Leveraging Amtrak Select Plus elite status for United Lounge access

Last year I achieved the Select Plus status with Amtrak following an intense work-related traveling schedule. It requires 10,000 Tier Qualifying Points. With the following earning rate:2 points per $1 spent and 500 points for an Acela trip. That allows you to get access to Amtrak lounges in various stations in Penn station or Union station in DC. Interestingly enough, you don't require to present your train ticket to access the lounge, only your Select Plus or Select Plus Executive card. I recently chilled at the Club Acela at Penn station as I was waiting for a friend without traveling that day.

One of the perks of the Select Plus membership is that Amtrak has a partnership with United so that Amtrak frequent travelers can access the 45 United Club lounges which are across the globe but mainly in the US, see list here. In the same way, United Club members can access Amtrak lounges like the Club Acela.

That is such a weird partnership but somehow it is awesome, especially after my previous post about how lounges in the US are a joke. The good part is that presenting the Select Plus card is enough to be granted access to the lounge, you don't even need to be flying United or Star Alliance. But you do have to show a valid boarding pass for that day... and sometimes not! A few weeks ago, I had a nice shower and good green tea snacks in the United Club in Tokyo NRT while connecting fron JFK to BKK on Delta! The face of the lady of reception was priceless as they must not see the Select Plus Acela card very often, especially on a Delta itinerary. 

That remains as of this day one of my favorite hidden ways to access lounges in the US!