The Amtrak Mastercard is on hold — no new applications are being accepted. Amtrak and Bank of America are ending their relationship. Only purchases that are posted prior to the closing date of the May 2007 statement will earn Amtrak points. Presumably a new bank will partner with Amtrak over the next few months, but there’s currently no new partner in place.
Amtrak
Category Archives for Amtrak.
Double Points on Amtrak
Amtrak is offering double points on train travel through December 16 (excluding November 21 – 28). Registration is required.
Sometimes Banner Ads Show You Something Useful
Amtrak is advertising over at Flyertalk.com, and a banner brings you to a signup bonus promotion — enter promotion code NEC06 while opening an Amtrak Guest Rewards account and receive 3000 bonus points for your first train trip taken within 90 days of signing up instead of the usual 500 points. That’s enough for a one-way Northeast corridor ticket, and almost enough to transfer points to Continental or Hilton.
Amtrak’s Brilliant New Business Idea
Since they can’t make running trains profitable, Amtrak is planning to build a hotel out of part of the Baltimore train station. The station is a terrible location for a hotel and the project has been unable to attract private financing or even a *brand* (like Sheraton, Marriott, etc) in the past. The best the piece can find an analyst to say about the project is that the hotel might get business if all the other hotels in Baltimore are full… … Though I suppose they could get business from Amtrak stranding passengers. Heh. (Hat tip to Hotel Chatter.)
Amtrak Transfer Bonus
Amtrak is offering 500 bonus points when you transfer 5000 or more points into your Guest Rewards account from one of their partners by March 31. While Amtrak hardly offers a great program, it’s a reasonable place to move Continental miles for sure. Log in to your Amtrak Guest Rewards account and then register using promo code 30806.
Quik Trak Bonus
Amtrak is offering 250 Guest Rewards points for picking up a ticket at a QuikTrak machine by March 31. Log into your Amtrak Guest Rewards account and then register for the promo using code 11906.Alas the bonus is limited to one per member. Update: The promo didn’t say anything about being targeted, but a reader emails a response that it’s in invalid offer so it might just be targeted. You’d think that Guest Rewards would say that if it is, but the folks running this program are among the worst in the industry so nothing surprises me at all.
More Devaluation of Amtrak Guest Rewards
Amtrak has announced changes to its reward chart effective January 3, 2006. Business and first class redemptions on Acela Express and Metroliner trains go up 500 points apiece (to 8,000 and 10,500 each way respectively). $50 gift cards go from 5000 points to 6000 points, a 20% increase. It used to be that Amtrak points were worth a penny apiece when redeemed for merchandise at this level. That penny-a-point parity threshold has now been breached. However, if you want to retain that purchasing power you’ll need to redeem 10,000 points for newly introduced $100 gift cards set to be on offer next month. I got the news in my online statement which arrived by e-mail today. Three weeks notice isn’t enough for these kinds of changes — but it’s better than the no-notice changes Amtrak…
Hardly worth mentioning… Amtrak Online Shopping Promo
Amtrak’s online mall is offering 100 points for spending $100 by the end of the year.
Amtrak tickets cost more at the last minute
For several years Amtrak has been using revenue management techniques in the midwest. Now they’ve introduced the concept to the Northeast Corridor. Early last month, Amtrak began charging its Northeast Corridor passengers 15 percent to 25 percent more for tickets purchased close to departure than for the same tickets bought weeks in advance. The new structure is based on the level of sales prior to departure. The more popular the route, such as the Northeast Corridor Metroliner or Acela on a Friday afternoon, the higher the last-minute rate. “If a train is almost sold out, you may pay a higher fare if you book at the last minute,” said Amtrak spokeswoman Tracy Connell. My first reaction was that this is long overdue from a business prudence standpoint, but anathema to travelers. My second reaction was…
Finally a new Amtrak 20% off link
Amtrak is offering 20% off on service to Philadelphia. In reality, the discount applies to all Northeast Corridor trains, though Metroliner and Acela Express are as usual excluded. Discount code V735 is valid on tickets purchased through April 22, 2006 for travel through April 25, 2006. Blackout dates are: November 22-29, 2005; Dec 16-Jan 2, 2006; Jan 13-16, 2006; Feb 17-20, 2006; April 13-17, 2006. On itineraries where V735 is not available, try H542. It’s a 15% discount that seems to work on most trips, including Metroliner and Acela Express. It’s only valid through December 15.
