2011 Select/Select+ Membership Package
 

My S+ package arrived today in suburban BOS. Included with the usual marketing stuff:

• S+ Card for 2011, showing "Member since 12/00"
• Two luggage tags
• Four one-class, 48-hour upgrades
• Two companion certificates.

Blackout dates:

• April 22 24-25
• May 27
• July 1-2
• September 2, 5
• October 7
• November 22-23, 26-28
• December 21-24, 26-30
• January 2
• February 17, 20.

I really wish they'd eliminate the time-of-day restriction for S+ members' use of rewards. There can't be that many such requests that impact trains that would otherwise be sold out.

Fortunately, the upgrade coupons still say, "Manually price to preserve original fare, if necessary."

The companion cert says something I don't recall (though it could have been there that I didn't notice before), "Free companion certificate offer may be combined with corporate discount..." Also back is the explicit, "...Upgrade to Business class or First class is available upon full payment of applicable accommodation charges."

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Got my S+ packet today as well. New card design, and new luggage tags (thanks, AGR, for including those and not the puny key tags). It was nice to see the Member Since date (11/00 for me, the day AGR launched). There's no expiry date on the card, however. This could present a problem with lounge access for Jan. and Feb. 2012.

I don't believe the language on the companion certs is new.

+1 ...received my S+ credentials yesterday.

My S+ package came yesterday too. Thank you Amtrak for the coupons but did you REALLY have to make them so gigantic this year?? I like to keep the upgrade certs in my wallet so I can use them on the spur of the moment when there is space available on the train, but these things require a 3-ring binder! :(

Ditto for this and I'm the opposite of GoAmtrak above. I liked the small tag which I put on my keychain. I didn't have to even think about what bag I had with me, just pulled my keys out to show at the Lounge.

Just received my S+ packet as well, and the statement above is not an exaggeration! I have to fold each one of them twice just to get it to fit in my wallet properly and I can't fit more than one at a time. Not the biggest deal in the world, but I don't think AGR thought about this one through the passenger lens.

On a side note, the 2010 S+ card clearly had an expiration date (2/28/11), which the 2011 card does not. Shouldn't be a problem for any Amtrak purposes, but I wonder if this might cause an issue when trying to access a Continental Presidents Club in Jan and Feb of 2012.

I realize a lot can and probably will change between now and then because of the UA/CO merger, but I forsee some agents challenging entry because the card only says 2011 on it. Does anyone know if the 'Club Acela' entry profile mentions the valid date range?

I had no idea that I had actually joined in 12/2000, but that's what the card says.

I looked it up on the AGR website and apparently I did get credit for trips back at the beginning of 2001. Huh.

Received my Select kit on Saturday. Noticed that the upgrade coupons for Select members are 12 hour this year, rather than 48 hour like last year.

Got mine today and noticed that as well :td:

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid
 

I think I was just overwhelmed by how large those tags are with the new packages and never thought to look on the back. AGR actually printed my address on the back of the tag. Are you kidding me?

I learned safety basics years ago and one of the key ones for travel, is not to broadcast your address since - oh yeah - you're traveling and away from home. These tags will be greeting the shredder shortly -- stupid move, AGR, really stupid!

(and for those of you who can use some of the tips and hints .... slip the name/address info in your baggage tag in backwards so it is not readily visible but available if needed, use your phone # (esp these days) instead of an address, use your business info instead of your home address)

Wait. You're worried that someone's going to write down your address from your luggage tag and inform an associate, who will then rob your house while you're away? There might be more likely events to worry about...


Though I'm also not a huge fan of the tags and wish we could at least specify what we want on them, I guess I have different reasons for that.

While on the line with AGR regarding missing point credits, I asked about the lack of an expiration date on the new cards. The agent checked with a supervisor, who was apparently as surprised as I was. He or she opened a few returned S+ kits and discovered that, indeed, none of the cards have an expiration date.

The agent came back, thanked me for bringing it to her attention, and said her office is going to check with the AGR "operations department" to see if this was a mistake or done intentionally and whether new cards would need to be sent. She told me I could call back in a few days to see how things shake out.

Numerous reasons for not wanting this displayed, but yes that is the obvious one as we are talking traveling on the site. Bottom line is personal information is personal, it doesn't belong on the AGR tag. It's very poor form for any business to include their member's personal information in this manner.

Given that most people (myself included) have hand-filled-out luggage tags with their address on it, I can imagine how it wouldn't even cross AGR's mind to not print it.

Most is not everyone. This is not a valid excuse, IMO - personal information should not be shared in this manner, period. It is irresponsible on the part of AGR