Looking for an alternative to flying? Why not check out Amtrak? This railway company connects to more than 500 destinations in the United States and Canada, from popular commuter trains to long-haul sleeper routes. Those that travel all the time by train will find a lot of value in Amtrak Guest Rewards, the rail operator’s loyalty program.
See our list of the best credit card bonuses here.
Amtrak Guest Rewards Quick Facts
| Personal Credit Cards | Amtrak Guest Rewards World Mastercard Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum Mastercard |
| Business Credit Cards | No business credit cards |
| Redemption Options | Amtrak travel Non-Amtrak travel Dining Entertainment Shopping Points poolingTransfer to a partner program |
| Value Per Point | $0.025 |
Amtrak Guest Rewards Elite Status
The Amtrak Guest Rewards loyalty program has three elite status tiers. Qualification is based on how many Tier Qualifying Points, or TQPs, you can earn in one year.
| SELECT | SELECT PLUS | SELECT EXECUTIVE |
| 5,000 TQPs | 10,000 TQPs | 20,000 TQPs |
The rate in which you can earn these TQPs depends on the type of ticket that you purchase. Regular tickets earn two TQPs for every dollar you spend. Business-class tickets get a 25% bonus, and Acela first-class tickets enjoy a 50% bonus.
The higher the status that you have, the more perks you can get:
| PERK | SELECT | SELECT PLUS | SELECT EXECUTIVE |
| Point bonus on Amtrak travel | 25% | 50% | 100% |
| One class upgrades | 2 | 4 | 4* |
| Companion coupons | None | 2 | 2 |
| Access to ClubAcela & Metropolitan Lounge | 2 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Access to United Club | None | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Earning Amtrak Guest Rewards With Transfer from Hilton Honors
Although we don’t recommend that you transfer your hard earned points or miles into Amtrak Guest Rewards points, if you need to, then points from Hilton Honors is an option.
 The Hilton Honors American Express Card offers 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 04/05/2023. You'll earn: • 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel and resorts within the Hilton Honors portfolio of brands. • 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations • 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card. This card comes with annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, so you can enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad. (See Rates & Fees) Terms Apply. |
 The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card has a welcome offer of 165,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 Months of Card Membership. Offer ends 4/5/23. You'll earn: • 12X at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio • 6X at US gas stations, on US purchases for shipping, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from US service providers, on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel, on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies, and at US restaurants • 3X on all other eligible purchases. • Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Terms & Limitations Apply. In addition, you can enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card & earn another Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year. This card has a $95 annual fee. (See Rates & Fees) Terms Apply. |
Earning Amtrak Guest Rewards Points
Amtrak Guest Rewards is free to join. Once you have your member number, you can start earning points on Amtrak travel:
| Welcome Bonus | 500 points for your first Amtrak trip within 90 days of joining. |
| All Tickets | 2x points |
| Business-Class Tickets | 2.5x points (25% bonus) |
| Acela First-Class Tickets | 3x points (50% bonus) |
Points are credited to your account once you finish your trip.
**Click here for our source.
Amtrak offers two co-branded rewards cards:
| WORLD MASTERCARD | PLATINUM MASTERCARD | |
| Welcome bonus | 20,000 points – spend: $1,000 – time: 90 days |
N/A |
| Bonus value | $500 | $300 |
| Ongoing rewards | 3x on Amtrak travel 2x on other travel 1x on everything else |
2x on Amtrak travel 1x on everything else |
| Other perks | 5% rebate Amtrak award travel Companion coupon One-class upgrade Station lounge pass Fast track to elite status No foreign transaction fees |
10% Food & Beverage Rebate 5% rebate Amtrak award travel No foreign transaction fees |
| Annual fee | $79 | $0 |
Hotel stays. Earn Amtrak Guest Rewards points when you stay at Choice Hotels or Wyndham Resorts. Simply make a reservation through RocketMiles or the Amtrak Hotels & Cars portal. For current earning rates, click here.
Car rentals. Earn points for each day you rent a car from Budget, Enterprise or Hertz. For current earning rates, click here.
Cruises. Earn four Amtrak Guest Rewards points for every cruise dollar spent. Plus, enjoy bonus amenities from TravelStore.
Flights. Earn points when you fly United and take Amtrak to connect to or from Newark Liberty International Airport. For earning rates, click here.
