Any help is greatly appreciated.

https://www.amtrakguestrewards.com/index.cfm?category=earn&loc=continentalstandardearningdetail.html&rsdone=Y

Amtrak doesn't have that infuriating capacity control, and remember that sleeper rewards include transportation for two including meals in the dining car.

Amtrak, however, unlike Continental's first class, charges for booze, and it is considered proper to tip the employees for their service rendered.

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Frequent Flyer Benefits

Continental OnePass members have two ways to earn miles on Amtrak:

Travelers on codeshare segments (flight range 9401-9584) may earn either Continental OnePass miles or Amtrak Guest Rewards points when they travel.

Guests traveling on Amtrak’s Metroliner and Acela Express services between New York, NY and either Boston, MA or Washington, D.C. can earn either Continental OnePass miles or Amtrak Guest Rewards points. Passengers will earn 500 miles or points, when traveling in Business Class, or 750 miles or points when traveling in First Class.

Members of both frequent traveler programs will also be able to transfer miles and points between OnePass and Amtrak Guest Rewards.

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No capacity control on AMTRAK? Just needs to be accomodations available?

Thanks, again--

Frank in SBA

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No capacity control on AMTRAK? Just needs to be accomodations available?

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You got it, Frank in SBA!

I know it sounds hard to believe, especially if you're used to the NonePass™ bait-and switch routine.

If we travel before 04/30/04 the Deluxe Bedroom Seattle/Chicago is 24,000 miles. After that it goes to 30,000 which is still a bargain if you value each mile/point at between .01 and .015 and figure that that includes transportation and five meals for two people.

I'll keep you posted and I know I will have more questions as we move forward in this rail adventure.

In my humble opinion, OnePass has always been an industry leader. I got to the 500,000+ level without being Elite and by flying very few revenue flights. I did, however, take advantage of every special offer they made. I, of course, charge everything, including AMTRAK travel, on my two CO/Chase credit cards. I pay off the balance each month and have had a delightful trip to Australia in F/C on QANTAS as a partial repayment.

Gordon Bethune, when he leaves CO at the end of the year, might be a good choice to give Mr. Gunn some insights. Truly from "Worst to First" in ten years. He had to kick a lot of a**, but he got it done.

I had been a top level elite for almost 10 years, and had gotten in the habit of taking a BusinessFirst vacation trip to Europe every year or two.

The last time I tried to book a trip about 6 months in advance I was told that almost nothing was available.

I had requested 2 BizFirst rewards to Paris, 2 100,000 mile rewards. I was looking to travel anytime in Sept., Oct., or Nov., and wanted to return about 1-2 weeks after departure. I thought I was being pretty flexible, and it's not exactly the busy season, but the best that NonePass™ could offer me was a departure on Thanksgiving day with a return on two separate flights 4 and 5 days later. I was reminded that for 400,000 miles we could get EazyPass rewards.

I wrote to Bethune and threatened to never fly his airline again. A week or so I received a reply form an assistant who wrote that Mr. Bethune had read my letter and that I would be contacted by someone at Continental soon.

A couple of weeks later I got a call from a VP in the marketing Department, who reminded me again that I could use double the miles and get reward tickets for anytime we wanted to go.

I replied that was fine for somebody who needed to travel on specific dates, but since they advertise "standard" rewards there ought to be some availability for loyal customers who had some flexibility and could travel during times when demand is lower.

Eventually I got a call from a reservation agent who told me that she had been authorized to book me tickets at the standard reward level whenever we wanted to travel.

I eventually got what I asked for, but the experience really upset me. I shouldn't have had to write the CEO to intercede in order to get what is advertized as a "standard" benefit of the program.

If you look at the Continental forum at FlyerTalk.com you'll see that standard reward availability is a major issue for OnePass members.

It seems that if you want to redeem NonePass™ miles your best chance is with their partners unless you want to pay double miles for travel on Continental.

Enough of my rant, Amtrak is a great way to burn Continental miles.

I agree that you shouldn't have had to go through the hassle you had to get what had been advertised. At least, however, you did eventually get what you wanted. I don't think that would have happened at some other carriers.

Thanks, again, for everyone who helped out with my original query.