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New Amtrak Guest Rewards MasterCard arriving Fall 2015

Old Sep 13, 2015, 8:16 am
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Last edit by: beltway
Beginning September 12, 2015, two new Amtrak-branded credit cards are available through Bank of America:
  • 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].
      "Regular (full) adult rail fare" excludes Senior/AAA/etc. discount fares. AGR Insider has asserted at one time that "full fare" includes Saver & other unrestricted fares, but two separate FTer reports indicate that Saver fares are in fact excluded.
    • "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."


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

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New Amtrak Guest Rewards MasterCard arriving Fall 2015

Old Sep 21, 2015, 1:11 am
  #256  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,617
Yes, 5 points per dollar. Your first 2 points would come from the Amtrak travel, your 3 points would come from the credit card.
diburning is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 8:46 am
  #257  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,648
FYI, I redeemed an award after I got approved for the card and I automatically got the 5% rebate on the award even though I have yet to get the actual card in the mail.
christianj is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 4:40 pm
  #258  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AGR Select/Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum
Posts: 102
Originally Posted by christianj
FYI, I redeemed an award after I got approved for the card and I automatically got the 5% rebate on the award even though I have yet to get the actual card in the mail.
Wonder if this means that AGR has the Card on our Accounts? My letter from BOA only showed the last 4 digits of the Cards # and said I'd receive the new card in 7-10 Days and a Welcome Pkg. In 10-14 Days?

And how did you activate the Card without the Card?? Thanks!
jimhudson is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 7:55 pm
  #259  
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,927
Originally Posted by jimhudson
Wonder if this means that AGR has the Card on our Accounts? My letter from BOA only showed the last 4 digits of the Cards # and said I'd receive the new card in 7-10 Days and a Welcome Pkg. In 10-14 Days?

And how did you activate the Card without the Card?? Thanks!
Sometimes (but far from always) the BofA card for Alaska Airlines deposits signup bonus miles (which only require opening the card, not doing any spend) in your Alaska account before you even get the card (and thus without you yet having activated the card). So perhaps BofA has got a similar interface to AGR?

The theory in the Alaska card thread is that BofA does this kind of thing in periodic "sweeps", and that explains why it happens before you get the card for some people while it may take some time after you get the card for other people.
sdsearch is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 8:41 pm
  #260  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,648
Originally Posted by jimhudson
Quote:


Wonder if this means that AGR has the Card on our Accounts? My letter from BOA only showed the last 4 digits of the Cards # and said I'd receive the new card in 7-10 Days and a Welcome Pkg. In 10-14 Days?

And how did you activate the Card without the Card?? Thanks!
That's the thing... I have NOT received the card so I naturally have not activated it. I assume since I was approved it was noted in my Amtrak profile and I thus got the redemption rebate bonus. Also noticed the other things like Companion Pass, etc. are showing in my profile on the Guest Rewards site even though I have no card yet.

If this is the way it always works it might be good news for those applying that need to redeem points right away.
christianj is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 9:46 pm
  #261  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 10
My new BofA AGR card has not yet arrived but I have the companion and upgrade coupons from it showing on my AGR account on amtrakguestrewards.com, and the card itself showing on my BofA online account information (including being able to show the full card number from the "Information & Services" tab).
Eris is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2015, 12:04 am
  #262  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Gold, M-Life Gold, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 16
Got the card and hit min spend within the day hoping to redeem points. Anyone had luck seeing how quick points hit their AGR account? The companion pass and coupon were instant so hoping for something similar with the min spend although the charges have been "pending" for a few days now.
Flyer545 is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2015, 1:13 am
  #263  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 10
I would not count on seeing the bonus points credited until at least the end of the billing cycle that the charges to earn the bonus were made (same time that the regular points earned by using the credit card are credited).
Eris is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2015, 8:51 pm
  #264  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 23
Originally Posted by diburning
Yes, 5 points per dollar. Your first 2 points would come from the Amtrak travel, your 3 points would come from the credit card.
AWESOME! Well that will certainly lessen the blow of the 22.9% APR. I would NEVER carry a balance on the card anyway as it would negate the rewards.

I am just sad that BOA gave me their highest APR when I am already an AU on a bank americard converted to Cash Rewards 0 for 21 months then 14.99 percent, and this is the person I did the joint application for the amtrak card with. 10k limit on the au card, and 2.1 k limit on the joint.

However I am very glad my 3 hard inquiries were combined into 1. The initial app for amtrak, denied, the joint app for amtrak, and my solo app for bbr that was denied, all combined into one HP.

Interesting that I was just approved for 0 for 18 months then 13% with citibank for a doublecash, their lowest interest. Chase and amex gave me 5k limits at 15%, care credit 15k....2% util, 2 year AAOA. 750's across the board.. At least in 3 months,6 months, etc I can try to get the APR reduced. Just wish I could recon the APR so its a little less insulting!

Glad I got approved...but it was kinda cocky on my part to press on... I basically didnt want to have 1 HP result in a denial... but now with the 1 account being split into two, I dont think the joint applicant could ever get a bonus even though I was the main applicant (maybe in 24 months?). It would have been better to just let the joint person app, make me an AU, then in a year try apping for my own and get a 2nd bonus. C'est la vie.

