Sep 13, 2015, 8:16 am
Last edit by: beltway
Beginning September 12, 2015, two new Amtrak-branded credit cards are available through Bank of America:
Both cards offer the following benefits:
The World MasterCard offers these additional benefits:
If my application is not instantly approved, is there a special contact number for Bank of America?
Try calling 888-221-6262 or 866-811-4108. (M-F 8am-7pm EST)
When will I receive my World MC Companion Coupon/Upgrade Coupon/ClubAcela Pass?
"Companion Coupon and One-Class Upgrade Coupon are available online through your Amtrak Guest Rewards account. Your ClubAcela pass will be mailed to you within 2 weeks of account opening."
How soon will my AGR points post after I complete the required spend?
Bank of America transfers your signup bonus points to Amtrak a day or two after the end of the monthly billing cycle in which you complete the required spend.
Are these cards churnable?
TBD
- World MasterCard (20K pts for $1K spend in 3 months; $79 AF, not waived)
- Platinum MasterCard (12K pts for $1K spend in 3 months; no AF)
Both cards offer the following benefits:
- Earn 1 AGR point for non-Amtrak purchases
- Earn a bonus for Amtrak ticket and on-board purchases
- World MC earns a total of 3 AGR pts/$
- Platinum MC earns 2 AGR pts/$
- Receive a 5% points rebate on award redemptions for Amtrak travel
- No forex fee on purchases outside the US
- Your AGR points will never expire as long as you hold either card
The World MasterCard offers these additional benefits:
- Earn 2 AGR pts/$ on non-Amtrak travel purchases
- Per the T&C, this includes airlines, car rental agencies, hotels, motels, inns, resorts, and steamship/cruise lines. In cases where the merchant of record is not Amtrak, this 2pts/$ category also includes travel agencies, passenger railways, and commuter railways. (The last two were originally excluded, but are included as of 2021 or possibly earlier.)
- Earn 1,000 TQPs for every $5,000 in eligible purchases, up to 4,000 TQPs in any calendar year
- Purchases are credited for the year of the statement on which they are billed. For an account that closes on the 20th of each month, purchases after Dec. 20 will count in the following year.
- On account opening, receive a single-day pass for access to ClubAcela, Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge or First class lounges
- Per T&C, "ClubAcela pass valid for bearer and one guest, or bearer's spouse/domestic partner and children under the age of 21. No same-day ticket required for use."
- On account opening and at each anniversary renewal, receive a Companion Coupon and One-Class Upgrade
- "Companion Coupon valid for one (1) free companion rail fare with the purchase of one (1) regular (full) adult rail fare. Free companion and paying passenger must reserve at the same time and travel together at all times. Valid for travel as one (1) one-way or one (1) roundtrip on one reservation per coupon. For roundtrip usage, both directions of travel must be reserved at the same time. Travel blackout dates apply."
- Blackout dates for 2016: Jan. 2-3; Feb. 12; Feb. 15; Mar. 24-25; Mar. 28; May 27; May 30; Jul. 1; Jul. 4; Sept. 2; Sept. 5; Oct. 10; Nov. 22-23; Nov. 26-28; Dec. 21-24; Dec. 26-30.
- Blackout dates for 2017: Jan. 1-2; Feb. 17; Feb. 20; Apr. 13-14; Apr. 17; May 26; May 29; Sept. 1; Sept. 4; Oct. 9; Nov. 21-22; Nov. 24-27; [other dates TBD].
- "One-Class Upgrade Coupon valid for one (1) space-available, one-way, one-class upgrade. Valid only from Coach to Business class, or from Acela Business class to Acela First class, on a single travel segment or leg. Not valid for upgrade to sleeping car accommodations. Travel blackout dates apply."
- "Companion Coupon valid for one (1) free companion rail fare with the purchase of one (1) regular (full) adult rail fare. Free companion and paying passenger must reserve at the same time and travel together at all times. Valid for travel as one (1) one-way or one (1) roundtrip on one reservation per coupon. For roundtrip usage, both directions of travel must be reserved at the same time. Travel blackout dates apply."
If my application is not instantly approved, is there a special contact number for Bank of America?
Try calling 888-221-6262 or 866-811-4108. (M-F 8am-7pm EST)
When will I receive my World MC Companion Coupon/Upgrade Coupon/ClubAcela Pass?
"Companion Coupon and One-Class Upgrade Coupon are available online through your Amtrak Guest Rewards account. Your ClubAcela pass will be mailed to you within 2 weeks of account opening."
How soon will my AGR points post after I complete the required spend?
Bank of America transfers your signup bonus points to Amtrak a day or two after the end of the monthly billing cycle in which you complete the required spend.
Are these cards churnable?
TBD
New Amtrak Guest Rewards MasterCard arriving Fall 2015
Sep 14, 2015, 3:08 pm
#226
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: DCA/RIC
Programs: HH LTD, AA LTG
Posts: 1,015
Thanks Anthony.
I just applied, hoping that they fixed their issues. At least did not get denied (yet), instead got the following.
Your application is in review. Thanks for choosing Bank of America. We're carefully reviewing your application and need to check a few more things. We appreciate your patience.
We'll also send you a letter in the mail after we've completed processing your application. If we have any questions, we'll call you.
Will update when I get notice.
I just applied, hoping that they fixed their issues. At least did not get denied (yet), instead got the following.
Your application is in review. Thanks for choosing Bank of America. We're carefully reviewing your application and need to check a few more things. We appreciate your patience.
We'll also send you a letter in the mail after we've completed processing your application. If we have any questions, we'll call you.
Will update when I get notice.
