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[edit] Flying Northwest Airlines

[edit] Fare Class Definitions

[edit] Domestic, Canada, Mexico and Caribbean:

  • P - full-fare First
  • F – discounted First
  • R - upgraded First (used for elite upgrades and mileage upgrades)
  • A – award First (also used for plat/gold elite upgrades from domestic coach award tickets)
  • Y – full-fare Economy (also PerkPass award Economy)
  • B – slightly discounted Economy
  • M, H, Q, V – discounted Economy
  • L, T, K – deeply discounted Economy
  • W - PerkSaver award Economy (also used for "free ticket" vouchers given to bumpees)

[edit] Using Miles to Upgrade Domestic, Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean:

  • Persons without WorldPerks Elite status: Any regularly published fare (i.e., not promo fare) other than T or K can be upgraded; upgrades from full Y come from “P” and upgrades from discounted fares come from “F.” (note: this information may be out of date)
  • Persons with WorldPerks Elite status: Full Y fares will receive a complimentary upgrade if there is “P” availability; all other regularly published fares can be upgraded with miles. (note: this information may be out of date)

[edit] Trans-Atlantic/Trans-Pacific:

  • J – full-fare Business
  • C - discounted Business (Also PerkPass Business)
  • Z - deeply discounted Business (also used for mileage upgrades from "full" fares--see below)
  • D - award Business (Perksaver)
  • U - upgraded Business (used only for mileage upgrades from "select" fares--see below)
    • Note: Prior to 12/5/2006, int'l mileage upgrades came from the I bucket, but they now come from U.
  • Y – full-fare Economy
  • B - slightly discounted Economy
  • M, H, Q, V, L - discounted Economy
  • T, K - deeply discounted Economy
  • W - award Economy

[edit] Using Miles to Upgrade Trans-Atlantic/Trans-Pacific:

  • Mileage upgrades on NW are only available on intercontinental flights from Y and B fares. Cheaper fare classes are not eligible for mileage upgrades.
  • Use the WorldPerks award charts to find appropriate mileage amounts.
    • Note that for any given route, there are usually two mileage amounts given for upgrading: one for upgrades from "full fare" coach tickets and one for "select fares." Most Y fares and a few B fares (B2US, B5GB, possibly others) are considered "full fare," while a few Y fares and most B fares are considered "select fares." You'll have to call NW to find out what your fare is.
  • Upgrades from "full" fares require Z availability, upgrades from "select" fares require U availability (I prior to 12/5/2006).

[edit] Using Miles to Upgrade All Hawaii Flights:

Domestic mileage upgrades to Hawai'i pull from "R" class, meaning they're a little harder to come by since the implementation of "R" class. There are no automatic or free upgrades to elites on any of the Hawai'i routes with the exception of Hawai'i residents. Mileage upgrades are 17,500 miles from discounted Coach each way and vary in price on the day of departure. Read below for more info.

Here's a few tips on upgrading to Hawai`i on a domestic flight:

  • There is now only one way to check "R" class availability to see if there are upgradeable seats on your flight to Hawai`i. You will need to use www.nwa.com. Check the "WorldPerks Mileage Upgrade" option on the homepage. Enter in your flight data and select your flights as if you were booking your ticket. If the flight is displayed as First and the fare basis code is NOT a Y-26/27 type fare, then there is upgradeable First Class availability (R class) on that flight. "R" Class availability goes fast, so call ASAP. Check daily as seats may/will open up closer to departure.
  • If you haven't already purchased your ticket. Use the "WorldPerks Mileage Upgrade" option mentioned above to purchase your ticket from nwa.com. You can choose which segments you wish to upgrade with miles and process your transaction without having to speak to an agent.
  • If all else fails, day of departure upgrades are available for purchase at the airport. These upgrades cost anywhere from $250-$350 depending on destination/departure cities and are first come, first served (read: don't wait till you get to the gate, ask the frontline agents if any are available). If there are a number of people who wish to be upgrade, please note that there may be a waitlist for a day of departure upgrade.
  • There are very rarely any operational upgrades given on Hawai'i routes and if you do get one, consider yourself very lucky.
  • Mileage upgrades are not available at the airport.

