Credit Card to Open For Amtrak Short Trips
Apr 23, 2015, 11:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 2
Credit Card to Open For Amtrak Short Trips
I'm going to be making a lot of short trips between NYC and PHL over the next few years on Amtrak and was wondering if anyone has advice for a credit card to open to get an opening bonus to redeem for trips (either through AGR or just by booking regularly) and/or a good card to use for purchasing tickets. It doesn't seem worth it for me to ever really book through AGR for 4000 points when I could spend $41 for the same ticket. I've been looking at the Barclay Arrival Card as one option... Thanks in advance
Apr 23, 2015, 11:51 pm
#2
Formerly known as stellertony
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: MEX
Programs: UA Gold, DL Gold, NEXUS, APEC
Posts: 1,146
On the Northeast Corridor, I find that AGR redemptions are best for either last-minute tickets or tickets that get ridiculously pricey (like some Friday/Sunday tickets), since there’s no capacity controls on AGR awards. A Chase Sapphire Preferred card will get you 2x points/dollar on travel including Amtrak (and restaurants), and points can be transferred 1:1 to Amtrak for award travel.
Apr 30, 2015, 3:20 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: DCA/RIC
Programs: HH LTD, AA LTG
Posts: 1,015
I'm going to be making a lot of short trips between NYC and PHL over the next few years on Amtrak and was wondering if anyone has advice for a credit card to open to get an opening bonus to redeem for trips (either through AGR or just by booking regularly) and/or a good card to use for purchasing tickets. It doesn't seem worth it for me to ever really book through AGR for 4000 points when I could spend $41 for the same ticket. I've been looking at the Barclay Arrival Card as one option... Thanks in advance
Apr 30, 2015, 7:45 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,585
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
As noted, it makes little sense to redeem 4,000 AGR points for a ticket if you can get that ticket for $41 (or less, if you can take advantage of the occasional sales). The Arrival+ card will let you redeem points against Amtrak (and other) travel at 2.2%; the CSP card will let you transfer points to a variety of airline and hotel programs (and AGR -- at least for a while longer). But even 100 one-ways at $41 a pop is not going to earn you all that much in either card's program; but those tickets can help you to meet minimum-spend requirements on those (and other) cards to qualify for large sign-up bonuses.
As noted, it makes little sense to redeem 4,000 AGR points for a ticket if you can get that ticket for $41 (or less, if you can take advantage of the occasional sales). The Arrival+ card will let you redeem points against Amtrak (and other) travel at 2.2%; the CSP card will let you transfer points to a variety of airline and hotel programs (and AGR -- at least for a while longer). But even 100 one-ways at $41 a pop is not going to earn you all that much in either card's program; but those tickets can help you to meet minimum-spend requirements on those (and other) cards to qualify for large sign-up bonuses.