SPG / Marriott Amtrak transfer
Jun 13, 2018, 5:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Plat Pro, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic 3, Amtrak Select
Posts: 966
SPG / Marriott Amtrak transfer
Has anyone seen an announcement if the Amtrak partnership will still continue?
I heavily utilize the free upgrades you can get for 10k points, and would like to know if I should add some more points to my account via SPG, or not to worry as Marriott will cover it
I heavily utilize the free upgrades you can get for 10k points, and would like to know if I should add some more points to my account via SPG, or not to worry as Marriott will cover it
Jun 15, 2018, 11:08 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington DC
Programs: BA GLD, AA GLD 1MM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,698
The SPG site confirms this will end at the end of July:
Take the scenic route: Transfer your Starpoints with Amtrak at 1:1 ratio until July 31, 2018. After this date, members will no longer be able to transfer Starpoints to rail miles with Amtrak Guest Rewards.
Jun 16, 2018, 9:05 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Plat Pro, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic 3, Amtrak Select
Posts: 966
The SPG site confirms this will end at the end of July:
Take the scenic route: Transfer your Starpoints with Amtrak at 1:1 ratio until July 31, 2018. After this date, members will no longer be able to transfer Starpoints to rail miles with Amtrak Guest Rewards.
Now the follow up - has Marriott said they would consider or are bringing in Amtrak, since that link indicated it was SPG only and on the last day of the SPG program
Jun 17, 2018, 5:59 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: PSC
Programs: Hilton Diamond/IHG Platinum/DL Plutononium
Posts: 1,728
What a shame, from being transfer partners with Chase and SPG now there will be nothing. Too bad BofA doesn't fire up a program with their co-brand partners, I would love a card that earns points that transfer to Alaska, Amtrak, Virgin Atlantic and Asiana.
Jun 25, 2018, 3:06 pm
#6
Original Member, Moderator: Hotel Deals and MilesBuzz
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 14,257
Here's alink to the Amtrak page with additional details of the partnership termination: https://www.amtrakguestrewards.com/info/news
Jun 25, 2018, 9:23 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Plat Pro, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic 3, Amtrak Select
Posts: 966
Everybody has their own way to maximize points.. for me, my job requires a large amount of NYC to DC trips, of which I normally take the Acela. It cost over 120 dollars to upgrade from business class to first, but I've had a 100% success rate in using upgrade coupons. They cost 10,000 for 4 of them, so I'm getting at least 480 dollars of value, which I'm not sure I can get that same value for 30k marriott... but I'm converting over enough SPG points that I'm planning to send some Amtrak points to keep the coffers full, especially since this ends my ability to transfer points into Amtrak
Jun 26, 2018, 12:09 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: CMH/CVG
Programs: Marriott, Southwest, American, Delta, Amtrak,Multiple others
Posts: 564
Everybody has their own way to maximize points.. for me, my job requires a large amount of NYC to DC trips, of which I normally take the Acela. It cost over 120 dollars to upgrade from business class to first, but I've had a 100% success rate in using upgrade coupons. They cost 10,000 for 4 of them, so I'm getting at least 480 dollars of value, which I'm not sure I can get that same value for 30k marriott... but I'm converting over enough SPG points that I'm planning to send some Amtrak points to keep the coffers full, especially since this ends my ability to transfer points into Amtrak
Jul 1, 2018, 1:23 pm
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
A lot people transfer SPG points to airline, or the only way they use the SPG points. Airline points normally worth about 1.5 cpp. Even with the 25% bonus, you still only get 1.875 cpp when you transfer SPG to airline. A bad move IMO.
I'm going to transfer some of my SPG points to Amtrak now. Still park most of the SPG points at SPG/MR. Have in mind the train ride on Adirondack this fall.
Jul 4, 2018, 7:27 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: MSY
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 5,926
I transferred 20K SPG points (which turned into 25K with SPG’s bonus) into Amtrak yesterday. In fact I didn’t even know that transfer opportunity was available at all until I got the email telling me that it was going away! I use Amtrak a lot more than SPG (or Marriott), so this transfer is quite helpful for me.
Jul 5, 2018, 7:34 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: CMH/CVG
Programs: Marriott, Southwest, American, Delta, Amtrak,Multiple others
Posts: 564
This is just what you value it. This SPG -> Amtrak is highly valuable. Amtrak point is worth about 2.9 cpp, higher than SPG's 2.7 cpp. MR point is 1/3, or about 0.9 cpp.
A lot people transfer SPG points to airline, or the only way they use the SPG points. Airline points normally worth about 1.5 cpp. Even with the 25% bonus, you still only get 1.875 cpp when you transfer SPG to airline. A bad move IMO.
I'm going to transfer some of my SPG points to Amtrak now. Still park most of the SPG points at SPG/MR. Have in mind the train ride on Adirondack this fall.
A lot people transfer SPG points to airline, or the only way they use the SPG points. Airline points normally worth about 1.5 cpp. Even with the 25% bonus, you still only get 1.875 cpp when you transfer SPG to airline. A bad move IMO.
I'm going to transfer some of my SPG points to Amtrak now. Still park most of the SPG points at SPG/MR. Have in mind the train ride on Adirondack this fall.
Jul 6, 2018, 6:19 am
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
Are you sure about this? It is known that SPG does not give out the 25% bonus with transfer to Amtrak, but only to airlines....
Jul 6, 2018, 7:34 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: CMH/CVG
Programs: Marriott, Southwest, American, Delta, Amtrak,Multiple others
Posts: 564
When I was requesting the transfer, the Starwood website showed the 5000 bonus miles added to my 20000 pt transfer request. However, my Amtrak Rewards account only received the 20000 miles and no bonus.