If you're looking at using WorldPerks miles to upgrade a Continental Hawai'i flight, be aware that Continental has recently changed their rules for WorldPerks members:

"Effective for travel beginning January 1, 2004, only select fares will be eligible for mileage upgrades on Continental-operated flights. For flights to/from Hawaii operated by Continental, only Y fares may be upgraded. For international flights operated by Continental, only Continental Y and H or Northwest Y and B fares fares are eligible."

For more information on upgrading to/from Hawaii, please see "Your Guide to Flying to Hawai'i on Northwest Airlines" on the Northwest forum: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=382261

[edit] Elite Status

[edit] Qualifying for Elite Status

Northwest has three elite tiers: Silver Elite, earned after flying 25,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) or 30 Elite Qualifying Segments (EQS); Gold Elite, earned after flying 50,000 EQM or 60 EQS; and finally Platinum Elite, earned after flying 75,000 EQM or 100 EQS. Northwest will grant you elite status the following business day after you reach one of the elite plateaus and it will be valid for the remainder of the current program year as well as the entire following program year.

The elite qualifying period runs from January 1st through December 31st of each calendar year. The elite program year, offset by two months from the qualifying period, runs from March 1st through the last day of February the following calendar year. This means, in the best case scenario, you could earn elite status for up to 26 consecutive months. For example, if it were possible to earn 25,000 EQM or 30 EQS on January 1st of 2008, you would have earned Silver Elite status from January 2nd, 2008 until the last day of February 2010.

Further elite overview from nwa.com

[edit] Earning Elite Qualifying Miles/Segments

When flying on a Northwest Airlines or Northwest Airlink operated flight, the following fare classes count towards elite status:

Elite Qualifying Miles (earned at the rate of) 150%: P, F, J, C, Z, Y, B
Elite Qualifying Miles (earned at the rate of) 100%: M, H, Q, V, L, T, K
Elite Qualifying Segments: P, F, J, C, Z, Y, B, M, H, Q, V, L, T K

Additionally, please refer to the following links on nwa.com for information regarding earning elite status when flying within the SkyTeam® Alliance and on other partner airlines:

SkyTeam® Global Alliance Partners
WorldPerks Airline Partners

[edit] Note about earning miles/segments on a "direct" flight

Direct flights are those who may have multiple flights that share the same flight number. e.g. NW1650 goes from BWI-MSP, but it continues on as the same flight number NW1650 from MSP-YVR. If you were flying from BWI-YVR, connecting in MSP, and both flight numbers were NW1650, you would only earn one EQS and you would only earn the EQMs for BWI-YVR, NOT for BWI-MSP plus MSP-YVR. This is a sort of sneaky thing all the airlines do, so be advised, especially if you plan to earn elite status by flying many segments.

[edit] Elite Program Benefits

Once you earn elite status on Northwest, you are entitled to such benefits as bonus redeemable miles on every qualifying flight you take, unlimited confirmed domestic upgrades on all paid tickets, priority access to Northwest's reservations call centers, increased access to award seats when booking on nwa.com, complimentary access to priority and exit row seating, elite boarding lanes at most airports, and much more, including exclusive benefits as a SkyTeam Elite or Elite Plus member when flying SkyTeam alliance member airlines.

Read a complete summary of elite benefits from nwa.com

[edit] Elite Upgrades

[edit] Eligibility

When flying NW operated flights within or between the US48, Alaska, Canada, Mexico or Central America, all NW and CO elites flying on paid fares are eligible for free first class upgrades.

NW Golds and Plats (but not Silvers) are also eligible for upgrades from coach award tickets, although the timing is different. However, it has been reported on Flyertalk that NW Silvers do receive elite upgrades on award tickets. A search on the forum will reveal more information.

For paid fares, upgrades come from the "R" bucket, which is a subset of the "F" bucket. For award fares, upgrades come from the "A" bucket, which is a subset of "R."

