Amtrak Guest Rewards points can be redeemed for travel on Amtrak and for gift cards. Redeeming points for travel will give you the best value.
Amtrak points value
Based on our valuations, Amtrak Guest Rewards points are worth about 2.5 cents each on average when redeemed for rail travel with Amtrak. This means that 1,000 Amtrak are worth about $25 in travel value.
Here's our breakdown of Amtrak Points value based on redemption:
| Redemption option | Amtrak points value (in cents) |
|---|---|
| Redeeming points for Amtrak Travel | 2.5 - 2.8 |
| Redeeming points for gift cards | 0.83 - 1 |
How to calculate Amtrak points value
The value of Amtrak Guest Rewards points are not set in stone. You can calculate the value of your points by dividing the cash cost of your redemption by the number of points required.
Amtrak Points Value = Cash Cost of Redemption ÷ Points Required.
Check out our Use Amtrak Points or Pay Cash Calculator to easily calculate the dollar value of your points for any Amtrak redemption.
Redeeming Amtrak points for the best value
There's only two options for redeeming Amtrak Guest Rewards points and that's Amtrak travel and gift cards. You'll get the best value redeeming your Amtrak points for rail travel and
Amtrak Travel
Amtrak Guest Rewards points will have the best value when redeemed for award travel with Amtrak. This will give your points about 2.5 cents in value (or higher).
During testing for multiple itineraries with for standard rail, Auto Train, and Acela travel, all redemptions offered between 2.5 and 2.8 cents in value except for one which offered 1.5 cents in value.
You can use our Use Points or Pay Cash? calculator if you need to determine the cash value of a redemption you're looking at.
Gift Cards
You can redeem your Amtrak Guest Rewards Points for gift cards will give you up to 1 cent in value per point. $50 gift cards offers a value of 0.83 cents per Amtrak Point while $100+ gift cards offer up to 1 cent in value.
Obviously this isn't the best redemption since you can get more than double the value when redeeming points for award rail travel, but it's still a decent redemption as long as you get at least a $100 denomination gift card.
Calculator: Convert Amtrak points to dollars
Use our Amtrak Point Value Calculator to estimate how much your points are worth in cash, whether you decide to redeem those points for rail travel or gift cards. This will give you an idea of the average value for all the redemption options available with your Amtrak Guest Rewards points.
Amtrak Points Value Calculator
| Redemption | Average Dollar Value |
|---|---|
| Amtrak Rail Travel | $0 - $0 |
| Gift Cards | $0 - $0 |
Calculator: Use Amtrak points or pay cash?
Use our Amtrak Points or Cash Calculator to determine the cash value of a redemption based on the cost in cash versus the cost in Amtrak Guest Rewards points. This tool is useful when trying to decide whether a redemption is worth it or not.
Finding the best credit cards for Amtrak
The only way to earn Amtrak Guest Rewards points via credit card spending is by using a co-branded Amtrak credit card. If you're looking for a bit more flexibility and don't want to be limited to Amtrak's two redemption options, there's the Capital One Venture Rewards & Spark Rewards program.
Amtrak credit cards
Amtrak offers two credit cards that are fantastic if you frequently travel Amtrak and you're looking to build up rewards strickly for free rail travel.
Capital One Rewards
Capital One Venture miles and Spark miles can be redeemed for any kind of travel charged to an eligible Capital One credit card. This includes not only travel with Amtrak, but airfare, hotels, car rentals, parking, tolls and more.
On top of that, Capital One miles can also be converted into airline miles and hotel rewards points with a handful of programs. This gives you the ultimate in flexibility when it comes to planning out and booking your travel.
Here are the travel cards that Capital One offers
FAQs
How much are Amtrak Points worth?
The Point Calculator values Amtrak points at 2.5 cents each on average meaning that 1,000 points is equal to about $25 in rail travel.
How much is 1,000 Amtrak points worth?
Based on our valuations, 1,000 Amtrak points are worth $25 in rail travel with Amtrak.
How much is 250 Amtrak points worth?
Based on our valuations, 250 Amtrak points are worth $7 in rail travel with Amtrak.
How much is 20,000 Amtrak points worth?
Based on our valuations, 20,000 Amtrak points are worth $500 in rail travel with Amtrak.
How many Amtrak points do you need for a free train ride?
Reward travel for Amtrak begins at just 800 points.
