Extended to 8/13/25 via link
Update 6/18/25: Deal is back until July 30, 2025
The Offer
- FNBO Amtrak Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred card is offering a signup bonus of 40,000 points when you spend $2,000 within the first three billing cycles.
- The no-fee card also bumped the bonus to 12,000.
Card Details
- Annual fee of $99 is not waived
- Complimentary Companion Coupon, One-Class Upgrade and a single-day
- ClubAcela pass for access to ClubAcela, Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge 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 and dining 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
Nice bonus for Amtrak users. The card launched with FNBO last October with a 30,000 bonus, and this is a nice bump to 40,000. There’s some speculation that dummy bookings – which historically have been throwing in $100 – will show 40,000 + $100 soon. Dumming booking has never shown another $100 statement credit so not worth waiting if interested.
Post history:
- Update 3/19/25: Deal is back until 4/30/25
- Update 8/19/24: Deal is back until Sep 25th. Hat tip to reader David
- Update 4/2/24: According to our contact at Amtrak, this deal will end tomorrow.
- Originally posted 3/15/23. Reposting 2/19/24 as this deal is back (Minor details have been updated below – spend is $2,000 this time instead of $1,000 last time, and no-fee card bonus is 12,000 instead of 20,000 last time.)
How do you get the companion and upgrade coupons? Applied and did the spend a month ago but I haven’t received anything about coupons.
DP for what it’s worth:
applied & approved July 2025
pulled Experian
credit score in the 790s-810s depending on which CC/Credit Karma/credit bureau you look at
one other credit inquiry showing on Experian when I applied
~$30K income
CL $9K
2/24 1/12 0/6
Can this be downgraded to the no-fee card? I dont’t want to cancel and lose the points.
You will not lose points if you cancel the card. Points earned stay in your Amtrak account.
What JW said is true. Also fyi I saw a comment somewhere on this page where someone talked about having asked about converting to the no AF card and the agent said they would just have to close the AF card and apply for the no AF card.
Yeah, searching “product change” and “downgrade” turns up a few comments to that effect, though I didn’t see that specific one.
Rinse and repeat?? I had this card less then 2 years ago. What’s the terms to do this offer again?
Yes. Churnable
How long do you need to wait?
Extended to 8/13/25 via link
Anyone have any tips for reconsideration? I was declined 3 weeks ago and again today. All mid 700s scores. Called and asked for reconsideration and was told to apply again on Monday? WTF?
Lmao, that’s hilarious. They only approve on Mondays. Third time’s the charm.
What’s the reason for not approving?
2nding what jackie said, what were the reasons given on the denial? Now that the promo has been extended, maybe try waiting till near the end of the promo period and having no additional card inquiries and make sure all card balances are showing as $0 (or as low as possible) on your credit report and then reapply?
It has been asked but I am not seeing any DP. Any luck using this card for bank account funding? Cash advance limit is reduced to $0. It has been declined by Zynlo/Hustl/Sunward/BluPeak. I have not tried US Bank Biz, it’ll probably work but I save it for Amex.
I’ve tried it before and it was declined, so I just never bothered to try with it again. Kind of a bummer as I’m an Amtrak user.
DATA POINT:
Applied and immediately accepted for the preferred card spring 2023. Received 40k SUB. Cancelled in 2024 after the second annual fee was paid. Applied and immediately accepted for the preferred card 4/29/25. I did receive the full elevated SUB immediately after my second statement where I reached the MSR posted. The only weird bit is that my CL the second go around was very low, only 2k.
Seems churnable
Sorry if this a dumb question, but why did you wait for the second annual fee to be paid? Are you at risk of losing the SUB otherwise?
i actually wanted the coupons and valued them at $99.
Do they not refund the fee if you cancel right after it posts?
They do refund the fee after it posts – just do not have any charges on your statement when it posts. FNBO may not refund it if there are any charges in that monthly statement period.
Any info on the companion coupon if it can be used for 2 one way or only around trip booking
It can be used for two one ways. It’s just two coupons, each of which can be used for a one way.
Would love data points on churning this. I’ll add mine here: I had the no-fee Amtrak card (legacy from when it was with B0A) and was still approved for the Preferred a year ago. I had also had, and cancelled, the $99 Amtrak card when it was issued by BoA. Just cancelled the Preferred this month and wonder if/when I’ll be able to get it again from FNBO.
I applied for the FNBO preferred card in Spring 2023, and got the SUB. I cancelled it in Summer 2024, and did pay the second AF. I have reopened it as of April 29th 2025. I did not see any language about not getting a SUB, and my cardholder agreement mentions the SUB. I am going to try to spend the rest of the MSR before my second statement closes in a week and I will report back what happens with the points.