Paying with multiple credit cards, or buying an upgrade separately?
Dec 27, 2014, 5:08 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Programs: American Airlines Platinum, National Executive
Posts: 3,790
Paying with multiple credit cards, or buying an upgrade separately?
I have a flexible spending account through work that I'd like to use for an upcoming trip on Amtrak. I have enough in my account for the base rail fare, but I'd like to get an upgrade, which I'd have to pay for separately.
So...
(1) Can I use both the flexible spending account Visa and another credit card to buy a ticket-using 2 credit cards as payment when I initially buy the ticket? Can I do so online?
(2) Can I buy a regular ticket now and upgrade it later? If I do both parts of the transaction within a few days, the base railfare shouldn't have changed much, so would the card I use for the regular ticket (my flexible spending account Visa) be re-run as part of the upgrade?
Thanks.
So...
(1) Can I use both the flexible spending account Visa and another credit card to buy a ticket-using 2 credit cards as payment when I initially buy the ticket? Can I do so online?
(2) Can I buy a regular ticket now and upgrade it later? If I do both parts of the transaction within a few days, the base railfare shouldn't have changed much, so would the card I use for the regular ticket (my flexible spending account Visa) be re-run as part of the upgrade?
Thanks.
Dec 31, 2014, 8:30 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
I have a flexible spending account through work that I'd like to use for an upcoming trip on Amtrak. I have enough in my account for the base rail fare, but I'd like to get an upgrade, which I'd have to pay for separately.
So...
(1) Can I use both the flexible spending account Visa and another credit card to buy a ticket-using 2 credit cards as payment when I initially buy the ticket? Can I do so online?
(2) Can I buy a regular ticket now and upgrade it later? If I do both parts of the transaction within a few days, the base railfare shouldn't have changed much, so would the card I use for the regular ticket (my flexible spending account Visa) be re-run as part of the upgrade?
Thanks.
So...
(1) Can I use both the flexible spending account Visa and another credit card to buy a ticket-using 2 credit cards as payment when I initially buy the ticket? Can I do so online?
(2) Can I buy a regular ticket now and upgrade it later? If I do both parts of the transaction within a few days, the base railfare shouldn't have changed much, so would the card I use for the regular ticket (my flexible spending account Visa) be re-run as part of the upgrade?
Thanks.
Dec 31, 2014, 10:20 am
#3
Company Representative - Amtrak
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards (Select Executive)
Posts: 528
Our reservation system presently only allows a single credit card to be charged for a given transaction. If you talk to an agent, they may be able to split the transaction for you by breaking it down into pieces and doing a ticket exchange for the second charge, but it will take them a few steps to try that and it may also depend on the agent's skill level. To answer your other question, you can definitely upgrade an already ticketed trip at a later time (and also pay any resulting difference in base rail fare when you do so).
Anthony
Anthony
Jan 30, 2015, 10:10 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Mostly living in the basement
Programs: Newly minted free agent; MR LT(!)TE, HH SE, BA SECM, DL MM, UA PS, 2V Fanboi, CBP GE
Posts: 5,110
But can you do it with a different credit card? I just changed an itinerary from Regional to Acela and was required to use the same credit card as the original transaction (via amtrak.com).