# Guest rewards select plus



## Steve4031 (Dec 18, 2010)

I know I can go in and use the lounge anytime with a select plus card. On a day when I am traveling BC or coach on a midwest corridor train, I am not sure that sitting in the lounge would provide too much of an advantage unless there are pre-boarding procedures for these trains. I here the announcements when I am in the lounge, but have never taken the time to see how this works.

IMHO, if the boarding announcement in the lounge is the same as in the regular boarding area, then I would be at a disadvantage for getting a good seat in BC since I would be at the back of the line. This would be the same for coach passengers too.

What has been the experience of others?

Thanks


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## kal-tex (Dec 18, 2010)

Will you be travelling with luggage? If so, get a redcap out of the lounge, and you'll be boarded ahead of all coach passengers.


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## kal-tex (Dec 18, 2010)

Another thought - when boarding from the regular waiting room, Business Class, seniors, and families with children are boarded first. They are called to the head of the line and boarded well before all of the regular passengers.


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## PaulM (Dec 18, 2010)

You have it right. Once you leave the lounge, you head for the pen just like everyone else. But from my point of view, the other perks of the lounge make it worth waiting there.


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## AlanB (Dec 18, 2010)

And you can always leave the lounge early if you want, so as to be the person who starts the line in the general waiting area.


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## Steve4031 (Dec 18, 2010)

Thanks. It's pretty much what I thought.


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## AlanB (Dec 18, 2010)

That's one thing I like about NYP, is that I can still go to the lounge to wait for any train, but then avoid the line at the "main" gate. Heck, I even go to the lounge to wait for NJT trains & LIRR trains.


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## Steve4031 (Dec 18, 2010)

Alan I got it made. In nyp they announce trains a little earlier in ca. Last year I used a day pass to wait for a train there. When I heard the track number I headed to the door. As I reached the top of the escalator the agent was reversing it. I timed it right, like a stud runningback hitting the hole, and was easily the first one on the train. Can't do that in Chicago. Lol


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## the_traveler (Dec 18, 2010)

No, because in CHI, they don't reverse the escalator!


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## AlanB (Dec 18, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> No, because in CHI, they don't reverse the escalator!


Not true at all, they reverse the escalator by the ticket counter running up to the food court twice a day.


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## Shanghai (Dec 19, 2010)

In the WAS lounge, I was told which door to exit from the lounge a few minutes before the announcement

in the general waiting area. There were three of us and we walked to the track and boarded the train

before the crush. I don't know how it works in Chicago as I have always boarded a sleeper there.

In New York, the lounge receptionist will announce the track number before it is announced in the station.

You can either go to the escalator and line-up or go down to the mezzanine and walk directly on the train.

In Boston, the track number is announced in advance and First Class passengers can bypass other

passengers waiting to board and go directly to their car.

In Philadelphia, you take the lift down to the platform and board the train bypassing passengers

waiting in the station.

I have done the Red Cap trick too when I had luggage.

I use the NYP lounge when waiting for NJ Transit trains too. The receptionist will also tell you

the track number in advance if they are not busy.


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## rtabern (Dec 21, 2010)

You are totally correct -- you are also better waiting at the gate for Midwest trains even if you have Select Plus and can get access to the Met Lounge. When going out on a Midwest regional train, I usually enjoy the cleaner bathroom, snacks, and soda... and then head to the "pen" to tough it out. However, the nice thing is, if you are boarding from the ML for a western or eastern LD train, you can board from the ML with the sleeping car passengers and usually be among the first to be in the coach and snag your favorite seat.

But yes, you can be at a disadvantage... for example, if you're going on the Hiawatha to Milwaukee and you wait until the boarding announcement in the ML is made, you're going to probably be at the back of the line at Gate B.


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## Steve4031 (Dec 22, 2010)

Never thought about pre boarding for ld trains. I'll remember that one.


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## rrdude (Dec 22, 2010)

Steve4031 said:


> Never thought about pre boarding for ld trains. I'll remember that one.


Luggage or no luggage, get $5.00 to a redcap, n they will preboard u almost every time. WELL worth it


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## jacorbett70 (Jan 1, 2011)

Shanghai said:


> In Philadelphia, you take the lift down to the platform and board the train bypassing passengers
> 
> waiting in the station.


There are two curveballs in Philly:

There is no lift from the lounge to Tracks 9 and 10 (used for Keystone and Pennsylvanian), so the procedure is similar to Chicago for those tracks.

For trains other than Keystone and Pennsylvanian, the crowd is let down to the platform before the train arrives. This is to allow ticket-checks and random screening but not delay the train. Boarding coach or BC becomes like boarding the subway; those who are standing where the doors open board first. Often the phrase from the Bible "the last shall be first" rings true if the last person in line upstairs stands in the right place on the platform.


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## Steve4031 (Jan 2, 2011)

I do like the "survival of the fittest" approach on nec in phl and nyp. I can usually get window seats without much of a hassle. As the train is stopping I have a knack for getting to the right spot.


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