The Stupidist Move Amtrak Has Made

[Viewliner]

To the best of my knowledge, no a BC ticket for either the Palmetto or the Carolinian will not get you into the lounge on it's own. There had been some talk of allowing it for the Palmetto when the Palm lost the sleeper, but I don't think that it actually happened. After all it's kinda hard to say to all the rest of the BC passengers that they are second classs citizens because they didn't book a BC seat on the Palmetto.
Of course there are still ways for a passenger with a BC or a coach ticket to get into the lounge.

How?

 

[Amfleet]

Shhh. It's a Northeast Amtrak travelers secret. We don't want the southerns knowing about it. :lol:3

Seriously though. I believe you can obtain passes to the lounge if you get enough reward points.

 

[Viewliner]

You mean theres no other way than redeem/select rewards?

 

[Amfleet]

You don't even trade in your points you just receive free passes through the mail. I have over 5 free beverage passes that were sent to me in the mail for the Auto Train when I was on the "Auto Train Card". I recieved the passes but have not taken the AT since I recieved them. <_<

 

[AlanB]

Amfleet is correct that just by having a Guest Rewards account and traveling every so often, they send you bonus coupons. Sometimes they are for a free drink, other times it's for the Club Acela Lounges on a day that you are traveling on Amtrak. Also when you reach the Select status of GR, they send you a bunch of passes in your kit. They also include a couple of free upgrades from BC to FC on the Acela's.

If you traveled on one train FC and are switching to another train in a city with a lounge, you are entitled to use the lounge even if your second train is not in FC. Also if one happens to have a Platinum American Express card, you can use Club Acela when you show your Amtrak ticket. I've also seen groups granted the use of the lounge. That happened once in DC when I was there, a church group of about 10 people was traveling on the Capital. Even though they were in coach, Amtrak allowed them to use the Club Acela lounge in DC.

There was also talk of setting up a club that you could join for about 40 - 50 bucks, that would entitle you to use the lounge. Don't know if that idea ever got off the ground though as I haven't heard anything more about it.

 

[Amfleet]

There was also talk of setting up a club that you could join for about 40 - 50 bucks, that would entitle you to use the lounge. Don't know if that idea ever got off the ground though as I haven't heard anything more about it.

That's what US Airways does for there first class lounge. Some other airlines might do that too. However, I think with Amtrak the Metro Lounges can already be hetic as it is (especially in Chicago) and more passengers would just make a mess.

 

[AlanB]

Well actually the only lounge that's really crazy and overburdened is Chicago. It's also still a Metropolitan Lounge and not a Club Acela Lounge, which as you will see below is an important distinction. The rest of the lounges really don't have an overcrowding problem.

The program that I was describing where you would join for a fee, only would have applied to Club Acela lounges. Membership would not be good in Metropolitan Lounges, so that would not add to Chicago's problem.

It should also be noted that two of the other ways that I mentioned, both the Platinum Amex and the passes from Guest Rewards Select status program, also only apply to the Club Acela lounges. Some of the random mailings to any GR member however have been valid for either Club Acela or the Metropolitan lounge.

 

[Viewliner]

I've had the card for years, and I've never recieved a pass. And I travel 1-2 times a year. Whats up with that?

 

[tp49]

I've had the card over a year and travel 4 round trips every month. I've only received one free drink coupon. Hoping for another one soon.

 

[Amfleet]

I think it depends on how much you travel. Someone like Alan travels almost every 2-3 weeks where as others may travel once a month, or like me 1-2 times a year. B)

 

[Viewliner]

I think it depends on how much you travel. Someone like Alan travels almost every 2-3 weeks where as others may travel once a month, or like me 1-2 times a year. B)

Exactly, I've traveled 1-2 times per year, and haven't gotten anything, have you Amfleet?

 

[tp49]

I also think it is based on class of travel etc. I travel every week on the Capitol Corridor which runs about $115 a month, while service on the NEC traveling similar distance (115 miles one way) costs 40-45 one way. Thus I think it's more related to how much you spend as opposed to how often you go as points are allocated on how much you spend.

 

[AlanB]

I also think it is based on class of travel etc. I travel every week on the Capitol Corridor which runs about $115 a month, while service on the NEC traveling similar distance (115 miles one way) costs 40-45 one way. Thus I think it's more related to how much you spend as opposed to how often you go as points are allocated on how much you spend.

I would tend to agree with that TP49, I do think that it relates to both how much you spend and how often/how many trip you take. I've noticed that during periods where I travel more, I tend to get extras. I'd say that in the 2+ years of the program, I've gotten at least 4 maybe 5 different coupons.

I think that two were free upgrades from BC to FC on either an Acela or a Metroliner. The other 2 or 3 three were free drink coupons.

Once they came out with the select status program, then as I said above my kit included two free upgrades along with 5 Club Acela passes. I only actually used one of the passes though, as I gave away the other four. The free upgrades however, I did use.

 

[battalion51]

But alan, don't you usually travel FC anyway, which would entitle you to Club Acela/Metropolitan Club access? In addition to that, while I have never been in ClubAcela (but I will by July 2003 ) I do think that you should be able to purchase access. Most airlines will sell you a year long pass for $400-$500. Some airlines (I think Delta is one of them) are experimenting with offering access to their club rooms for $25-$30/day per person, to make it convienent for those who don't travel often and will have long layovers, or multiple layovers. Amtrak may want to experiment with this, as another possible way to make a few extra bucks. I also think that Metroploitan Clubs should be placed in more stations throughout the country. Large station stops (like Orlando, NOUPT, Seattle, Portland, LA, Denver) should get the rooms as a way to lure more guests to First Class and help to seperate the coaches from the sleepers.

 

[EmpireBuilderFan]

Large station stops (like Orlando, NOUPT, Seattle, Portland, LA, Denver) should get the rooms as a way to lure more guests to First Class and help to seperate the coaches from the sleepers.

I agree completely with this idea. Actually, Portland, OR, has a Metropolitan Lounge, but Seattle and LA don't, which really surprises me.

 

[Amfleet]

Exactly, I've traveled 1-2 times per year, and haven't gotten anything, have you Amfleet?

What I'm saying is that since we are not frequent travlers then we don't get the free "stuff". Also, Alan is travleing on the NEC usually on the Acela so Amtrak knows he will frequently be on those trains using the free upgrades, etc. B)

 

[AlanB]

But alan, don't you usually travel FC anyway, which would entitle you to Club Acela/Metropolitan Club access? In addition to that, while I have never been in ClubAcela (but I will by July 2003

Yes I do routinely travel in FC, but we were discussing other ways to get into the lounge if you weren't traveling FC. Plus there are trips that I take, such as NYP - ALB where there is no FC option.

As for why I used up one of my passes, I was traveling with a friend of mine. His budget didn't permit FC travel so I used one of my passes to get me in, along with two for him and his son.