Reinstatement of Amtrak Guest Rewards Points Membership Benefit

Effective November 15, 2020, the Rail Passengers Association resumed awarding Amtrak Guest Rewards® points for new or renewed memberships.

Last fall in Sacramento, before any of us knew about COVID-19, the Rail Passengers Council of Representatives issued a crystal-clear mandate: your Association had to operate as close as possible to a balanced budget in 2020. We did our best this year to comply with the Council's wishes while still addressing the very real financial implications of the coronavirus crisis. That meant we’ve had to make many painful cuts this year. One of those was the suspension of our Amtrak Guest Rewards® points benefit, which was costing us an average of 15-17% of membership dues received. Just as at many other organizations large and small, the coronavirus has pushed us to review all of our business practices.

Our Membership Subcommittee spent the summer working on a retooled version of the Amtrak Guest Rewards® points program which will only cost an average of 5-6% of membership dues, resulting in a 70% cost reduction to the Association. That is money that we can direct toward fighting for more and better trains.

While the benefit won’t be quite as generous as before, all members joining or renewing at the Senior level and above receive at least two Amtrak Guest Rewards® points per dollar of membership revenue; members who join or renew at the Advocate Silver level and above receive at least three Amtrak Guest Rewards® points per dollar.

As an additional way for your Association to save money, we've given members the choice to opt out of receiving points, thus allowing a larger share of their membership dues to go directly to funding the Association's work.

It's important to note that as before, any Amtrak Guest Rewards® received will reduce the tax-deductible amount of your membership dues, at a rate of 2.5¢ per point. The Rail Passengers Association's new Amtrak Guest Rewards® system is below.

What’s Next:

• New and renewed memberships purchased on or after November 15, 2020, with a valid Amtrak Guest Rewards® account with Amtrak, will be eligible for Amtrak Guest Rewards® points, if you’ve added your Amtrak Guest Rewards® number to the membership record.
• If you do not have your Amtrak Guest Rewards® number in your Rail Passengers Association membership record at the time of your purchase, that membership purchase will not be eligible to receive Amtrak Guest Rewards® points.
• Monthly members will receive points on a prorated basis.
• New or renewed memberships purchased between May 1 and November 14, 2020 will NOT be eligible for Amtrak Guest Rewards® points UNTIL they are renewed in 2021.
• The Association sends members’ Amtrak Guest Rewards® information to the program administrators at the end of each month. Please allow between four and six weeks for your points to appear in your Amtrak Guest Rewards® account.
• Rail Passengers Association does not own or manage Amtrak or the Amtrak Guest Rewards® program. Your Association has no control over your Amtrak Guest Rewards® points or over how you may use them. Amtrak sets those policies.