Sep 14, 2015, 4:03 pm
#227
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards (SE), Virgin America Elevate, Hyatt Gold Passport (Platinum), VIA Preference
Posts: 3,134
Mine is as well. We'll see over the next few weeks if I have one or two AGR cards (I almost converted my "other" BOA card to the lower-tier card as well, and I may yet do that).
Sep 14, 2015, 5:10 pm
#228
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 311
Update for anyone who was in my situation (phone CSR said approved, status page said pending), the status page now says I'm approved.
Now I kind of wish I hadn't booked $850 in travel last month for the the fall. But I can't bear the idea of rebooking eight round trips just to get an extra 850 points so I'll live with it.
Now I kind of wish I hadn't booked $850 in travel last month for the the fall. But I can't bear the idea of rebooking eight round trips just to get an extra 850 points so I'll live with it.
Sep 14, 2015, 6:03 pm
#229
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 23
Update for anyone who was in my situation (phone CSR said approved, status page said pending), the status page now says I'm approved.
Now I kind of wish I hadn't booked $850 in travel last month for the the fall. But I can't bear the idea of rebooking eight round trips just to get an extra 850 points so I'll live with it.
Now I kind of wish I hadn't booked $850 in travel last month for the the fall. But I can't bear the idea of rebooking eight round trips just to get an extra 850 points so I'll live with it.
you could rebook and earn 5 points per dollar spent if you have the AF version. Otherwise its 4, for amtrak travel.
Sep 14, 2015, 6:16 pm
#230
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 311
Well your price may be a little different if you rebooked. Or are you talking about non amtrak travel? Because non amtrak travel earns 2 points per dollar.... so..... unless you got the NO af version....
you could rebook and earn 5 points per dollar spent if you have the AF version. Otherwise its 4, for amtrak travel.
you could rebook and earn 5 points per dollar spent if you have the AF version. Otherwise its 4, for amtrak travel.
And right, that's what I mean by 850 extra points, one per dollar. I already have four, this would earn me one more per.
Sep 14, 2015, 7:06 pm
#231
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 23
how is it only 1 more point? did u already have a card? no af earns 4 points per dollar with the 2pt/$1 base, and the AF version adds 3.
So AF = 5points total per dollar on amtrak travel
no af -= 4 points
so you wourld be getting either 3400 points or 4250, or it could be less if u paid with points from the bonus....
Sep 14, 2015, 7:53 pm
#233
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: MSY
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 5,925
Applied and was instantly approved for the World card just now. I was thinking I'd do the Platinum to avoid the annual fee, but then I figured that 8K points plus a companion fare is definitely worth at least $79 (in the NEC), so I went for the fee card. Getting to $1K spend in three months will be very simple. I'll probably cancel after the first year, though. I wouldn't prioritize spending on this card just to pile up AGR points--it's a lot more impactful for me to concentrate my spend on more flexible cards like Chase Sapphire or Amex Gold, even if they don't allow transfers to AGR. By the end of 2016, my AGR account balance will probably just drop to near zero and stay there, given that I no longer take Amtrak for work.
Sep 14, 2015, 7:58 pm
#234
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: MSY
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 5,925
Now that I think about it...
...is it possible to apply for BOTH cards (and get both sign-up bonuses)?
Sep 14, 2015, 9:48 pm
#235
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: DL DM, AS MVP 100K, Amtrak peon, Colbert Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 4,534
Sep 15, 2015, 12:47 am
#236
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards (SE), Virgin America Elevate, Hyatt Gold Passport (Platinum), VIA Preference
Posts: 3,134
I'm not going to quite play that particular game (I only need SO many credit cards, bonuses or not)...besides, by my math I should be piling up somewhere around 70-100k points per year (depending on a mix of how much I travel on Amtrak, how much I travel on non-Virgin airlines and other railroads or stay at non-Hyatt hotels, structure of Amtrak spend, etc.) as it stands. Figuring an average spend of 9k/yr (mostly on one coast or the other and assuming I decide to work to keep status) would give me about 64-70k/yr from the Amtrak spend (18k from the base spend, 18k from SE, 27k from the CC, and 1-3k from class-of-travel bonuses, and probably 4-5k from Double Days). VIA spend should be another 3-4k AGR points. Figure another 3-4k points from hotel spends plus whatever incidental spend piles on from the side.
As such, an extra 12k points one-shot...probably not a massive deal either way for me. I might file for the card at some point if a particularly juicy bonus were to come along, but until then...
As such, an extra 12k points one-shot...probably not a massive deal either way for me. I might file for the card at some point if a particularly juicy bonus were to come along, but until then...
Last edited by GrayAnderson; Sep 15, 2015 at 12:53 am
Sep 15, 2015, 5:43 am
#237
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: MSY
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 5,925
I'm still carrying that one around too, although all these years later it had become a Chase card. It will be the end of an era--that's the longest-serving CC in my wallet, by far!
Last edited by travelmad478; Sep 15, 2015 at 5:50 am
Sep 15, 2015, 9:17 am
#238
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: DL DM, AS MVP 100K, Amtrak peon, Colbert Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 4,534
For me it's a long-term play to have multiple no-AF cards in my file (spending only often enough to keep them alive).
Sep 15, 2015, 9:22 am
#239
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: AA Plat Pto, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,536
I went from an instant denial on Saturday to a 7500 CL showing on the World card when I logged in this morning. I am surprised that BoA was able to clean up that mess so quickly.
Sep 17, 2015, 9:45 am
#240
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,651
New Amtrak Guest Rewards MasterCard arriving Fall 2015
Sort of peeved! Longtime BoA customer with a lot of money in my accounts and credit score above 800 and they gave me a "pending" when I applied this morning. Assume approval will be forthcoming but they should have had enough details about me to approve right away. No recent apps for any other cards in over a year.
