BeantownFlyer

The double points for spring travel promotion ended with a bang last week with triple points, and now we have nothing - which means I was back on the shuttle this week!

I much prefer sticking to the rails, but would really like to see: (a) another promotion; (b) a third tier of Select with some real benefits; and (c) the ability to transfer points to airline programs - ideally without the old 50,000 point cap I was subject to with CO.

I'm a really good customer (52,500 rail points last year, over 20,000 posted ytd) and have been saying these things for awhile. Is anyone at Amtrak listening?!

MrChu

Looking forward to it ^. 11000 rail points so far this year and close to 40000 last year!

phillystudent

I really hope that someone comes through and at least gives all three of these thoughts consideration. A few of the folks here do have high-level Amtrak connections as well.

With 14k RP last year, it wasn't that much, but I'm on track to finish this year at 35-40k, and if they had a higher qualification threshold (~15/20k?), they could really make a S++ tier exclusive to their super-high-rev passengers, and could get some nice PR with that.

jackal

From what I gather, the word is that the larger Amtrak organization really doesn't value the loyalty program division. The AGR folks want to expand the program and do right by Amtrak's frequent travelers, but it sounds like there are some serious (and seriously wrong and stupid) corporate culture issues on the part of the higher-level executives that lead to them ignoring any requests or suggestions from the AGR people.

So, while Becky et al. here may agree with you, their hands are tied. I think you may need to take your case to a (much) higher level--and you'll need to persuade them that your type of business is valuable to them and how much the AGR program influences your choice to give that business to them. (I don't think those at the highest levels of Amtrak really realize how important either of those facts is.) If you can get them to understand and admit that the loyalty program is a key component within the Amtrak organization and isn't just something bolted on that can safely be ignored, I think we'll all have much better luck in the future ensuring that AGR customers (especially elites) are treated right and see positive developments.

Having worked in organizations with broken corporate cultures, I know how tough it can be on the employees. I would listen to complaints from customers, but if I relayed those complaints to the higher-ups in the company, I was ridiculed and not taken seriously--they didn't believe me when I indicated that some of their decisions were driving customers away. Honestly, although I couldn't actually do it, the only way I could have actually effected change in the organization to address the customers' complaints was to give the customers the direct phone number of those higher-ups. It's sad that the higher-ups would listen to and believe customers if they talked to them directly but wouldn't believe me when I relayed the exact same thing. Based on many folks I've talked to, the same kind of broken corporate culture exists at Amtrak.

CMK10

I'm still upset I'm taking a long distance trip in a Sleeper tomorrow and I won't earn any bonus points. The Spring promotion ended a week early to suit me

fairviewroad

What kind of bonus points are you getting on the shuttle?

BeantownFlyer

100% bonus as a Chairman's. Couple that with the ability to actually use the miles via Star Alliance and with international business class or first class travel awards worth 5-8%, and they are worth alot more to me that Amtrak points that I really can't use unless I want to get 1% value in gift cards, or take the family on an Acela trip and get about 1.5% in value.

MrChu

That has been my dilemma too since AGR stopped the CO/UA transfer. The 1% gift card redemption will be last option I choose if I stop traveling on the Amtrak. Sometimes I do redeem for Amtrak travel, which provides the best option for redemption but I get limited opportunity to travel on the train with the family etc.

I hope the United transfer comes back soon!

phillystudent

Wouldn't be holding my breath and counting on it. $mi$ek has been cutting down on "extraneous expenses" in an effort to bolster his own paycheck, and according to his executive team, apparently UA FF'ers were "over-priviledged" for a long time.