[edit] Timing of Advance Upgrades

Any NW, DL, or CO elite is eligible for an immediate upgrade at the time of booking from a full Y fare. When flying on paid coach fares that are not full-Y, Platinums are upgraded up to 5 days in advance of their flight, Golds up to 3 days in advance, and Silvers up to 1 day in advance. When flying on coach award tickets, Plats and Gold are eligible for upgrade up to 1 day in advance. The computer program that processes the upgrades is called EUA (for Elite Upgrade Automation).

[edit] Splitting Record When There Are More than One Elite on the Record

Note that for reservations with more than one passenger, EUA timing is based on the passenger with the lowest status (with the exception of NW Plats traveling with exactly one companion in the same reservation--see "Companion Upgrades" below). So a Gold and a Silver traveling together in the same reservation will not be considered for an upgrade until 1 day out, and a Gold traveling with a non-elite will not be considered at all in advance for an upgrade. Note also that if two elites are booked together, they will generally only be upgraded if there are two seats available. Therefore, if your preference is to sit together, you should book your reservations together. If you want to maximize upgrade chances, however, you should either book separately or call and ask NW to "split" the reservation after you book together.

One may also "split" the reservation on nwa.com. To upgrade yourself, you will need to divide your reservation at nwa.com | Manage My Reservations. Once divided, your reservation will be automatically upgraded.

[edit] Priority for EUA upgrades

Each time the EUA program runs on NW's system, it looks at all eligible elites and upgrades according to the following set of priorities (per NW Scoop http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=864431):

  • Status (All Plats beat all Golds, all Golds beat all Silvers)
  • Annual Spend on NWA (Gold who spent $10,000 over last year beats a Gold who spent $9,000)
  • Fare class (if necessary)

Note that NW Plats are believed to trump CO Plats, but CO Plats are believed to trump NW Golds, and so on but this was not confirmed by NW Scoop.

Note that full fare tickets by elite level will always trump discount fares (according to the chart posted at http://www.nwa.com/worldperks/elite/upgradetips.shtml).

[edit] Priority for "Battlefield" Upgrades

NW often restricts the "R" class from which EUA pulls, leaving seats in First for last-minute purchase. If those seats remain unsold, the GA will almost always hand out "battlefield" upgrades at the gate to elites who have not yet been upgraded. NW rarely flies with empty First Class seats.

The NW forum consensus on the priority for these upgrades has changed recently. Following is the algorithm as we now understand it:

  • Status (All Plats beat all Golds, all Golds beat all Silvers)
  • Time when added to the waitlist (if two members with the same status are vying for the same seat, it will go to whoever was added to the waitlist first)
    • If you buy your ticket before an EUA window, and you are not upgraded when EUA runs, EUA will add you to the waitlist automatically the first time it fails to upgrade you (typically 5-6 days out for Plats, 3-4 days out for Golds and for Plats who bought after the first Plat EUA window, and 1-2 days out for Silvers and for Golds and Plats who bought after the first Gold EUA window).
    • If you buy your ticket after the last time EUA runs, you will be added to the waitlist when you check in (either online or at the airport).
    • If two elites of the same status both bought their tickets well in advance and were not upgraded at the first EUA window for their status, their order on the waitlist should follow the rules outlined above in "Priority for EUA upgrades."

This means that elites may find themselves lower on the battlefield upgrade list if they buy their tickets after the first EUA run for their status level--even if they buy an expensive fare and check in early. For further analysis, see this thread.

Note that it's likely (but unconfirmed) that full Y fares trump status on the battlefield. Also note that on CO metal, the battlefield priority system is different than on NW. CO has explicitly stated that fare class is the first tie-breaker after status, and it is widely believed that check-in time is the backup tie-breaker on CO.

[edit] Companion Upgrades

There are two kinds of companion upgrades.

NW and CO Golds and Plats can upgrade one companion at the gate if a seat is available by talking to the GA. The companion can be anyone traveling on the same flight, and does not need to be in the same reservation as the elite member.

