Select +

[Phil S]

Anybody verfied that this works? I'll make 10k miles this year. Having access to United (and former Continental) lounges will be useful.

 

[Tracktwentynine]

Yes. A friend of mine is Select Plus, and he gets access to the lounges. He brought me along once, so I can personally confirm that it works.

 

[amamba]

There was a lot of discussion about this on Flyertalk when United/Continental merged last year. Apparently in the beginning, it was a little dicey in the former United lounges. Also there was a problem in that the S+ cards for 2011 didn't have on them that they actually went through january & February 2012.

But the good news is that the reports are that it seems to work fine now.

 

[jis]

It works both ways. You can get access to United Clubs using the Select+ card and you can get access to Amtrak Lounges using the United Club Card. I have tried both and both work fine, except possibly in Chicago Metropolitan lounge which has a history of being ill informed and ill behaved, and I have not tried it there yet.

 

[rrdude]

I'm pretty sure it's been answered in other forums, but am I accurate in believing that after next February, the reciprocal agreement between AGR Select+ and UAL ends? (That is, being to use each other's clubs, goes bye-bye)

 

[Anthony]

I'm pretty sure it's been answered in other forums, but am I accurate in believing that after next February, the reciprocal agreement between AGR Select+ and UAL ends? (That is, being to use each other's clubs, goes bye-bye)

I haven't heard anything like that.

 

[jis]

I'm pretty sure it's been answered in other forums, but am I accurate in believing that after next February, the reciprocal agreement between AGR Select+ and UAL ends? (That is, being to use each other's clubs, goes bye-bye)

Where did you hear or read that?

 

[AlanB]

It works both ways. You can get access to United Clubs using the Select+ card and you can get access to Amtrak Lounges using the United Club Card. I have tried both and both work fine, except possibly in Chicago Metropolitan lounge which has a history of being ill informed and ill behaved, and I have not tried it there yet.

To my knowledge, the only reciprocal agreements between United & AGR are for the Club Acela Lounges. I don't believe that the privileges apply to Metropolitan lounges, which of course is what Chicago is.

Therefore I would not expect it to work in Chicago, even if the other issues were totally fixed.

 

[Anthony]

In any case, I think the confusion about the benefit being renewed for the new year was back when the merger happened, and people didn't know if the United Clubs would honor the AGR card. That benefit was finally confirmed by AGR at the start of 2012, and there hasn't been any message to the contrary about it changing next year.

 

[PRR 60]

In any case, I think the confusion about the benefit being renewed for the new year was back when the merger happened, and people didn't know if the United Clubs would honor the AGR card. That benefit was finally confirmed by AGR at the start of 2012, and there hasn't been any message to the contrary about it changing next year.

While I have no information that suggests that reciprocal UA/Amtrak lounge access will end, the UA/Amtrak agreement runs through February 28, 2013. That end date may just represent the agreement needing a simple renewal each year.

 

[PRR 60]

It works both ways. You can get access to United Clubs using the Select+ card and you can get access to Amtrak Lounges using the United Club Card. I have tried both and both work fine, except possibly in Chicago Metropolitan lounge which has a history of being ill informed and ill behaved, and I have not tried it there yet.

To my knowledge, the only reciprocal agreements between United & AGR are for the Club Acela Lounges. I don't believe that the privileges apply to Metropolitan lounges, which of course is what Chicago is.

Therefore I would not expect it to work in Chicago, even if the other issues were totally fixed.

That is not what the Amtrak web site says:

ClubAcela, Metropolitan Lounge and First Class Lounge
Amtrak offers several types of private lounges for Acela Express First Class passengers, sleeping car passengers, Amtrak Guest Rewards Select Plus members, United Club Members and private car owners.

Who is eligible for access?

- Amtrak Guest Rewards members with a valid Select Plus member card.

- Amtrak passengers with a same-day ticket (departing) or ticket receipt (arriving) in First Class or sleeping car accommodations.

- United Club Members with a valid United Club Card may bring in two guests or their spouse and children under the age of 21. Additionally, United Global First or United BusinessFirst passengers with a flight coupon or boarding pass with a segment in United Global First or United BusinessFirst.

- Complimentary ClubAcela Single-Day Pass holders. Passes are valid for the entire day and can be used for access to multiple Clubs on the date of redemption.

- Same-day travel ticket not needed.

- Private car owners/lessee and party between time of arrival and departure specified in the PNR. PNR number to be given to Club representative upon entry.

Amtrak

 

[jis]

Yes Bill, I had seen that and hence my comment.

Frankly I would have been astounded if United gave such a single sided privilege to Amtrak Select+s, and if they had actually only allowed the United Club members in Club Acelas and not in the other Amtrak lounges, I would have lodged a formal protest with United. As it is Amtrak Select+s are getting a far better deal than United Club members.

I have complete confidence that Chicago will either not know or care. Certain corners of Amtrak can be worse than United at its worst (if that were possible) in these sorts of things, and Chicago is certainly way up there in that list.

OTOH Any lounge on the NEC had no problem and did not bat an eyelid when I flashed my United Club card at them.

BTW, The train description boards by the gates in Philadelphia identify the Regionals that are United Code Share with the moniker "Continental - EWR". I guess someone forgot to tell them that Continental is now United

 

[Shortline]

I really wonder what will happen to this next year-I got the distinct impression United wasn't a fan of the reciprocity, and with the limited partnership diluted as it is now, I really wonder what's in it for them? I have to beleive there are more S+ members using the UA lounges than UA flyers using Acela lounges....Wouldn't surprise me if this went away next year with the 2013 UA program. But, who knows, maybe they do have something mutually beneficial here somehow that I don't see. I'm really not familiar with UA, and am never going to be S or S+, almost all my limited Amtrak travel is via AGR!

Really wish they would renew a true partnership again like it was, I would change my trips from DL and F9 to UA if I could earn the rail points. I don't really care about the lounge issue personally, I already have a Skyclub membership for airport use and really don't travel rail anything but Sleeper, when I do go and already get that bennefit in Chicago/WAS, so that part doesn't benefit me, but it would be great to have more redemption options for the points.