With Amtrak Guest Rewards, you will be able to earn their points by shopping at the following retailers and specialty partners:
| PARTNER | POINTS |
| 1800Flowers | 10x points |
| Audience Rewards | 100 points/ticket |
| NRG | 10,000 points |
| Rail Passengers | Up to 25,000 points |
| Samsonite | 1,000 points + 15% discount |
| Survey Points Club | 250 points/first survey Additional points/survey |
| Teleflora | 750 points/bouquet |
| Vinesse Wines | 2,000 points/membership 3x points/wine purchases |
Amtrak Guest Rewards also offers a referral program that will give you points for each person you refer and that takes a paid Amtrak trip within their first 90 days. Both you and your referral will receive 500 bonus points.
As mentioned above, we don’t recommend that you transfer any of your points and miles into Amtrak Guest Rewards points because you will lose value. However, if you’re slightly short on points towards a free Amtrak trip, you can transfer poitns from the following loyalty programs:
| PROGRAM | RATE |
| Audience Rewards | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Choice Privileges | 32,000 : 5,000 |
| Hertz | 600 : 500 |
| Hilton Honors | 10,000 : 1,500 |
| Wyndham Rewards | 6,000 : 1,200 |
Unfortunately, if you are part of another major transferable rewards programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards® or American Express Membership Rewards®, you will not be able to transfer your points.
You can also buy Amtrak Guest Rewards points in increments of 500 at $18.85. In one calendar year, you’re allowed to buy up to 30,000 points. This maximum does not apply to Select Executive members, who don’t have limits on point purchases.
Redeeming Amtrak Guest Rewards Points
Besides hotel stays, Marriott points can be used for travel, gift cards, and more. Points are transferrable to over 40 loyalty programs and are extremely flexible.
Here’s all of the way thats you can redeem your points:
Amtrak doesn’t offer a fixed award chart. Rather, their point pricing is related to the cash cost of the ticket. To get the best value for your points, use them for trips when the cheapest (Saver Fare) tickets are sold out. Other factors may include the type of train, class of ticket and departure times.
Use your Amtrak Guest Rewards points for other travel services. Partners include:
| PARTNER | RATE |
| Best Western | 6,000 points = $50 travel card |
| Budget | 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Celebrity Cruises | 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Choice Privileges | 5,000 points = 15,000 Choice Privileges points |
| Disney | 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Fairmont | 12,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Hilton | 10,000 points = 10,000 Hilton points |
| PARTNER | RATE |
| Applebee’s | 6,000 points = $50 travel card |
| Brinker International | 6,000 points = $50 travel card |
| Darden Restaurants | 6,000 points = $50 travel card |
| Red Lobster | 6,000 points = $50 travel card |
| Outback Steakhouse | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Panera Bread | 6,000 points = $50 gift card |
| Ruth’s Chris | 6,000 points = $50 gift card |
| Starbucks | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
Use your Amtrak Guest Rewards points for gift cards from the following entertainment partners:
| PARTNER | RATE |
| AMC Theaters | 6,000 points = $50 travel card |
| Audience Rewards | 1,000 points = 1,000 Showpoints |
| Disney | 12,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Regal Entertainment Group | 6,000 points = $50 travel card |
| Spa Week | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
Use your Amtrak Guest Rewards points for gift cards from the following retail partners:
| PARTNER | RATE |
| 1800Flowers | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| AutoZone | 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Barnes & Noble | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Bath & Body Works | 6,000 points = $50 gift card |
| Bed, Bath & Beyond | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Bloomingdale’s | 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Burlington | 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| CVS Pharmacy | 6,000 points = $50 gift card |
| Disney | 12,000 points = $100 gift card |
| GAP | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Kohl’s | 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| L.L. Bean | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Lowe’s | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Macy’s | 6,000 points = $50 gift card |
| Nike | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Nordstrom | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| PetSmart | 6,000 points = $50 gift card |
| Pottery Barn | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| REI | 6,000 points = $50 gift card |
| Saks Fifth Avenue | 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Staples | 6,000 points = $50 gift card |
| TJ Maxx | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Top Golf | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
| Williams Sonoma | 6,000 points = $50 gift card 10,000 points = $100 gift card |
Pooling Amtrak Guest Rewards points will get you (or your friends) rewards faster. You can transfer up to 100,000 points per account in a calendar year.
Amtrak Guest Rewards Tips & Tricks
After going through the things listed in the above sections, for the best value, you will want to use your points for Amtrak award travel. You will get an even better deal if you can book “Saver Fares,” which is the lowest cost option, or on a promotion like their “Double Days.”
Families can utilize the 50% discount on paid fares and redemptions for kids ages 2 to 12 when traveling with an adult.
Bottom Line
If you’ve never traveled by Amtrak before, it definitely offers a unique experience. You can avoid the long airport security lines and all the hassle of going through air travel. Additionally, Amtrak Guest Rewards points hold their value very well.
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