So yeah if you have only been using credit cards for 27 months.... and have 20 inquiries... I would hold off applying..even with scores in the mid 700's

Had I been more responsible, I bet I could have used 1 HP with my partner, got 1 BBR and 1 amtrak. Make me AU on both. Then go on my own and get 1 of each.
jfriend33 is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2015, 11:14 pm
  #265  
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DW, whose FICO is in the mid-830s, was insta-denied for the Platinum card yesterday. She has 4 prior hard pulls this year & 7 in the past 12 months; while that's nothing extraordinary by modern-day churner standards, I'm assuming it's what ran afoul of BofA's automated review tripwire.
beltway is offline  
Old Sep 23, 2015, 7:42 am
  #266  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 542
Arrow

Originally Posted by beltway
DW, whose FICO is in the mid-830s, was insta-denied for the Platinum card yesterday. She has 4 prior hard pulls this year & 7 in the past 12 months; while that's nothing extraordinary by modern-day churner standards, I'm assuming it's what ran afoul of BofA's automated review tripwire.
Uh-oh. We haven't applied yet, but had been planning on it. We're both in 830s too, and with lots of recent pulls. I'm guessing there's no rush on this one, so I guess we'll hold off until our recent record looks a little cleaner.

Thanks for the data point!
rbw5t is offline  
Old Sep 23, 2015, 7:52 am
  #267  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Originally Posted by jfriend33
AWESOME! Well that will certainly lessen the blow of the 22.9% APR. I would NEVER carry a balance on the card anyway as it would negate the rewards.

I am just sad that BOA gave me their highest APR when I am already an AU on a bank americard converted to Cash Rewards 0 for 21 months then 14.99 percent, and this is the person I did the joint application for the amtrak card with. 10k limit on the au card, and 2.1 k limit on the joint.

However I am very glad my 3 hard inquiries were combined into 1. The initial app for amtrak, denied, the joint app for amtrak, and my solo app for bbr that was denied, all combined into one HP.

Interesting that I was just approved for 0 for 18 months then 13% with citibank for a doublecash, their lowest interest. Chase and amex gave me 5k limits at 15%, care credit 15k....2% util, 2 year AAOA. 750's across the board.. At least in 3 months,6 months, etc I can try to get the APR reduced. Just wish I could recon the APR so its a little less insulting!

Glad I got approved...but it was kinda cocky on my part to press on... I basically didnt want to have 1 HP result in a denial... but now with the 1 account being split into two, I dont think the joint applicant could ever get a bonus even though I was the main applicant (maybe in 24 months?). It would have been better to just let the joint person app, make me an AU, then in a year try apping for my own and get a 2nd bonus. C'est la vie.

So yeah if you have only been using credit cards for 27 months.... and have 20 inquiries... I would hold off applying..even with scores in the mid 700's

Had I been more responsible, I bet I could have used 1 HP with my partner, got 1 BBR and 1 amtrak. Make me AU on both. Then go on my own and get 1 of each.
If you don't have any need or desire to carry a balance (which is wise), why do you care what the APR is?
84fiero is offline  
Old Sep 23, 2015, 2:12 pm
  #268  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: DCA/RIC
Programs: HH LTD, AA LTG
Posts: 1,015
Originally Posted by beltway
DW, whose FICO is in the mid-830s, was insta-denied for the Platinum card yesterday. She has 4 prior hard pulls this year & 7 in the past 12 months; while that's nothing extraordinary by modern-day churner standards, I'm assuming it's what ran afoul of BofA's automated review tripwire.
It sounds more like the glitch that happened the day this card was first rolled out? See posts up this thread stating the same only to get resolved later either by calling or automatically days later.

I had 4 hard pulls in the last 6 months, 7 new CC's in the last year and 14 in the last 2 years before applying and getting approved for the Platinum card after I called.

All the questions that I was asked were to prove my identity - not a single question asked IRT other accounts or apps. And this is my first BOA card and I have not ever had any type of banking relationship prior to applying for this card.
isle-hawg is offline  
Old Sep 24, 2015, 7:59 am
  #269  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: WAS
Posts: 339
BOA was out in force at WAS yesterday, with multiple employees promoting the new card and iPads on hand to accept on-site applications. Interesting to see them pushing it so hard.
ambyr is offline  
Old Sep 24, 2015, 10:47 am
  #270  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 23
Originally Posted by ambyr
BOA was out in force at WAS yesterday, with multiple employees promoting the new card and iPads on hand to accept on-site applications. Interesting to see them pushing it so hard.
Yes they were! They kept asking me to sign up at the amtrak and I'm like...already approved! I also shared my approval experience with them, ya know, in case they have a heart and dont want their friends to waste HPs just to look good.

I am confused about something though. I was told that the 2pts/dollar on travel included bus and public transportation. Not seeing this listed?

Anywho, card came today. Here she is!


Last edited by jfriend33; Sep 24, 2015 at 10:56 am
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