Act fast: Amtrak Guest Reward members can save up to 40% on award travel
Considering how chaotic air travel is, it's a good time to consider making your next getaway by rail instead. Amtrak is making the choice a bit easier with a new flash sale for members of its Guest Rewards program. You can save up to 40% off award tickets for travel between now and the end of September with the Reward Travel Sale.
The only catch is you have to act fast. Travel must be booked by Aug. 25 to take advantage of the sale. The discounts apply for travel across Amtrak's national network through Sept. 30. You don't need a registration or promo code. All you have to do is log into your Guest Rewards account, and the sale prices in points will be automatically displayed when you search for reward travel.
"The Reward Travel Sale allows our Amtrak Guest Rewards Members to travel across the country and experience the summer and fall in a variety of ways, all while spending less on train tickets," an Amtrak representative said in a statement.
Related: Your complete guide to the Amtrak Guest Rewards program
We checked for sample fares in the sale and found tickets from Moynihan Train Hall at New York City's Penn Station (NYP) to Washington Union Station (WAS) for as low as 1,896 points ... and that's for a business seat.
Here are options for the return trip with coach seats from 2,450 Guest Rewards points.
We also checked out options for the West Coast and found that you can book a coach ticket out of Union Station in Los Angeles for the scenic journey to the Santa Barbara Amtrak Station from 660 Guest Rewards points. If you want a private room, you can also splurge on the Coast Starlight train.
The sale is the latest move Amtrak has made to try and capitalize on the resurgence in leisure train travel during the post-pandemic travel boom.
The rail network recently announced it was waiving change fees for all reservations made through the end of October, providing customers with a greater measure of flexibility for their travel plans. Amtrak also just revealed an upgraded menu of food items on its Northeast Corridor and long-distance routes. Customers will now have a bigger variety of choices, including hot meals and even some vegan options.
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