Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Amtrak just dropped a new flash sale for travel this spring that will reduce one-way Flex Fare prices by at least 25%. If you prefer the relative ease of rail travel and are looking to avoid airports for your spring break vacation with the family, this is a great offer with lots of enticing cities to choose from.
The sale applies to travel between March 1 and May 23. You must book by Feb. 23 to get the discounted fares. It also offers wide-ranging options, with reduced rates on one-way Acela business-class seats through the Northeast Corridor from cities like Baltimore, Boston and New York City; there's also availability on coach fares out of Chicago, Dallas and Miami, among other cities, making the one-way total as low as $6 per person.
Related: The complete guide to Amtrak Guest Rewards elite status
Deal basics
What: Amtrak
Routes: Across the Amtrak network
How to book: Directly through Amtrak's website or via the Amtrak app
Travel dates: March 1 to May 23 (must book by Feb. 23)
Sample fares
Here are some of the one-way fares we found in this sale:
- Boston's South Station (BOS) to Providence's Amtrak/MBTA Station (PVD), starting at $6 for coach and $31 for business class
- Baltimore's Penn Station (BAL) to Philadelphia's William H. Gray III 30th Street Station (PHL), starting at $12 for coach and $33 for business class
- PHL to Washington, D.C.'s Union Station (WAS), starting at $16 for coach and $41 for business class
- Chicago's Union Station (CHI) to New York's Moynihan Train Hall (NYP), starting at $91 for coach
- CHI to St. Louis' Gateway Station (STL), starting at $24 for coach and $82 for business class
- BOS to NYP, starting at $25 for coach and $48 for business class
- NYP to WAS, starting at $25 for coach and $58 for business class
- Dallas' Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station (DAL) to Los Angeles' Union Station (LAX), starting at $105 for coach
- LAX to Seattle's King Street Station (SEA), starting at $81 for coach and $103 for business class
Seating is limited and may not be available on all trains at all times; fares are subject to availability. Also, please note that Amtrak's sale fares cannot be modified and have a 50% cancellation fee if canceled before departure.
While researching this sale, we found a few round-trip itineraries that saved us even more money than the advertised one-way prices in this sale. For example, a coach ticket on this April trip from Baltimore to Philadelphia only costs $12 round trip.
Another lower-than-advertised price we found during our search was for a coach itinerary from Boston to New York City in April for just $32 round trip.
While digging through March fares, we found a coach itinerary between Chicago and St. Louis that only costs $40 round trip. Once again, this price is lower than the advertised sale fare.
Maximize your purchase
Be sure to use a credit card that earns bonus points on travel, such as:
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: 2 miles per dollar spent on everyday spending
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (see rates and fees): 2 points per dollar spent on all travel purchases
- American Express® Green Card: 3 points per dollar spent on travel
- Amtrak Guest Rewards® Mastercard®: 2 points per dollar spent on Amtrak travel
- Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard®: 3 points per dollar spent on Amtrak travel
The information for the American Express Green, Amtrak Guest Rewards and Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
Not only does this sale offer many discounted travel options, but depending on your location and schedule, you could save even more money on a round-trip ticket. Some routes were already running out of tickets at the lowest prices, so don't wait too long before finding and booking your trip.
Related reading:
- The best credit cards for train travel
- Amtrak gifting status for 2024
- New Acela trains approved for high-speed testing along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor
- Amtrak introduces 3 new menu items for first-class passengers
- Amtrak is testing in-seat delivery, online ordering from the cafe car
- Amtrak to simplify fare structure, eliminate Saver seats
