rrdude

I'm guessing at 35 trips a year 'tween Beantown and NYC, one of the LAST things he wants to do is get back on the Acela...... just my guess tho.

Funny thing is, this poster is HEAVY on railpoints, but not necessarily HEAVY on overall points. Too bad that "railpoints" can't be swapped for "non-rail" points, at some ratio, so that poster could use or save for cruise or something else.

Could get very complex though.

rrdude

2011 Railpoints = 11,333
2011 Overall Points = 53,377
2011 Bought/Shared = 40,000
2011 Ending Balance = 43,234

Redeemed Points = AutoTrain for 7 SB, two bedrooms, 1 roomette, van
AutoTrain for 5 NB, two bedrooms, van
BWI - NYP for 5, Regionals RT, to see Rockettes

afsheen

2011 Rail Points: 5,920
Status: Select

CMK10

We had fun with this in 2010 and 2011 so why not bump it again for 2012?

Status: Member
Tier Qualifying Points: 3,184 (up from 2,000 last year)
Rail Points Earned in 2012: 3,284
Total AGR Point Balance: 19,842

Two long distance trains this year, four regional ones and a bus ride.

CKinMD

Status: Select Plus
Tier Qualifying Points: 10,450
Rail Points Earned in 2012: 24,800
Total AGR Point Balance: ~33,000

Redeemed 20,000 points this year for 10 one-class upgrade coupons, five of which i'm carrying into 2013.

I *could* make a try for Select Executive next year by shifting some of my northeast travel around, but I personally don't find the benefits all that compelling and would rather put that additional spend towards requalifying for 1K on United. So i'm going to stick with my same strategy for the last 4 years....hit 10,000 - requalify for Select Plus and then go back to flying.

GoAmtrak

Status: Select Plus
TQP: 10,894

Redeemed 31,500 points this year: A special route award for a friend, and a two-zone bedroom award before the devaluation. Still hoarding more than enough points for a three-zone bedroom next year at the new level.

jackal

Status: Select Plus
Tier Qualifying Points: 10,200
Total AGR Point Balance: 46,490

Best benefit of S+ and the main reason I decided to make it a point to qualify: United Club access. (Club Acelas are pretty much worthless, and since I usually take the Keystone nonstop from my home direct to NYC, the other benefits are largely inapplicable to me.)

CKinMD

Completely agree with you about the United Club access, Jackal.

If that benefit went away, it would cause me to seriously rethink the value of Select Plus. While I do find the Club Acela lounges valuable (especially the side-door boarding in DC), I would probably focus on achieving 1K on United first, and then once hitting that goal, I would switch from the Acela to the regionals in order to cut down on cost.

jackal

That benefit of early boarding in DC is nice, I'll admit. And when taking a Regional or Acela at PHL, the early platform access via elevators is moderately helpful, but given that the trains only stop for a minute and everyone else comes down and crowds the platform before the train arrives, it's not a huge benefit (I've been the first one to arrive on the platform but the last one to board the train because I wasn't standing next to one of the doors when the train pulled up). And given that most Keystones depart from track 9, which the PHL club doesn't have direct access to, even that isn't all that great of a benefit.

And frankly, the amenities in the clubs are so bad that I usually find myself setting up shop somewhere where I can actually get a soda I like (Pepsi?! Blech) and something better than a bag of Lay's potato chips. At NYP, I'll duck into the club for the last few minutes before boarding just to have first glance at the track, although by the time I get out in the concourse, more often than not I've found the track number has already been announced publicly, and the boarding lines are already a half a mile long.

If they could make AGR's elite levels more like those of a real airline loyalty program (real upgrade benefits, priority lines at ticket counters, real priority boarding, a sensible same-day-change policy, special on-board recognition or a free item from the cafe, etc.), I'd consider S+ on its own merits; for now, United Club access is the sole driver of my loyalty to Amtrak.

CKinMD

At the risk of getting off topic, can you elaborate on what you mean by real upgrade benefits? Are you referring to an unlimited complimentary, space available upgrade program similar to United with their CPU's?

I personally have no problems with the current upgrade system in place, mostly because I have never once missed an upgrade on the Acela, as opposed to United where i'm batting less than .500 these days on upgrades.

The four coupons we receive in the S+ packets (I think it's 4?), plus the 5 more that I purchase with points are enough to keep me happy for the year, especially when I can say with reliability that they are going to clear.

Completely agree about the need for a better same-day-change policy, which I think we covered in a thread a few months back.

jackal

I think it's reasonable to not expect CPUs on premium services like Acela or long-distance services with sleeper class.

For those services, the current method of requiring vouchers to upgrade is fine. It'd be nice to be able to electronically waitlist instead of having to deal with an agent a day or two before departure, but I don't expect magic out of ARROW. And yes, I said services: I think at the very least S++ members should have some way to upgrade to sleeper class at some discount.

If I were to liken Amtrak's services to UA, I'd call Acela equivalent to P.S. (which requires an upgrade instrument, unlike other UA domestic services) and long-distance sleepers equivalent to BusinessFirst. Just as UA gives 4 RPUs and 6 GPUs to 1K flyers, give S++ members 4 "RPU"-type upgrades which can only be used on Acela and 6 "GPU"-type upgrades that can be redeemed on either sleepers or Acela. I'd even be OK with a small copay for using a "GPU" on a sleeper upgrade, especially on the lower fare buckets.

On other services, though, like the Pennsylvanian, Regionals, the Surfliner, the Carolinean, etc., where business class is pretty much crap (or at least a crapshoot, since you never know if you're going to actually get a nicer seat) and not worth spending money for, go for unlimited complimentary upgrades. It won't cost Amtrak much (Amtrak's only out a $20 upgrade that I'm not likely to pay for, anyway) and will make those elites who commute on Amtrak but don't live along the Northeast Corridor and have access to Acela feel a bit more appreciated by Amtrak.

CKinMD

I like the idea. Seems like a reasonable enhancement that wouldn't be putting much revenue at risk, but would certainly demonstrate added value.

GreenHawkIA

I agree whole-heartedly.

Year-end summary here:

Rail Points: 20,378
Total Points: 59,198

All points are from either Amtrak or hotel stays - no credit card here - and one more trip on the NR to go this afternoon. Most are WAS-NYP Acela commuting for a work assignment, but a few odds and ends (like a run to North Carolina) thrown in for the fun of it.

BeantownFlyer

2012 tier qualifying points 42,750
previous year 52,500

River in Sight

2012 Summary
Status: Select Plus
Rail Points: 17,624
Total Points Earned: 35,626
Total Points Redeemed: 61,000

Details
Base travel points earned: 17,624

• Paid segments: 92
• Average base travel points earned per segment: 180

Select Plus bonus points earned: 8,812
Spring Line Promotion bonus points earned: 4,664
Double Days Promotion bonus points earned: 2,176
Other bonus points earned (NARP, surveys, etc.): 2,350
Other earnings: 4 Acela Express business class vouchers; 2 Northeast Regional vouchers
Redemptions:

• 40,000 points for a bedroom roundtrip in Zone 1 (old rates)
• 21,000 points for an Acela Express First one-way for two (old rates)