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Future Fests as of Spring/Summer 2015


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#11 KevinKorell

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Posted 09 September 2015 - 03:12 PM

I too would like to take advantage of the possibility of using points under the legacy system.  However before we all jump on this bandwagon let's not forget that I work, and usually cannot schedule my vacation until after the first of the year. That is a reality I cannot change.  This only allows 3 weeks before the January 23rd deadline.  I can put out an outline of what might be the best plan before then, but cannot bow to pressure to solidify plans until that time.  So the old advice to not reserve anything that cannot be cancelled without penalty applies.



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#12 steve4031

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Posted 11 September 2015 - 06:57 PM

Agr reservations could be booked, and cancelled and you get the points back. Unfortunately one might be subject to the new redemption rules. IMHO Kevin always does his best to provide enough lead time to book things. So we should respect his work schedule.

#13 saxman

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Posted 14 September 2015 - 02:53 PM

I like the idea of West Coast again, since we haven't been there since 2010, and I had to miss most of it. Dallas would be good too, but they continue to open transit lines, although the next major line opening, TexRail won't be for a good 5 more years, I'm guessing. I know that visiting other Texas cities has been discussed at length, so I won't dwell on that.



#14 KevinKorell

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Posted 14 September 2015 - 03:18 PM

TexRail would be a subsequent visit after it's open.  For now, once the South Oak Cliff Blue Line extension opens, as well as Phase 2 of the new Streetcar, there is enough new to ride. Remember we were not there since 2005, so in over a decade the Blue Line was extended on the other end, the Green and Orange Lines opened in several phases, and the McKinney Avenue trolley was extended closer to downtown within the past year, and A-Train became the areas' second commuter rail property, joining TRE.



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#15 BillMagee

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Posted 15 September 2015 - 08:43 AM

Agr reservations could be booked, and cancelled and you get the points back. Unfortunately one might be subject to the new redemption rules. IMHO Kevin always does his best to provide enough lead time to book things. So we should respect his work schedule.

One word of warning. An AGR reservation booked before January 24 but canceled on or after the changeover may be subject to the 10% cancelation penalty. This is how paid reservations worked when the cancelation penalty was imposed. Even reservations made before that changeover date were subject to the penalty if changed or canceled after the date. This would not an issue if the change results in a cost in points greater than the original reservation, but would be an issue if the change results in using fewer points or for an outright cancelation.

Regardless of when things get published, we'll do the best we can. If it's before January 24, great. If not, it will not be that big a deal.

#16 KevinKorell

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Posted 15 September 2015 - 12:28 PM

I'm doing the best I can, but life isn't always perfect as far as being able to plan so far in advance.  What I am spending a lot of time doing this late Summer and Fall is building up that point total so that I have points to redeem by next July.   With the 100-minimum points runs going away I will exploit that luxury as much as I can.   I think a larger worry for all of us might be having enough points for a July 2017 trip, because by then  we will be going a full year in advance under the new AGR rules.    I encourage everyone planning to go on the July 2016 fest, wherever it may be, to stock up on those points now while you can, and also take advantage of the 2-month double points promo that starts next week.



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#17 KevinKorell

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Posted 15 September 2015 - 04:12 PM

With regard to discussion about the fest in the Winter, I need to revise what i have once more based on our discussion from last Sunday's chat.   I had us just running through the 7 tunnel to Hudson Yards and then back to Times Square.  There is some desire to see the long escalators and inclinator, as well as the outer station entrance and the surrounding neighborhood.  So I am reworking this, and the way I think to do it is to use the 7 to get from Penn Station to Grand Central by walking to Hudson Yards, rather than the legacy means of using the 1/2/3 to Times Square to the S shuttle.  This might end up being a longer walk for some (3 east-west blocks), but those who can't or won't could still use the old way.



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#18 BillMagee

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Posted 16 September 2015 - 07:31 AM

One strategy for 2017 and beyond is to get the World Card version of the new Amtrak Guest Rewards credit card.  Besides the 20,000 point sign-up bonus, you also get three points per dollar for Amtrak purchases.  A $20 points-run trip would net 100 points (40 from AGR, 60 from the card).  A $120 Acela Business Class trip would net 660 points (300 from AGR, 360 from the card).  The added benefit of all other travel charges getting 2 points per dollar will also be valuable if Fest hotels are charged to the card.

 

One thing I'm not sure about is how the card-generated Tier Qualifying Points are handled.  For each $5000 of spend in a calendar year, the card will provide 1000 TQP up to a maximum of 4000 TQP per year.  What I don't know is whether those 4000 points are new points added to the account or a conversion of existing points from plain redeemable to TQP.  My American Airlines card has a similar elite miles benefit, but they simply take 10,000 of miles you already earned from the card and convert them to elite miles.  No new redeemable miles are added.  If the AGR card is providing new redeemable miles for the 4000 TQP, that would also be a nice benefit.  With each AGR point worth just under 3 cents each in the new program, those 4000 points, if new and redeemable, would be worth $116 in travel redemption.

 

2017 and beyond is going to be more challenging from an AGR redemption standpoint, but the new program eliminates some of the idiosyncrasies of the zone system like PHL-CHI costing as much as PHL-DEN.  It's going to take a little thought on both the earning and redemption sides, but I don't think is will be a deal killer.



#19 KevinKorell

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Posted 16 September 2015 - 11:41 AM

This is not an announcement as things are not at all definite. However in the continued effort to be as transparent as possible and to allow for some feedback in the plans as well as an eventual name, I am providing this itinerary of a New York City area fest as a start.   Note that it accommodates my wish to include subway rides, all three commuter properties (NJT, MNRR, LIRR), three Amtrak trips capable of earning 100 points minimum tier and redemption qualifying points, dinner outside of the city in a pub in Poughkeepsie, riding the nation's shortest commuter rail line in Princeton, and a Coney Island subway round trip with lunch at Nathan's.   For the 7 train, there is a Saturday trip that runs back and forth to the new Hudson Yards station, and another trip on Sunday that runs one way from Hudson Yards to Grand Central, which lets us walk from Penn Station to Hudson Yards, thus seeing the area around the station and utilizing its entry.  There is also the possibility I could add something on Friday night if enough are interested.

 

Official announcement will come later this Fall with a distinct name, and its own web pages.



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#20 pennyk

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Posted 16 September 2015 - 11:49 AM

It looks great to me.  Thank you!!! :)






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