Time for points to post?
Aug 24, 2016, 12:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 9,677
Time for points to post?
I did a little experiment this month .. not sure if the results are valid or just coincidence. Lately, I haven't had much luck with points automatically posting when I print the paper ticket from the kiosk. End up requesting points online.. and sometimes over the phone when the online method doesn't work.
This past weekend, I took a trip and had the conductor scan the mobile app QR code. Everything posted within 3 days.
Thoughts? Sheer coincidence?
This past weekend, I took a trip and had the conductor scan the mobile app QR code. Everything posted within 3 days.
Thoughts? Sheer coincidence?
Nov 25, 2016, 9:30 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold Elite, Marriott Gold Elite, Hyatt Discoverist, Best Western Diamond Select
Posts: 198
I just used the QR code printout on my last round trip (traveled 11/19 and 11/21). As of 11/25, neither has posted.
UPDATE: My points for 11/21 just finally posted on 11/30. But 11 days later, still nothing for 11/19, even after filing a Missing Points Request. No points, no acknowledgment. And it was a Double Days trip, too.
UPDATE: My points for 11/21 just finally posted on 11/30. But 11 days later, still nothing for 11/19, even after filing a Missing Points Request. No points, no acknowledgment. And it was a Double Days trip, too.
Last edited by Freckles68; Nov 30, 2016 at 8:10 pm
Nov 25, 2016, 10:29 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: CWT
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards, Hilton Honors
Posts: 81
"...when I print the paper ticket from the kiosk."
Simply printing the ticket will not get you the points. The conductor must scan either a paper ticket or eticket on your smart phone. The conductor may also check you in manually by name.
Paper or electronic, my points usually post within 5 days of the actual travel. I usually use paper as its easier to pull out of my pocket than bring it up on my phone (unless I do that ahead of time).
Simply printing the ticket will not get you the points. The conductor must scan either a paper ticket or eticket on your smart phone. The conductor may also check you in manually by name.
Paper or electronic, my points usually post within 5 days of the actual travel. I usually use paper as its easier to pull out of my pocket than bring it up on my phone (unless I do that ahead of time).
Nov 25, 2016, 2:40 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: DCA, IAD (not BWI if I can help it)
Programs: UA 1MM 1K, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Explorist, status-free on AA, AS, B6, DL, WN, Amtrak, etc.
Posts: 1,481
I've gotten used to a four-day wait... except when the scan of the code on my phone's screen doesn't get processed correctly, which now seems to have happened a second time this year.
Update: The points for that missing trip - which happened Nov. 14 - magically appeared a few days after I added this post.
Update: The points for that missing trip - which happened Nov. 14 - magically appeared a few days after I added this post.
Last edited by DCA writer; Nov 28, 2016 at 9:08 pm
Dec 12, 2016, 6:12 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: DCA, IAD (not BWI if I can help it)
Programs: UA 1MM 1K, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Explorist, status-free on AA, AS, B6, DL, WN, Amtrak, etc.
Posts: 1,481
Points for a 12/5 BOS-NYP trip on the Acela and a 12/7 NYP-WAS Regional trip - the first scanned from the Amtrak app on my phone, the second from an e-mail on my phone - each showed up in my account on Sunday the 11th. I am still trying to discern a pattern in all this.
Dec 28, 2016, 2:33 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Philadelphia (PHL / ZFV)
Programs: AGR, HH
Posts: 31
> I am still trying to discern a pattern in all this.
I don't work for Amtrak, so this is simply my conjecture. There are two transactions that can delay posting of points. I assume that the conductor has to download the data in his scanning device at some point (which may not happen immediately after a trip). Then that travel data has to be batched and uploaded to the Guest Rewards database. If the conductor's download just misses one of the batch updates, then you get hit with a double delay. I've had points post within 2 days and I've had some literally take the entire 3-4 weeks that Amtrak says to allow. Clearly it's not a completely automatic process or they'd all take the same number of days to post.
I don't work for Amtrak, so this is simply my conjecture. There are two transactions that can delay posting of points. I assume that the conductor has to download the data in his scanning device at some point (which may not happen immediately after a trip). Then that travel data has to be batched and uploaded to the Guest Rewards database. If the conductor's download just misses one of the batch updates, then you get hit with a double delay. I've had points post within 2 days and I've had some literally take the entire 3-4 weeks that Amtrak says to allow. Clearly it's not a completely automatic process or they'd all take the same number of days to post.
Jan 3, 2017, 8:56 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: flyover country
Posts: 2,435
AGR quirkiness
A few months ago, spouse and I took a one day, three leg trip together on one ticket and one reservation number. AGR posted points for spouse for all three legs promptly. Points for first and third legs posted for me, but I had to call to get points for the second leg.
What determines when AGR points post? To channel Paul Simon, "The information is unavailable to the mortal man."
What determines when AGR points post? To channel Paul Simon, "The information is unavailable to the mortal man."
Jan 3, 2017, 4:02 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,640
Whether ARROW encounters an error 
I booked a ticket once, overslept and missed the train (Saver fare, so no value after departure), so I bought a walk-up ticket for a later train. The points never posted for the later train (but somehow credited me on the return) because ARROW hiccuped and thought that I was trying to credit three trips (missed train, outbound, return) on the same route in one day (limit was two, under the old rules).
I booked a ticket once, overslept and missed the train (Saver fare, so no value after departure), so I bought a walk-up ticket for a later train. The points never posted for the later train (but somehow credited me on the return) because ARROW hiccuped and thought that I was trying to credit three trips (missed train, outbound, return) on the same route in one day (limit was two, under the old rules).