I'm back from the lands of the DB and OBB, where I don't think either system has a rewards plan.
With 16134 of those things around, and if I don't use Auto Train on my '16 Florida trip, me and they part company.
Personally, I could care less what Amtrak does with the plan, or for that matter what United does with theirs (and to Jet Blue, who I flew to JFK during May, need I be bombarded with "you are not in our True Blue plan; come on and sign up").
Now I wish Amtrak would establish a means to donate Guest Reward points much as has United, where I "clean 'em out" to one of their charitable beneficiaries each year (last year was "Flights for Vets").
For hotels, I belong to IHG (Holiday Inn et al), Marriott, Hilton, Best Western, and Hyatt. Since there no "hoops to jump through" with any of 'em, i.e. either a room is open or it is not, I do use those. From Mr. Pittsburgher's , PRR60, immediate discussion, it would appear that Amtrak runs their program in much the same manner as do the hotel chains. The only difference there is with the hotels, the property at which a paid room is booked, a portion of that rate is "paid" into a "common pot". As a guest redeems points, the individual property is reimbursed at a rate in local currency in the vicinity of that room's "rack" rate. Therefore, the hotel is not deprived of revenue on a point redemption room - same as your car dealer doing warranty work. It's sort of like insurance.
Now where I think the airlines were in the wrong, was within a year of them all starting their plans, they decreed (and in a dereg world, they have the unilateral prerogative to do so) that the points earned belong to the traveler regardless of who was ultimately paying the fare. I think to this day, that the party paying for the travel, i.e. the boss, should have ownership of those points to be used for other employee travel. The airlines, and so everyone else, saw it differently.
But then, there is really an obsession over the things. I understand some will simply take a joyride with no purpose other than to qualify for another "precious metal" level. I can recall last February, on my badly delayed United flight to Miami, there was a fellow griping rather audibly about "what a f!@#ed outfit United has become, Smiszek (UA CEO) thinks all there was to merging airlines was painting planes". I said to him "if they are so terrible, why do you fly 'em?", "Two million miles is why".
Nothing more was said.
Finally, I am at a loss to understand why this topic is SO special to warrant "sticky" status. I always thought the objective of this Forum's management was to minimize the use of such and that each topic would stand upon its own merits. Regarding the other sticky poll, I can see that Mr. Smith wanted to measure the reception of the previously disabled poll feature. So far, I'd dare say that while the topic of "saddest stations" has generated worthwhile discussion, not too many are interested in the poll. I too hope the topic will be relegated to a stand on its own merits status.
