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
Aug 12, 2015, 9:33 pm
#46
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: San Antonio
Programs: AS MVP
Posts: 2,276
Part of the memo looks like this. 
Compare here https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit...s.go?VIEW=List (even has the same card number on some sample Mastercards).
Compare here https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit...s.go?VIEW=List (even has the same card number on some sample Mastercards).
Last edited by KennyBSAT; Aug 13, 2015 at 6:03 am
Aug 13, 2015, 6:01 am
#47
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,657
Isn't BoA known for not setting the world on fire with their credit card earnings potential? I bank with them but don't have a single one of their CC.
Aug 13, 2015, 6:03 am
#48
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,472
Aug 13, 2015, 6:05 am
#49
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,472
Likewise. But I noticed that certain of their reward cards offer extra or higher bonuses to certain levels of their "elite" customer program (platinum, etc.).
Aug 13, 2015, 6:17 am
#50
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,657
Add to that the potential devaluation IF they move to a revenue based redemption as speculated on FT and on numerous blogs and gaining Amtrak points MIGHT not be the best thing to strive for with credit card spend moving forward. (right now 2 Chase UR points are move valuable to me than 2 Amtrak points with a potential devaluation in redemptions and earnings this will need to be reevaluated.)
Aug 13, 2015, 6:58 am
#51
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,472
Aug 13, 2015, 7:06 am
#52
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 581
Aug 13, 2015, 8:00 am
#53
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: NYC
Posts: 365
I hate you AGR! I've transferred lots of UR point in the scare that they are breaking up with chase! Now they're changing the whole thing!
Is there any way AGR can push my points back to my UR in this circumstances?
Is there any way AGR can push my points back to my UR in this circumstances?
Aug 13, 2015, 9:32 am
#54
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 539
Wow, I had no idea about the upcoming AGR devaluation. Aligning AGR redemption rates with the price of the ticket kills what was for me a great program. 4,000 points for anywhere on the NE corridor at any time, even when booking the day of, was a helluva deal for me that I utilized frequently. Or 20K points for a one-way in a roommette from Chicago to California on the California Zephyr (a ticket that can easily cost almost $1000). Sad times.
Aug 13, 2015, 9:37 am
#55
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,472
Aug 13, 2015, 10:18 am
#56
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Aligning AGR redemption rates with the price of the ticket kills what was for me a great program. 4,000 points for anywhere on the NE corridor at any time, even when booking the day of, was a helluva deal for me that I utilized frequently. Or 20K points for a one-way in a roommette from Chicago to California on the California Zephyr (a ticket that can easily cost almost $1000). Sad times.
Aug 13, 2015, 10:28 am
#57
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,657
Now that you've done it the only option is to book some rewards if the devaluation that is forecasted impacts your likely reservation pattern...but we will have till January to do that at the old rates.
Aug 13, 2015, 10:55 am
#58
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: NYC
Posts: 365
Sorry but I just don't understand your comment! If the rumors of BoA being the new card issuer are true then they are indeed breaking up with Chase. Them ending their CC issuing relationship with Chase however does not necessarily mean that there will be no more Chase UR transfers to Amtrak (it's likely but not a given) If you assumed both and thus transferred you UR to Amtrak that isn't their fault but your assumption...and a premature one at that.
Now that you've done it the only option is to book some rewards if the devaluation that is forecasted impacts your likely reservation pattern...but we will have till January to do that at the old rates.
Now that you've done it the only option is to book some rewards if the devaluation that is forecasted impacts your likely reservation pattern...but we will have till January to do that at the old rates.
If I had the information of devaluiation and breaking up with chase at the same time I wouldn't transfer my points.
Aug 13, 2015, 12:28 pm
#59
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: PHL
Programs: AA(PPro), UA, AGR, BW(Plat), HH, WoH, MB(S)
Posts: 778
Without any details of the points to dollar ratios for redemptions, do we really know the program is being devalued? Yes, we can guess that based on prior experience with other programs, but it's not a fact until it's a fact.
Under the current zone system, there were certainly winners and losers. Winner's were those who booked last minute, who wanted to take a long meandering trip by sleeper, or happened to be located where the zones worked well (Florida, for example). A loser was someone who location was not zone-friendly. A Pittsburgh to Chicago trip cost the same number of points as a Miami to Chicago trip. NEC travel was not particularly zone friendly unless you were going a long haul like WAS-BOS.
Once the redemption ratios come out, then we'll have a better idea whether, like baseball teams approaching the trade deadline, we should be buyers or sellers. Until then, it is wait and see for me.
Under the current zone system, there were certainly winners and losers. Winner's were those who booked last minute, who wanted to take a long meandering trip by sleeper, or happened to be located where the zones worked well (Florida, for example). A loser was someone who location was not zone-friendly. A Pittsburgh to Chicago trip cost the same number of points as a Miami to Chicago trip. NEC travel was not particularly zone friendly unless you were going a long haul like WAS-BOS.
Once the redemption ratios come out, then we'll have a better idea whether, like baseball teams approaching the trade deadline, we should be buyers or sellers. Until then, it is wait and see for me.
Aug 13, 2015, 2:02 pm
#60
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ
Programs: AGR Executive, UA Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Platinum, HH Diamond
Posts: 274
Without any details of the points to dollar ratios for redemptions, do we really know the program is being devalued? Yes, we can guess that based on prior experience with other programs, but it's not a fact until it's a fact.
Under the current zone system, there were certainly winners and losers. Winner's were those who booked last minute, who wanted to take a long meandering trip by sleeper, or happened to be located where the zones worked well (Florida, for example). A loser was someone who location was not zone-friendly. A Pittsburgh to Chicago trip cost the same number of points as a Miami to Chicago trip. NEC travel was not particularly zone friendly unless you were going a long haul like WAS-BOS.
Once the redemption ratios come out, then we'll have a better idea whether, like baseball teams approaching the trade deadline, we should be buyers or sellers. Until then, it is wait and see for me.
Under the current zone system, there were certainly winners and losers. Winner's were those who booked last minute, who wanted to take a long meandering trip by sleeper, or happened to be located where the zones worked well (Florida, for example). A loser was someone who location was not zone-friendly. A Pittsburgh to Chicago trip cost the same number of points as a Miami to Chicago trip. NEC travel was not particularly zone friendly unless you were going a long haul like WAS-BOS.
Once the redemption ratios come out, then we'll have a better idea whether, like baseball teams approaching the trade deadline, we should be buyers or sellers. Until then, it is wait and see for me.
I think this may actually be favorable on the NE corridor. See my analysis in the new AGR redemption thread.