Robert Armstrong

What's the official last day I can book travel using points redemption under the old, zone based, AGR points rules? And am I correct that the tickets can be booked up to a year in advance and it doesn't matter that the travel actually take place before the deadline as long as the tickets are booked before then?

I want to book a round trip, SJC<->CHI on the CZ for Christmas 2016 and not surprisingly I'll do better under the old zone based system. I just want to make sure I don't get tripped up by some fine print in the AGR rules...

Thanks!

FrensicPic

I would guess January 23...the day before the program goes into effect. You can book up to eleven months out.

Q: When does the new program start?

A: The new Amtrak Guest Rewards program goes into effect January 24, 2016.

NovaEngr

As stated above, the last day to make reservations under the zone system is January 23. Since you can only book travel 11 months in advance, on 1/23/16, you will not be able to book any itinerary with segments originating on 12/23/16 or later. Depending on your planned dates of travel on or around Christmas 2016, it is possible that zone-based redemptions will not be available for all or part of your trip.

Technically, you do not know for sure that the new system will be worse than the old system since fares for the Christmas 2016 timeframe have not posted. It is not a given that the new system will be worse. Also, the existing zone system has extensive blackout dates during the holidays. For example, this year between 12/19/15 and 1/4/16, only 4 of 16 days (12/24, 25, 31 and 1/1) are not blacked-out for AGR redemption. Redemptions under the zone system around holidays was severely limited due to the number of dates blacked out. The new system will not have blackout dates.

Robert Armstrong

I could have sworn that you could book a year in advance - did that rule change recently? In any case, thanks to everybody for pointing that out. I'm really glad I asked.

As for tickets being cheaper under the new system, I doubt it. The published fare for EMY->CHI in a deluxe bedroom now is $1097 and I'd be super surprised to see that go down. Up maybe, but never down. Given the redemption rate of 2 cents/mile that I've seen mentioned, that works out to 55,000 points for the same trip. It's 40,000 under the old, zone, rules and as a bonus I even get the SJC->EMY leg thrown in for free!.

Looks like I can buy the tickets out under the old rules, but I'll have to buy the return tickets under the new rules.

AlanB

Nope, it's always been 11 months. And that's not technically an AGR limitation; that's an Amtrak limitation. The Amtrak reservation system doesn't allow for bookings further out than 11 months.

nuschu

I confirmed with AGR over the phone that they will allow zone based ticket purchases all the way up until January 23rd. I wouldn't wait until the 23rd but you still have a little time.

AGR Insider

Correct - until closing time of our call center the night of Jan 23, the current scheme remains in effect when you call.

Anthony