The Offer
- Get a statement credit of $100 and 20,000 bonus points after you make $1,000 or more in purchases within 90 days of account opening on the Bank of America Amtrak Guest Rewards card.
How To Get The Offer
- Go to Amtrak.com
- Search for any ticket
- Select ticket, add to cart
- Click through add ons and ‘passenger information page’
- On payment page you’ll see the offer:
Card Details
- Annual fee of $79 is not waived
- Complimentary Companion Coupon, One-Class Upgrade and a single-day ClubAcela® pass for access to ClubAcela, Amtrak Metropolitan LoungeSM or First class
- Card earns at the following rates:
- 3 points per $1 spent with Amtrak
- 2 points per $1 spent on all other qualifying travel purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- 5% Amtrak Guest Rewards point rebate when you book your Amtrak redemption
Our Verdict
There is a bonus of 30,000 points as well without the statement credit. Neither offer has the annual fee waived, so it’s really a matter of whether you value Amtrak points at more than 1¢ each or not. I think if you’re interested in this card then you should be valuing them at more than 1¢ each. Points are worth the following values:
- Non-Acela tickets points are worth 2.9¢ each
- Acela tickets points are worth 2.56¢ cent
You can read more about redeeming Amtrak points and their best uses here. As always if you have any questions about Bank of America credit cards then I’d recommend reading this post. I won’t be adding this to our list of the best credit card sign up bonuses as I think the 30,000 point offer is better. It also won’t be added to our list of cash sign up bonuses, it does come with a $100 statement credit but the annual fee is $79 and not waived first year so it’s really only $21 + 20,000 points.
Hat tip to reader JF, World Traveler &Â mangoceviche
I got my $100 credit a little under 90 days after spending, now I am waiting to the points to get reflected.
This is a marketing scam. I recently applied for this card. The $100 credit is what draws people in. What they DON’T tell you is about the $79 annual fee. It’s probably printed so small you need a microscope to read it. Well, it’s been LESS than 60 days, and I purchased well over $1,000. Yet, there is no $100 credit. SCAM!!!
Direct Link
https://secure.bankofamerica.com/applynow/initialize-workflow.go?requesttype=ICAO&campaignid=4021169
Again, looked at HTTP traffic from the dummy booking on Amtrak page.
Thanks =)
Too many new accounts was the reason for denial in my last application with BofA. This is good and we could use it in six months, but can’t apply.
Drew- there are no flat redemptions, it’s all tied to the cash ticket cost. That was the big change from the program a few years ago. There are no taxes/fees.
Somewhat tangential – Fatwallet is closing soon.
Yup, already posted about this.
I’ve always considered Amtrak rewards but never gave the new program any attention after chase dropped them as a transfer partner and because I can’t do dummy point bookings on their site to see what I can really get. I travel between NYC and PHL a lot, and was wondering if travel in all the Northeast Region really 4k flat with no taxes/fees? And can you only book these awards if saver availability is open?
I’d read this: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/complete-guide-amtrak-guest-rewards-points-agr-best-uses-much-worth/
You should be able to do dummy bookings to see how much something prices in points. Just keep in mind it’s tied to the cash price of the ticket.
Thanks Doc, Idk why but when I last checked it wouldn’t let me dummy book, this was a while ago so either something changed or my current small points balance is letting me see points availability.
I see a lot more availability at the 2000 point price range than I was expecting, even on days where the cheapest cash fares aren’t available, so I’ll bite for ten trips + $25 profit that wold normally cost $40-$50 each!
I agree that the 30,000 point offer is better than this one. My wife and I have each earned one 20,000 bonus and two of the 30,000 point bonuses. With our points, we have taken sleeper car trips that include all meals with a room for us and a roommette for our kids. The first was last summer from Emeryville (near Oakland), California to Denver on the California Zephyr to get to Yellowstone. Yes, Salt Lake City is closer, but the most scenic part of the trip is between there and Denver, plus the Salt Lake City stop is at 3:00am. The second trip was this summer from just west of Glacier Park to Chicago on the Empire Builder. Definitely take the train through Glacier National Park after visiting it, as it is the only real scenery on this route. We hope to take the Sunset Limited from Tucson (near Saguaro National Park) to New Orleans next year. I just wish AmTrak let you depart and reboard on a different later train, but you cannot do that with a single fare. If so, we could take it from LA to New Orleans and still visit a national park on the way.