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In a recent post I discussed the end of the Chase Amtrak credit card. The reason most readers should care about this is that the Amtrak credit card was one of the few ways to unlock the ability to transfer Amtrak points to Choice Privileges points at an awesome one to three ratio. And, while Choice Hotels may not be the most exciting chain, they do have some very nice properties around the world. Plus, Choice allows points to be redeemed for Preferred Hotel Group hotels (a number of which are listed as the top hotels in the world) for 30,000 to 60,000 points per night. That may sound like a lot, but when you consider the transfer ratio, it means spending only 10,000 to 20,000 Amtrak points per night!
Given that the Amtrak credit card is no more (At least for now. Maybe it will come back?), it’s worth looking at the other way to unlock the ability to transfer Amtrak points to Choice Privileges: Amtrak elite status. Those with Select or Select Plus status can transfer up to 50,000 Amtrak points per year; and Select Executive Members can transfer an unlimited number of points.
About Amtrak Elite Status
Amtrak offers three levels of elite status, which they call member tiers. To reach each member tier, you have to earn Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs). In the same way that many airlines offer both elite qualifying miles and redeemable miles, Amtrak differentiates between Tier Qualifying Points and redeemable points. Here is what they have to say about earning tier status (found here):
How can I earn a member tier? Through your own paid Amtrak travel.
- You will earn Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) for your paid Amtrak travel
- Tier status is based on the number of TQPs you earn in a calendar year
How many TQPs do I need to reach tier status?
- To reach Select you need to earn 5,000 TQPs
- To reach Select Plus you need to earn 10,000 TQPs
- To reach Select Executive you need to earn 20,000 TQPs
Members must renew status each calendar year.
See Program Details for more information.
So, you need to earn 5,000 TQPs in one calendar year to reach the lowest level of status. The only way to earn TQPs is through paid Amtrak travel:
- Earn 2 TQPs per dollar (100 point minimum, per trip).
That means that, unless your paid travel is less than $50 per trip, you will have to spend $2,500 per year on Amtrak travel to reach and maintain the lowest elite tier. It’s worth noting, too, that bonus points earned through promotions (such as the current “Double Days” promo) do not count as TQPs. They can be used to redeem for travel, but they do not help earn status.
Rail running for status
When people fly just to earn miles and status, it’s called mileage running. When people check into hotels just to earn points and status, it’s called mattress running. What is the equivalent with Amtrak? I’ll suggest “rail running”.
Regardless of what we call it, the idea is to ride Amtrak just for status. There is no way in the world I would be willing to spend $2,500 for Amtrak status, so its necessary to look for a better way. The only trick I can think of is to capitalize on the 100 point minimum TQPs earned per trip. If you could average $10 per trip, you could earn Select status after 50 trips for a total of $500. I’m still not convinced that it is worth it, but at that rate its at least worth considering.
Is it practical? Let’s look at my situation. Since I live in Ann Arbor Michigan, I would have these Amtrak routes to consider:
From Ann Arbor to Chicago, it might be possible for me to go to Chicago by booking each segment as a separate trip. At each stop I could get off the train and re-board in order to get my ticket scanned again. Each segment of the route, with my 10% AAA discount, often prices at less than $10. So, with one trip to Chicago, I could theoretically earn 2,000 TQPs for less than $200. After two trips like this plus a mini-trip, I’d be done for the year.
But it won’t work
In 2008, Amtrak added a new rule to their rewards program T&C regarding earning TQPs: (Hat Tip: Flyertalk):
A maximum of two roundtrips or four one-way trips, per Member, per day, will be allowed to earn points under the 100-point minimum per trip rule.
Yikes. That means that, at most, one can rail-run 4 segments per day while earning the 100 point minimum for each segment.
Backup Plan?
Could one simply do two cheap round-trip rides per day to rail run for status? Or, could one do a single round trip per day, but book it as four segments? That way, one would earn 400 TQPs per day.
With this approach, It would take 13 days of rail running to get to Select status. I believe this would work, but it is unquestionably a lot of work to get to a level of status which is of questionable value unless you ride Amtrak often. And, if you do ride Amtrak often, you might not need to rail run for status.
The value of status beyond Choice points
If you’re considering doing something like this, then you’re probably curious what other benefits you might get from Select status. Here are the details, straight from Amtrak:
At the Select Plus level there are some interesting benefits such as Rule Buster redemptions, lounge access, etc., but Select Plus requires twice as many tier points as Select status. No thanks. I’m out.
Conclusion
It is theoretically possible to “manufacture” Amtrak elite status through what I’m calling “rail running”. The cost and pain of doing so, though, could be far higher than the benefits you would earn. While I think it might make sense for some people (especially those who ride Amtrak anyway and just need a few hundred more TQPs to get to the next tier), I personally don’t see enough value in the program to make it worth chasing status.
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Do you actually have to travel to get tier qualifying points? I am really close and want to buy a ticket but don’t think I have time to actually travel before 1/1.
Some people have reported success in simply buying a ticket, but in my case that didn’t work
So simply buying ticket and not taking the train doesn’t work?