NW Plats can also take advantage of the NW Plat Companion Upgrade benefit. If a NW Plat books a reservation with exactly one companion in the same reservation, the Plat and the companion will be eligible for elite upgrades in advance as if they were both Plats. Note, however, that booking with more than one companion in the same reservation will disqualify your reservation from this benefit, as will booking separately.

[edit] Upgrade on Award Tickets

Northwest Airlines provides Platinum and Gold elites with complimentary upgrades on award tickets, whether they are booked as PerkSaver or PerkPass tickets. As mentioned above, these upgrades draw from the A fare class bucket 1 day prior to departure. However, many on Flyertalk have reported receiving an upgrade on an award ticket several days out. Your miles may vary. For battlefield (gate upgrades) a Gold or Platinum elite on an award ticket trumps a lower status elite on a revenue ticket. Thus, at the gate a Gold elite on an award ticket would receive an upgrade before a Silver elite on a revenue ticket.

Silver elites have also reported success in receiving upgrades on award tickets. There is no published benefit stating that Silver elites will receive award upgrades. These will only occur if and when the load on a given flight are light in First Class and there are no other elites to upgrade who are flying on a paid fare (or an award ticket for those who are Gold and higher).

[edit] International Upgrades

Northwest currently has NO program that allows complimentary upgrades on international flights for its elites, except for the System-Wide Upgrades (SWUs) outlined below. People may be confused by this since Northwest does offer unlimited domestic (sans Hawai'i) upgrades to its elite members. But to be upgraded on international flight segments, you'll have to pay for it using cash, miles, or a SWU certificate. These SWUs can be earned by people who fly 120,000 EQMs or more per year and are registered for the Elite ExtraPerks program. The other option is to hope for an operational upgrade (Op-Up). These occur when coach is overbooked/oversold by a large number and instead of bumping passengers off the flight, the airline decides to bump some people from coach up into business class to free up their coach seats for additional passengers. This may happen on very full flights, but it is rare and is not to be counted on. During the past 4 years of being a Platinum Elite, this author has never received an "Op-Up".

So, again, to reiterate, there are NO complimentary upgrades on international flights. If you have domestic connecting flights before the international flight (i.e. ORD-DTW-BOS-AMS), you would still be eligible for upgrades per the traditional domestic upgrade criteria on the ORD-DTW-BOS segments.

[edit] WorldClubs

[edit] Access

The most common ways to access the WorldClubs are:

  • Join WorldClubs (or a partner lounge network that gives access to NW's WorldClubs, such as CO's Presidents Club or DL's Crown Room Club). WorldClubs members have access to all NW, CO, and DL lounges at all times, as well as other partner lounges listed in the directory. WorldClubs members can bring in two guests or their entire immediate family. Simply show the lounge attendant your WC member card to gain access.
  • Buy a WorldClubs Trial Membership available for purchase at any U.S. WorldClub location and valid for 60 days. The 60 day trial membership is normally available for $85, but WorldPerks Platinum and Gold elite members were extended an coupon to purchase it for only $50 in the 2006 elite benefits guide (there were no reports of similar coupons in the 2007 elite benefits guide). More information available at: http://www.nwa.com/services/bustrav/worldclubs/tempmember.html
  • Buy a WorldClubs Day Pass available for purchase at any U.S. WorldClub location. The Day Pass is available for $45 and only for passengers listed on a Northwest Airlines itinerary for the day of travel only. More information available at: http://www.nwa.com/services/bustrav/worldclubs/daypass.html
  • Have an American Express Platinum Card. Platinum Card holders get access to NW,AA,CO and DL lounges when flying the airline that operates both the lounge and the flight that day. It has been reported that some lounge agents strictly enforce the rules. Such as denying access to card holders flying on NW code shares. Also note that this benefit applies only to the American Express Platinum Charge Card with an annual fee--not the various free "platinum" AmEx credit cards offered by Costco, Skymiles and other AmEx partners. Simply show the lounge attendant your AmEx Plat Card and your same-day boarding pass for that airline to gain access.
  • Priority Pass. Priority Pass is included as a benefit of some credit cards (such as Citi Platinum Amex, Citi Chairman in the US or HSBC Offshore) as well as for purchase. Priority Pass gives access to 500 lounges, including all NW World Clubs. Priority Pass has many different plans some of which may or may not have fees associated with club visits and/or guests.
  • Fly WBC. Passengers with WBC tickets have access to the WorldClubs on the day they are traveling, whether flying on a paid fare or award ticket. Note that this benefit does not apply to domestic First tickets. Simply show the lounge attendant your WBC boarding pass to gain access.
  • SkyTeam Elite Plus members on international tickets. If you are a SkyTeam Elite Plus member (i.e., all NW Plat Elite members or equivalent elites from another SkyTeam carrier), you have access to the departure lounge for the SkyTeam carrier you are flying when traveling on an international itinerary. Simply show the lounge attendant your same-day international boarding pass that indicates your STE+ status to gain access.

