Amtrak Guest Rewards^® Platinum Mastercard^® Review [2024]: Earn Valuable Points for Rail Travel

If you’re a fan of Amtrak, the Amtrak Guest Rewards^® Platinum Mastercard^® can help you earn points towards free rail travel and take advantage of other valuable travel perks. This no-fee travel rewards card is one of two Amtrak rewards cards available through Bank of America. Find out more about this co-branded travel rewards credit card in this in-depth Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum Mastercard review.

Who should get the Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum Mastercard?

The Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum Mastercard is one of the best credit cards for Amtrak riders. Most of the card’s rewards earning and other benefits are tied specifically to Amtrak purchases and redemptions. It doesn’t offer as many perks as the Amtrak Guest Rewards World Mastercard, but it also doesn’t carry an expensive annual fee. Because points don't expire, casual travelers and first-time railway travelers may also find value in adding this card to their wallets.

It makes sense to apply for this rewards credit card only if you plan to use your bonus points to book Amtrak travel. The Amtrak Guest Rewards Program offers plenty of other redemption choices, but none with the same value found in booking rail travel. If you plan to use your points toward other redemptions, there are more versatile rewards credit cards available.

Card basics

Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum Mastercard benefits and perks

• Food and beverage rebate: You can earn a 10% rebate, in the form of a statement credit, on food and beverage purchases made aboard Amtrak trains with your new card.
  
• Rewards travel rebate: Your rewards can go further with a 5% bonus point rebate when you book Amtrak rewards travel.
• No foreign transaction fees: Your Amtrak Guest Rewards card comes with no foreign transaction fees, which makes it a solid option to use when traveling outside the U.S.
• Points don’t expire: Use your Amtrak Guest Rewards points whenever you want — points earned with your Amtrak card don’t expire as long as your card account remains open.

Drawbacks to the Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum Mastercard

• Limited earning: With this card, only Amtrak purchases earn bonus points. You’ll earn 1X on all other purchases. Other rewards cards feature additional spending categories with bonus-earning potential.
• No airline transfer partners: Although you can transfer points from this card to hotel partners like Hilton, there are no airline transfer partners available.
• No special coupons: Amtrak Guest Rewards^® World Mastercard^® cardholders get a complimentary companion coupon good for up to $300 in Amtrak travel and a free one-class upgrade coupon worth up to $150 in Amtrak travel each calendar year. The Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum Mastercard doesn't offer these perks.

Earning and redeeming Amtrak Guest Rewards

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look at how your points can add up with the Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum Mastercard. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of 1 cent.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.

Year one earnings: $455

Year two earnings: $335

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which looks at points earned via spending and the welcome bonus.

Note that these values reflect general travel purchases, not the bonus points you’ll earn from Amtrak purchases. If you’re a frequent Amtrak traveler, the value you get from this card will likely be higher than the amounts above.

Best ways to earn

The Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum Mastercard only offers two ways to earn bonus points. Most of your points are earned through Amtrak purchases, including onboard purchases, which net 2X points per dollar spent. Amtrak purchases include train fares and onboard purchases. All other purchases net 1X points per dollar spent.

Maximizing your redemptions

The primary reason to earn Amtrak points is to book train trips on Amtrak. For most individuals, this is the best redemption option, and most likely, the reason you applied for the card in the first place. Amtrak redemptions start at 800 points and can be used to travel to more than 500 destinations.

Your bonus points can go toward other Amtrak purchases as well, like upgrades to business and first-class and lounge passes. There are also options beyond standard Amtrak fares, including:

• Auto Train: Use rewards to book a trip for you and your vehicle between Washington, D.C. and Florida.
• Acela trips: Book rewards travel on the only high-speed rail in the U.S.
• Private rooms: Use your points to enjoy more space and privacy in a private sleeping car.

You can also redeem your points outside of Amtrak if you want. Through your Guest Rewards account, you can redeem points for:

• Hotel stays
• Car rentals
• Gift cards for dining, retail, entertainment, and travel

You also have an opportunity to transfer bonus points to one of Amtrak’s travel partner programs, which include:

• Hilton Honors
• Choice Privileges
• Audience Rewards

Note that you can transfer only 50,000 points combined to travel partners annually unless you’re an Amtrak Guest Rewards Select Executive Member.

There’s even an option to share points with another member if you so choose. As with most travel rewards programs, Amtrak bonus point values vary with each redemption. As a general rule, you’ll get the most value from your points when you redeem them for Amtrak purchases.

Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum Mastercard FAQs

Other cards to consider

If the Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum doesn't seem like the right fit for you, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card or the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is an excellent option if you don’t think you’ll travel enough on trains to get value with an Amtrak credit card. With this card, you can earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases. 

Because this card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you have loads of redemption options available, including flights, hotel stays, rental cars, and more. Plus, all travel redemptions made through the Chase travel portal are worth 25% more on the Sapphire Preferred.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is another versatile rewards card. Cardmembers can earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. But the real value of the card is in its redemption options. 

With the Venture Rewards card, you can use points to book travel directly through Capital One, cover purchases, shop online, get cash back, purchase gift cards, or transfer rewards to a host of airline and hotel travel partner programs. This means you could still book Amtrak fares and use your Venture Rewards points to cover your purchase.

Great No-Fee Card for Frequent Train Travelers

Amtrak Guest Rewards^® Platinum Mastercard^®

Amtrak Guest Rewards^® Platinum Mastercard^®

Why We Like It

Earn 12,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days

See how these cards compare:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• Generous welcome offer valued at $750 when redeemed via Chase Travel
• High rewards on dining and bookings via Chase Travel
• 25% more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel
• Up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel
• Receive valuable travel protections like trip delay reimbursement and primary rental car insurance

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

• Has a generous welcome offer
• Offers up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® statement credit
• Has an easy rewards program and highly flexible travel redemptions
• Doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees
• Offers valuable travel protections
• Rates and fees