don't understand at all why one cannot use points for an upgrade. After all, when you redeem your vouchers, the system will credit your account with 8,000 points so that it can then issue the free ticket for you.
So why one can't call an AGR agent and say "Please take another 4,000 points from my account and add that to the 8,000 to get a first class ticket" remains a mystery to me.
Jun 19, 2014, 12:53 pm
#56
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I used a Select Plus Companion Coupon to book my brother and I on an Acela train for next month. I'm wondering if I will also be able to use my upgrade coupons for him and me? I'm leaning towards no because I've used a "coupon" and the terms prohibit combining a upgrade with a coupon. Anyone know for sure?
Jun 19, 2014, 5:33 pm
#57
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I used a Select Plus Companion Coupon to book my brother and I on an Acela train for next month. I'm wondering if I will also be able to use my upgrade coupons for him and me? I'm leaning towards no because I've used a "coupon" and the terms prohibit combining a upgrade with a coupon. Anyone know for sure?
Jun 19, 2014, 5:52 pm
#58
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Ah too bad. We're only going BWI to PHL so I don't think that's worth paying for an upgrade. Oh well, lunch is planned at Reading Terminal Market anyway and I'm sure that'll be better than whatever was served on the train.
Jun 20, 2014, 3:57 am
#59
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Makes for a nice, quick, and easy ride between 30th and the Reading Terminal right across the street from Market East.
Jun 20, 2014, 7:41 am
#60
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Just in case you're not already aware; your Amtrak ticket is good for passage on he SEPTA Commuter trains between 30th Street and the Market East stop. It's unlikely that you'll even get asked, but if you do just show your Amtrak ticket to the SEPTA conductor.
Makes for a nice, quick, and easy ride between 30th and the Reading Terminal right across the street from Market East.
Makes for a nice, quick, and easy ride between 30th and the Reading Terminal right across the street from Market East.
The next morning we're taking the Keystone PHL-NYP, I assume we can do the revere with SEPTA from Market East to 30th Street and if asked, show that ticket?