Amtrak Code-share with United Airlines [closed]

I just read this blog post which describes a scenario where booking a flight at United's web site offers a connecting "flight" which is actually an Amtrak train. Although the itinerary starts at DAY (Dayton airport) and connects at EWR (Newark), the destination is given as ZFV-- the Philadelphia 30th St train station.

Despite this, the last leg is still listed as "flight" UA 3174. If you look up flight 3174 at PlaneFinder the "Aircraft" is "TRN", which I guess is "train".

My question is: WTF? OK, better questions are:

How common is this? Just at Newark, or other places? Just United, or other airlines?
Does United do anything special to let people know that their connecting flight is actually a train, besides a tiny note about the "aircraft" type? It's not super complex to get from a flight to the train station at EWR, but if you don't realize you need a train you might look over the flight departures board. Would you find it?
What kind of ticket do you get for the train leg of the trip? Do they hand you a train ticket at check-in?
If you have checked bags, are they checked through to the train?
When the train arrives, do they announce United flight 3174? Does the train conductor announce it that way while en route?

Best Answer

Not a complete answer, but too long for a comment.

This is somewhat common in Europe, for example this blog post describes the Lufthansa AirRail service from CGN to DUB via FRA, where CGN-FRA leg is on a train, that has a flight number.

There is check-in desk at the train station, where you can check in your baggage and will get the boarding passes (rail leg has a separate boading pass).

Train has a separate dedicated coach for such passengers.

Once you reach the airport, you do not have to worry about your luggage any more, but you will have to pass through security as anyone else

Wikipedia has list of a few other train-airline code shares.

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Does United partner with Amtrak?

United cut its Amtrak partnership At the start of 2021, United Airlines cut its partnership with Amtrak. The two had a partnership covering connections out of Newark and the ability to earn miles when traveling on Amtrak and receiving reciprocal lounge access for top-tier elites and premium customers.

Can I use United miles for Amtrak?

Effective Dec. 24, you'll no longer be able to earn United MileagePlus miles through Amtrak and vice versa. Reciprocal lounge access ends on Feb. 4, 2021, as first reported by Live and Let's Fly.

What is a United codeshare flight?

A codeshare agreement is an arrangement between two or more airlines to \u201cshare\u201d the same flight. Meaning, a ticket can be purchased from one airline for a flight that is actually operated by another, partner airline.

Is United a red or blue Air Line?

Airlines Operating From TPAAirlineConcourseTicketing and Baggage Claim AreaSwift AirFBlueSwoopFBlueUnited AirlinesABlueWestJetFRed16 more rows•Apr 12, 2022

Code Sharing \u0026 Airline Alliances

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