Correct
[…] Passengers will no longer earn a minimum of 100 points per trip. This means that the days of rail running will soon be behind us. See: Rail running: pursuing Amtrak status to save on hotels. […]
[…] And here's a guy who says they don't. I know that there have been special promotions that do allow double tier-qualifying points, but they have been targeted. AGR has done a pretty effective job at making people who want status to earn it by riding the train. […]
You can do the get off the train and reboard trick for unreserved trains, by booking multi-city for each stop. For reserved trains it may not work. Remember to take advantage of the 24 hour stop over rule when pricing – a stopover of less than 24 hours is priced as a continuation of the existing trip and not as a brand new one.
The people on Amtrak Unlimited seem to like status running. Of course, they’re also the ones who don’t understand that buying Amtrak points directly for sleeper redemptions is virtually never a good idea. More power to points.com for gaining the revenue that way, I guess.
Thanks, also. Very helpful!
Buy tickets on Amtrak.com and choose eticket version. Buy one ways or round trips. if the points don’t post few days after the trip date, submit “missing points request” form online (link below).
https://www.amtrakguestrewards.com/members/requestpoints
To find cheap tickets look at the Amtrak route station maps and look for the shortest distance between stations. Here’s what I found so far (prices are one way):
Oregon City, OR (ORC) to/from Portland – Union Station, OR (PDX) $3.50
Cary, NC (CYN) to/from Raleigh, NC (RGH) $3.50
Mattoon, IL (MAT) to/from Effingham, IL (EFG) $4.00
Mendota, IL (MDT) to/from Princeton, IL (PCT) $3.50
Chicago – Union Station, IL (CHI) to/from Summit, IL (SMT) $3.00
Dwight, IL (DWT) to/from Pontiac, IL (PON) $3.50
Carbondale, IL (CDL) to/from Du Quoin, IL (DQN) $2.50
Thanks!
Hands down, the best ‘points run’ I’ve found on Amtrak is PHL to DOW – it can be broken into 4 segments for as little at $5.52 total. I book this route very time my travels allow – you can’t “buy” tier status with Amtrak any cheaper. Unfortunately, if I don’t find the conductor on EACH segment, I usually don’t get credit. I have not been ballsy enough to request credit for the trips I have missed entirely – I imagine they refer to my account and might get suspicious – but I have requested for a couple segments where my ticket was obviously just not lifted on a particular run.
Doing this run a couple times a trip helps me keep United Club access for cheap, and is actually a really cheap points generator during double points.
@Is Mind sharing how you did that and what segments are priced that cheap? Thanks.
Here’s what i’ve done: buy the cheapest ticket (i found some segments for $2.50-$3.00) and don’t even bother taking the train. You should see points posting a few days after the actual trip date. If it does not post, you can request the credit online, no need to call. So, in theory you could get 5,000 points in 2 weeks (2 round trips per day) for a total cost of $125-$150.
My understanding is that stopping and re-boarding the train at an intermediate stop doesn’t give you additional segment minimum, if it’s the same train number. If you get off and get back on the next train, then they would give you credit for both of them.
I wondered about that. I would have tested it if it seemed worth doing.
Your math is wrong. You’d need 50 trips to get 5,000 points. Certainly Angelenos who work in DTLA could take Amtrak instead of Metrolink/driving if this were important.
You’re right about the math. I’ve updated the post.
Greg:
I think you are wrong about earning status. The Amtrak website seems to indicate that you can also earn status in other ways. You can also earn TQPs through buying from their partners. I admit, it is not the clear about earning TGP to get status, but it APPEARS to say you can “earn” points through their partners. Have you verified that you can only earn thru riding?
Yes you can earn points through partners, but those are not TQPs. Yes, I’ve verified this with Amtrak and through reading forums, but I’d be happy to be wrong about it.
I’m one of the reasons the rule was changed.
Back in the mid 2000s would buy separate tickets on the Philadelphia to suburban Philly portion of the Keystone.
Then take SEPTA back.
Conductors gladly took a stack of tickets for multiple runs in one fell swoop.
Most painless and least time consuming status run in history.
Did it for the Continental club access.
Brian,
I will one up you. Back in that time Union station DC to College Park was like $3. They scanned all of my stubs at the station since I told them that I had no intention of flying. I also did the transfer bonanza later which got me another 2MM of free miles. I’d say I was the main reason they did the changes they have today… Long live Amtrak. And there is a cheaper way to get a status for much cheaper but I won’t speak, and you all know why…
[…] By FrequentMiler […]
As someone who rode Amtrak PHL to DC 2x per week for work (about 2 years ago), I could easily get select plus status. I really liked having the Acela lounge access, especially on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons when the stations are busy. However, I do feel like Amtrak status is not really worth it.
1.) the 1.5x bonus on points isn’t really a good deal–Point transfers from Chase at 1:1 give you a better and quicker way to free travel
2.) You get 2 10% coupons, but an AAA discount will give you the same thing (Although I have used the 10% coupons with less restrictions than the AAA discount)
3.) You get 2 free upgrade certificates. I have used these to upgrade to Acela first class from PHL to Boston (which is great), but then again you can get 5 upgrade certificates for 10,000 Amtrak points.
4.) Select plus status gets you access to United Club lounges, but if you have that access through another means than there’s really no point
The point transfer option might be the best Amtrak status benefit, which you can get with the Amtrak credit card.
It takes a lot of work to get status with Amtrak, and I don’t know if the status is worth it.