[edit] Specific Club Information

For a list of all WorldClubs and affiliated lounges, see the official NW Worldclubs Directory.

More information is available on another wiki that has specific information for many clubs worldwide, including many NW clubs. See LoungeGuide.net WorldClub listings.

MSP

If in MSP, and if time allows, make the trek over to the Concourse C lounge. As it was completed in 2001, versus 1994 like the F and G lounge was, it is way nicer than the F and G lounge. You won't be disappointed. When there recently, there were many Asian nationals there, even though the International clearing area is in G. The C concourse has lockers but the G/F does not. The C lockers can be handy - especially if you're using the back entrance to do a Mall of America side trip.

DTW

DTW has 4 clubs in the McNamara Terminal, which are all airside. The main club is just past the security checkpoint, and is the largest club (possibly in the NW system?). This club has showers, lockers, open self-serve "bar", snacks, TV's, computer stations and wireless internet. There are also 2 clubs at either end of the "A" concourse, located on the tram platform. Additionally, there is a club that serves the B/C coucourse used by Delta, Continental and the NW regional jets. Be aware that the clubs at either end of A have different operating hours than the center or B/C club on weekends.

MEM

The Memphis club is airside to your left as you clear security along the concourse leading to one of the outer gate arms. This club is at the foot what resembles a giant Y comprising most of the NW gates. The club itself resembles the DTW and newer C MSP club but its a little older - probably the first of the new series. It has lockers like DTW, MSP, and ORD. One important note - it can be a very long walk to your gate from the club and there are no moving walkways. Allow time accordingly.

ORD

The Chicago O'Hare ORD club is airside about midway down the concourse towards the current NW and Continental gates which are at the end of the concourse. Its unique in that its actually a cooperative operation by NW and CO. There are actual employees and flight monitors for both airlines (unlike other clubs where partner members can access but service options for the non-owning partner flts are limited). That said its really a former NW club that CO moved into after they closed their own club a few years ago. Its the new style - remsembling DTW, MEM, and MSP C and it has lockers. The fate of this club is especially uncertain in the face of the NW/DL merger and CO's re-alignment with United's Star Alliance expected in 2009.

SEA

The SEA WorldClub recently extended its opening hours to meet late flights to Europe. You can also use the CO Presidents Club (closes at midnight) at the end of the B concourse - allow 10+ minutes for the walk from the PC to the NW gate area. WorldClub members flying on NW or AS have access to the AS Board Room just outside security IF they are flying on an AS flight. The BR is nice, but tends to be quite crowded and they cut you off after three drinks. Nice soup though.

JFK

The JFK WorldClub is not operated by NW, but follows WorldClub access rules, although Presidents Club members are not allowed in. It is an excellent lounge, but note that it is "landside" so you must leave enough time to clear security when going to the gate for your flight. It tends to have a wider food selection than the DL CRCs in the adjacent terminal. Make sure you have plenty of time to clear security if you visit.

DCA

The DCA WorldClub is landside, but adjacent to the security line. Northwest operates out of the old "A" terminal at DCA, and normally lines are not outrageous. For a quick trip through security always choose one of the lines on the left. The right most lane leads to a blower machine, which significantly slows down the line. There is a single unisex one person restroom. This is a very old 2 level club. Nice staff though.

