Amtrak Guest Rewards from Chase

[Neat]

I live in the NE region and travel occasionally via Amtrak. I'd like to hear some experiences with this card and its rewards structure, I'm not sure I'd willing to tie up all my spending on Amtrak Guest Rewards points.

12,000 bonus points with a $500 spend in the first three months.

TWO FREE CLASS UPGRADE COUPONS.

2 POINTS PER $1 ON AMTRAK TRAVEL

1 POINT PER $1 ON EVERYDAY PURCHASES

5% POINT REBATE ON AMTRAK REDEMPTION TRAVEL

NO ANNUAL FEE

POINTS THAT NEVER EXPIRE

Please note, 8,000 points = one roundtrip coachclass ticket on NE Regional. I think.

Thanks

[sengpatt]

If you're thinking about traveling around federal holidays/peak travel times, I would look into the non-trivial list of blackout dates for using GR points. Otherwise, it seems like a perfectly good no-AF card for a moderate/frequent Amtrak traveler. Depending on how often you take the train/how much you value GR points, you might be better served by a more straightforward cash back card though.

[Neat]

I agree. In years past I would travel on average two times per month, my travel isn't even half of that now. I don't need anymore cards, I'm supposed to be gardening.

[LionLaw]

Amtrak Guest Rewards points are pretty useless--and this is coming from someone who rode Amtrak enough to get top-tier guest rewards benefits.  If you're riding Amtrak multiple times a month, then the guest rewards CC might be worth it.  Otherwise, there are plenty of other cards with more worthwhile rewards.

[Blackbeauty212]

I agree...It's ONLY worth it if you commute using Amtrak, and the majority if not all of the "Commuting base" of Amtrak is on the NEC. 

I have the card as I used to commute 3-5 days a week between Philadelphia and NYC and used to rack up points like you wouldn't believe. I only used the card to bill my amtrak purchases to (I have other cards I use for purchases). I would rack up anywhere between 2 to 2.5K points a month just from the Card alone and with the points from Travel I kept a range of points from 14K to 30K of points. I would hoard the points for something unforseen happening and I needed to reschedule on the fly (I.e Late Train or leaving work early).  

[advocate1]

I just got approved for this card. Didn't know Chase offered an Amtrak credit card, until I was booking tickets and saw the advertisement. Have a fraud alert on my CBRs so they could not do instant online approval. I called 24 hours after applying and they said they just needed to do ID verification, which meant faxing in a copy of my driver's license. They only pulled EX and it came back 740. Minimum limit is $2000 on this card.

I did not get it for the rewards; I don't travel Amtrak more than once every couple months. I got it because it's a major bank card, and Chase is pretty generous on approvals for future cards with them. The CSP has a minimum credit line of $5000, and I believe Chase allows a total credit limit (among all cards) of $40,000 once you prove yourself.

EX: 753  EQ: 682  TU:  682  (all FICO) as of May 2014

EQ and TU still have one baddie reporting, and inaccurately at that

Goal:  750 among all 3 bureaus

Total revolving credit - $9000 (mostly GE Capital)

[Blackbeauty212]

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@advocate1 wrote:

I just got approved for this card. Didn't know Chase offered an Amtrak credit card, until I was booking tickets and saw the advertisement. Have a fraud alert on my CBRs so they could not do instant online approval. I called 24 hours after applying and they said they just needed to do ID verification, which meant faxing in a copy of my driver's license. They only pulled EX and it came back 740. Minimum limit is $2000 on this card.

I did not get it for the rewards; I don't travel Amtrak more than once every couple months. I got it because it's a major bank card, and Chase is pretty generous on approvals for future cards with them. The CSP has a minimum credit line of $5000, and I believe Chase allows a total credit limit (among all cards) of $40,000 once you prove yourself.

EX: 753  EQ: 682  TU:  682  (all FICO) as of May 2014

EQ and TU still have one baddie reporting, and inaccurately at that

Goal:  750 among all 3 bureaus

Total revolving credit - $9000 (mostly GE Capital)

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As well the CSP is much better for Amtrak points than Amtrak's own card.... Points transfer 1to1 from UR to Amtrak..... So to the 40K bonus plus 2/3/5x points on selected Cats is way more benificial than the AGR MC.   

[capitalkid]

Having both CSP and AGR can work very well, remember the points accumplated in AGR account that is not attached to the AGR credit card will expire.  If you have the CC they never expire.