Amtrak and United Benefits Ending
Oct 28, 2020, 5:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 687
Amtrak and United Benefits Ending
Hello all.
I saw the following email from Amtrak Guest Rewards. It looks as if Amtrak Select+ elite members will no longer get United Club access, and they won’t be able to earn GR points on United flights.
Assuming the inverse (United benefits on Amtrak) is also changing (anyone have confirmation?) my days of going to the ClubAcela at NYP for the sole purpose of using the clean restrooms with my United Club card will soon come to an end.
I saw the following email from Amtrak Guest Rewards. It looks as if Amtrak Select+ elite members will no longer get United Club access, and they won’t be able to earn GR points on United flights.
Assuming the inverse (United benefits on Amtrak) is also changing (anyone have confirmation?) my days of going to the ClubAcela at NYP for the sole purpose of using the clean restrooms with my United Club card will soon come to an end.
Oct 28, 2020, 6:06 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,989
So, is this replacing the Acela lounge? Nothing mentioned about status of Club Card access to new, or existing, Amtrak lounges. I guess this is part of the construction project that's been ongoing at the post office complex past couple of years. I'm in NYC in about 2 weeks (flying in from 1 of 6 states allowed to enter w/o quarantining 
- too early to check out the new lounge.
- too early to check out the new lounge.
Oct 28, 2020, 6:07 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 687
I would be hard pressed to believe that a two-way street would become a one-way street, but we shall see.
And yes, the Metropolitan Lounge in the new train hall will replace the old ClubAcela.
Oct 28, 2020, 6:38 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,989
United's posted ending of earnings, but nothing on lounge. I wonder if it's a Club Card deal and maybe that benefit (or loss thereof) will be another communication?
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...es/amtrak.html
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...es/amtrak.html
Oct 28, 2020, 9:56 pm
#10
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,734
"Airport codes" staring with Z are actual train stations and bookings to those train stations are rail segments linked to air travel segments.
United-Amtrak Codeshare FAQ - Including ZFV (Philadelphia)
United-Amtrak Codeshare FAQ - Including ZFV (Philadelphia)
Oct 29, 2020, 7:26 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,152
On United.com
But no reference to other benefits.
Checking some random city pairs on some random dates I'm not seeing any ZFV availability through UA between beginning of December and mid-January but its been 10 years since I looked a ZFV so maybe I'm missing something else.
Originally Posted by https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/earn-miles/amtrak.html
As of December 24, 2020, customers will no longer be able to earn MileagePlus award miles through Amtrak.
But no reference to other benefits.
Checking some random city pairs on some random dates I'm not seeing any ZFV availability through UA between beginning of December and mid-January but its been 10 years since I looked a ZFV so maybe I'm missing something else.
Oct 29, 2020, 8:31 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: United Premier 1K 1MM; AA Plat Pro; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Platinum; Avis President's Club
Posts: 2,528
On United.com
But no reference to other benefits.
Checking some random city pairs on some random dates I'm not seeing any ZFV availability through UA between beginning of December and mid-January but its been 10 years since I looked a ZFV so maybe I'm missing something else.
But no reference to other benefits.
Checking some random city pairs on some random dates I'm not seeing any ZFV availability through UA between beginning of December and mid-January but its been 10 years since I looked a ZFV so maybe I'm missing something else.
Oct 29, 2020, 8:56 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,101
I didn't see that email from Amtrak but gotta wonder if this is part of a broader strategy by Kirby to go after AA. UA did the codeshare with Amtrak as a way to drop some of the shorthaul flights out IAD (and maybe EWR). I see the IAD-PHL flights are back so I wouldn't be surprised if this a broader move to get away from Amtrak. It would be consistent with UA trying to compete with AA.
Oct 29, 2020, 9:18 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Morris County, NJ
Programs: UA 1K/*G, Avis Pres, Marriott Plat
Posts: 2,308
I didn't see that email from Amtrak but gotta wonder if this is part of a broader strategy by Kirby to go after AA. UA did the codeshare with Amtrak as a way to drop some of the shorthaul flights out IAD (and maybe EWR). I see the IAD-PHL flights are back so I wouldn't be surprised if this a broader move to get away from Amtrak. It would be consistent with UA trying to compete with AA.
The Amtrak partnership goes back almost 20 years with Continental. Had nothing to do with IAD at all, actually.
https://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=2635
Oct 29, 2020, 9:46 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 687
Also remember, the City Ticket Office in New York Penn has closed, removing the last bits of United on Amtrak territory.
I now wonder what the fate is for Amtrak’s presence at the Newark Airport NJT station.
I now wonder what the fate is for Amtrak’s presence at the Newark Airport NJT station.
