Amtrak ends ticket discounts for veterans

Amtrak last month ended its ticket discounts for military veterans, an action that has prompted a change.org petition asking the national passenger railroad to reinstate the program.

Amtrak eliminated its "Veterans Advantage" discount on Amtrak tickets for travel and on weekend Acela service on March 26, after offering the program since February 2001.

The decision to eliminate the program was part of Amtrak's decision to end its involvement with private company membership clubs that charge fees to obtain discounts for their members, such as AAA and the Veterans Advantage plan, said Amtrak spokeswoman Kimberly Woods in an emailed statement.

"The goal is also to improve overall revenue performance by expanding the use of tactical fare sales to generate ridership growth versus the everyday discounts provided by membership groups," Woods said.

For example, Amtrak recently ran a sale with the lowest fares of the season, which benefited all Amtrak customers, she said.

The railroad also recommends that customers book their travel plans at least 14 days in advance and save money by using Amtrak's Saver Fares, said Woods.

"It is important to note that Amtrak still offers discounts for active military," she added.

The petition on change.org asks Amtrak to reinstate the 15 percent discount offered to Veterans Advantage members and their families. As of this morning, 238 people had signed the petition.