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
May 3, 2021, 2:45 pm
#466
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: DL DM, AS MVP 100K, Amtrak peon, Colbert Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 4,534
This might be targeted at those with low spend. I regularly put thousands monthly on mine and didn't get the email. Is there a public link to the offer?
May 3, 2021, 5:16 pm
#467
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DTW
Programs: Alaska, Delta, Southwest
Posts: 1,663
I only put my utilities on this card (about $300 per month) to keep my Amtrak account active, and I didn't get this offer either.
May 3, 2021, 10:25 pm
#468
Moderator: Chase Ultimate Rewards
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 2P, MR LT Plat, IHG Plat, BW Dia, HH Au, Avis PC
Posts: 5,455
The link in my email is definitely a personalized link... There's some coverage in a Doctor of Credit blog post about other Bank of America cards but I haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere.
I very rarely use this card. So it might actually be targeted at low-spend cardholders.
(I'll certainly be maxing it out.)
I very rarely use this card. So it might actually be targeted at low-spend cardholders.
(I'll certainly be maxing it out.)
May 4, 2021, 2:10 am
#469
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Philly suburbs
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards, BOA Travel Visa,
Posts: 56
I use another card for most of my expenses. I only have this card to keep my points from expiring and put between 300-500 a month on it. I did not get this offer either.
Jul 27, 2021, 3:00 pm
#470
Moderator: Chase Ultimate Rewards
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 2P, MR LT Plat, IHG Plat, BW Dia, HH Au, Avis PC
Posts: 5,455
For future reference, the amount credited did NOT subtract the value of two "BankAmeriDeals" load-to-card offers - one of which posted during the promotion and one after. Regardless of when they posted, I got 2% on the original amount of the transaction.
Jul 30, 2021, 5:55 am
#471
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: Amtrak Select Plus, Marriott Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,123
Has anyone had bonus TQPs (for each $5,000 in spend) post naturally in 2021? I've had to contact Bank of America and/or Amtrak multiple times to receive this stated benefit, and it gets annoying.
Jul 31, 2021, 5:36 am
#472
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: Flying Blue, Hilton Honors, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 2,402
Jul 31, 2021, 8:15 am
#473
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: Amtrak Select Plus, Marriott Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,123
Jul 31, 2021, 10:12 am
#474
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 311
Interesting, this made me look at mine and sometime over the last month mine must have posted because the total includes them, but when I calculated to see if I'd received the double TQP's at the time of the announcement of that in early July it didn't. But there is no line item for them and there used to be.
Aug 4, 2021, 10:49 pm
#475
Moderator: Chase Ultimate Rewards
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 2P, MR LT Plat, IHG Plat, BW Dia, HH Au, Avis PC
Posts: 5,455
50k+$100 offer available
Doctor of Credit blog is reporting that there is a limited time offer of 50k + $100 statement credit if you apply via a dummy booking on the Amtrak site: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/bank-...highest-offer/
Oct 8, 2021, 12:15 am
#476
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,720
The BOA page is vague on the 2x categories. It just says "other eligible travel" with no explanation. Anyone know the exact categories?
Oct 8, 2021, 6:39 am
#477
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 439
From the terms and conditions:
airlines, car rental agencies, hotels, motels, inns, and resorts, steamship/cruise lines, commuter rail, passenger rail (where Amtrak is not the merchant of record), and travel agencies (where Amtrak is not the merchant of record).
Oct 8, 2021, 9:06 am
#478
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Note that BoA is excruciatingly slow about getting new cards out. I was approved in late September, but received email advising that my card was mailed out on Oct. 6 (w/delivery in "7-10 business days" WHAT).
Oct 8, 2021, 9:11 am
#479
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
The World MasterCard offers these additional benefits:
- Earn 2 AGR pts/$ on non-Amtrak travel purchases
- Per the T&C, this includes "airlines, car rental agencies, hotels, motels, inns, resorts, steamship/cruise lines, and travel agencies"
- Program Rules insert mailed with card by BofA states that eligible travel purchases do not include Merchant Category Codes (MCC) for
- Passenger Railways (MCC 4112)
- Transportation-Suburban and Local Commuter Passenger (4111)
- Bus Lines (4131), or
- Transportation Services not classified elsewhere (4789).
Oct 8, 2021, 10:05 am
#480
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 540
If I already have both BoA Amtrak cards, can I open another one? Or do I need to close my existing World Mastercard first?