Amtrak Guest Rewards upset some members recently with no advance warning of a new policy going into effect. Effective May 1, 2008, only Guest Rewards Select and Select Plus members and Amtrak Guest Rewards MasterCard cardmembers who purchase at least $200 per year on Amtrak travel will be able to take advantage of the option to convert Amtrak points into hotel and airline points with program partners. Point conversions were restricted to elite members and credit cardholders only at the beginning of 2008 and the latest change is presumably intended to prevent those who aren’t frequent Amtrak travelers from using the loyalty program as a point transfer conduit. Amtrak has a history of not giving advance notice to members and some members were surprised when they were unable to transfer points because of the new policy. The change is understandable, but the lack of adequate advance notice is not.