Honoring another airline...
May 18, 2002, 7:31 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 26
Honoring another airline...
I have about 80,000 miles with NWA. Recently I got to Silver status. I prefer to fly Continental, since on my first trip on them recently they seemed much better. I also prefer AmWest, although I don't fly them much. With my new status on NWA, they will upgrade me. Is there a way to get the other two airlines to give me the same status? If so, how? And what proof do they require? Thanks.
May 18, 2002, 7:43 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Northern California
Programs: Inf Elite CO, lifetime AA Platinum
Posts: 1,937
Why would you want the status matching? You can use your NW status with these two airlines today and put all your miles on NW. And then you won't be splitting your mileage between three carriers, making it difficult to earn enough miles to claim an award AND obtain status for next year.
May 18, 2002, 11:18 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 26
I'm sorry but I'm confused. Are you saying they will honor my NW status? AmWest only allows you to get NW miles on certain international flights (I found that out the hard way). Right now, I fly NW to some destinations but would prefer Continental and AmWest. However, so far they have not allowed me to upgrade as NW does.
May 19, 2002, 6:10 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Minnesota, USA
Posts: 846
ALL continental flights can accrue Northwest mileage credits and are upgradeable for Northwest elites. However, your Northwest Worldperks number MUST be in the reservation and you must be an elite member at the time. Also, your experience will vary as a silver elite. You're less likely to get that upgrade as a silver elite than as a gold or platinum.
Continental used to have the same deal with America West where all flights on America West could earn One Pass miles, but that deal is ending. Continental will NOT match your status with Northwest due to their partnership.
If you actually prefer America West and they can actually get you where you want to go, then by all means contact them. They will almost certainly match your status with Northwest. You'll need to mail or fax them a copy of your 2002 Silver elite card and a mileage statement showing that you've exceeded 25,000 flight miles this year.
Continental used to have the same deal with America West where all flights on America West could earn One Pass miles, but that deal is ending. Continental will NOT match your status with Northwest due to their partnership.
If you actually prefer America West and they can actually get you where you want to go, then by all means contact them. They will almost certainly match your status with Northwest. You'll need to mail or fax them a copy of your 2002 Silver elite card and a mileage statement showing that you've exceeded 25,000 flight miles this year.
May 19, 2002, 9:17 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Northern California
Programs: Inf Elite CO, lifetime AA Platinum
Posts: 1,937
I actually had America West match my CO Platinum status. However when I found out that they do not upgrade spouses prior to day of departure, I decided that in the meantime to continue to use my CO number and status (I am not about to upgrade myself 3 days before and then take chances for my wife!). I'm still bummed that America West will no long accept the CO President's Club card after September, but life is not fair. And besides, it looks like CO pulled the plug on this relationship.
May 19, 2002, 10:46 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Posts: 27,730
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by freakflyer:
However when I found out that they do not upgrade spouses prior to day of departure, I decided that in the meantime to continue to use my CO number and status (I am not about to upgrade myself 3 days before and then take chances for my wife!)</font>
However when I found out that they do not upgrade spouses prior to day of departure, I decided that in the meantime to continue to use my CO number and status (I am not about to upgrade myself 3 days before and then take chances for my wife!)</font>
May 19, 2002, 2:26 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA Plat, DL GM and Flying Colonel; Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 24,233
Most airlines will give you status if you have status with another airline they consider a competitor, in order to remove a barrier to your moving your allegiance to them. This is called "comping" status. Searching for that term here will turn up several threads.
Airlines vary with how readily they will comp status, which other airlines they consider competitors for this purpose, and what levels they will comp to. AA, for example, will never (barring some unusual situations that are unlikely to affect anyone who has to ask the question) comp its top level, even if someone has comparable status elsewhere. You can find specifics for airlines of interest in the forum for that airline, by searching for "comp" and/or posting a question there.
Comping always requires proof of current status, such as a copy of an FF program statement. It can often be helped along by a word from a supportive travel agent or corporate travel coordinator.
This is not excatly honoring your status with another airline. It's giving you status on their airline. Honoring status with another airline is governed by inter-airline agreements. It generally applies within alliances such as OW and *A.
Comping is usually a one-time deal, so choose your moment carefully. You have to requalify for status on your own and are unlikely to get a second comp from the same airline if you don't. This is a bad time of year to get a comp, unless your travel plans are heavily weighted to summer and fall: it's late enough that much of your 2002 mileage-earning potential has passed, but early enough that they're unlikely to comp through 2003.
Airlines vary with how readily they will comp status, which other airlines they consider competitors for this purpose, and what levels they will comp to. AA, for example, will never (barring some unusual situations that are unlikely to affect anyone who has to ask the question) comp its top level, even if someone has comparable status elsewhere. You can find specifics for airlines of interest in the forum for that airline, by searching for "comp" and/or posting a question there.
Comping always requires proof of current status, such as a copy of an FF program statement. It can often be helped along by a word from a supportive travel agent or corporate travel coordinator.
This is not excatly honoring your status with another airline. It's giving you status on their airline. Honoring status with another airline is governed by inter-airline agreements. It generally applies within alliances such as OW and *A.
Comping is usually a one-time deal, so choose your moment carefully. You have to requalify for status on your own and are unlikely to get a second comp from the same airline if you don't. This is a bad time of year to get a comp, unless your travel plans are heavily weighted to summer and fall: it's late enough that much of your 2002 mileage-earning potential has passed, but early enough that they're unlikely to comp through 2003.