Amtrak Rewards - Tips on Maintaining Points?
 

Now that my old Chase Amtrak is defunct, and I won't be signing up for the replacement card, any quick and easy list of ways of activity to keep points from expiring?

For my Hilton HHonors Card, I utilize the double dip for Amtrak points - usually this gives me one point activity monthly.

I'm also looking at joining, NARPRAIL http://www.narprail.org/ Do either of those qualify?

I do take the train - but not consistently, and I don't want 12 months to go by and lose my points!

Starting January 24, any account activity resets the expiration clock for three years. Earn points from any source (train travel, hotel, shopping, buy points - anything) or redeem points: either will keep your points alive and well. Your Hilton double-dip will do the trick.

On January 25, does everyone have three years (minus a day or two) before points expire? In other words, what are the conditions that, in the absence of point activity after January 24, would lead to expiration of points in the month after January 25 or the year after January 25?

Actually, that simple 3-year inactivity policy was backdated to August 2015, right before the Chase card disappeared, to keep the points of people who had held (and had at least occasionally used) the Chase Amtrak card from disappearing. So, for example, anyone who had the Chase Amtrak card and used it right before it went away has until about August 2018 before they have to have more activity. Obviously, those who didn't use the card for the last few months it was around have a bit less time. But unless you didn't use the card for a year or more before it went away, you still have plenty of time to figure out what activity to have as a replacement.

Nothing magic happens on January 25, because the policy has already been in effect for months.

On any particular day, Amtrak Guest Rewards might* look back 3 years. So the condition that would lead expiration on January 25, 2016 is no activity since January 25, 2013. But if there was no activity since January 12, 2013, your points might be expiring today, because as I said, this 3-year inactivity expiration was actually implemented last August, even if all the other changes are only taking effect January 24.

* We don't know whether AGR will check for 3 years of inactivity on a daily basis, or a monthly basis, or how often. The worst case, and therefore my example, would be if they checked on a daily basis.

Thanks. Good to know.