IAD

The IAD (Dulles) club is next to the NW gates out in the island terminal after security. Its one of the older style clubs with the usual benefits - snacks, drinks, wifi, and a place to read. No Lockers.

HNL

The HNL WorldClub is adjacent to the HNL President's Club. The President's Club has better decor, offers better snacks (including fresh fruits), and has its own bathrooms, making the President's Club a better choice than the WorldClub in HNL. Both clubs are located across from Gate 13, which is a gate commonly used by Northwest Airlines. DL recently closed its lovely HNL Crown Room Club. It is also worth noting the guava bread in the staff cafeteria located on the garden level of the airport.

IAD

The IAD (Dulles) club is next to the NW gates out in the island terminal after security. Its one of the older style clubs with the usual benefits - snacks, drinks, wifi, and a place to read. No Lockers.

LAX

The LAX club is after security near the NW gates but its upstairs. There is an elevator on the right side about midway down the concourse after you clear security. Its a pretty old club but has a nice staff.

NRT

There are 2 WorldClubs at NRT. The largest one (~400 people) is in Terminal #1 above Satellite #2, where most NW flights depart. A smaller lounge (~100 people) is located just 5 minute's walk away above Satellite #1. Both clubs have been recently remodeled (2008 and 2007 respectively) to offer brighter decor, updated furniture, and more features. Both clubs feature walk-up iMac computers for checking email and web surfing, Wi-Fi, flat-panel televisions, open bar and kitchen areas with mini-servings of sandwiches and salads, soups, sushi rolls, desserts, snacks, and frequent-favorite beer machines that automatically pour "perfect" glasses of Sapporo or Asahi. The clubs begin to get quite busy around 1:00pm when travelers begin to arrive for US-bound flights that depart around 3:00pm.

[edit] Guide to SkyTeam Lounges at HNL

One enterprising FlyerTalker wrote up The Definitive Guide to Lounges at HNL.

[edit] On-Line Check-In

Northwest allows online check in (OLCI) for flights up to 24 hours before departure. This includes KLM flights departing from the USA. You can select your seats, standby for an earlier flight, or place yourself on the upgrade waitlist if you are an elite member eligible for an upgrade. Their system is notable as it generally prints all boarding coupons on one sheet instead of using multiple sheets of paper like other airlines. Further, you can choose whether to print your pass now, fax it or print at a kiosk at the airport. This is especially helpful for those without printing ability on the road. The system is easily accessed from the home page of nwa.com using either your Confirmation # or WorldPerks Member Number. Additional information can be found in their FAQ

When flying from some non-US airports (listed here), you can check in on klm.com. Note that OLCI on KLM is available from 30 hours before your flight (24 hours for flights to the USA), but that you will need different information to hand. You will need your E-ticket number and your first flight number. Recently they've updated their site and now you can also use your Confirmation #.

[edit] Kiosk Check-In

Northwest Kiosks let you check into your flight if you have an E-Ticket. You need to check in at least 30 minutes before departure for domestic flights and 60 minutes for international flights. During your Kiosk Check-In you can change your seat or even have the option of changing your flight to an earlier flight.

Make sure if you are traveling from Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Newark, Tampa or Washington, D.C.-Dulles that you check in 45 minutes before departure for domestic flights. If you are traveling out of Las Vegas you need to check in 60 minutes prior to departure.

[edit] First Class Check-In

Most NW stations will have a marked First Class check in line that can be used by First Class or Elite Frequent Flyer level passengers. Servicing of these lines can be erratic - particularly at out-stations (most of which are staffed by contractors instead of NW employees).

[edit] Flying Domestic Coach

  • There is no In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) on any NW domestic flights. Bring your own entertainment. Some 757 flights might be "Beach Config" (HI) airframes flying domestic segments (presumably for mx), and the overhead LCD monitors might come down during safety announcements (presumably from an FA going through their preflight checklist), but there is no IFE on these flights. The only exception to this are the West Coast to Hawaii and A330 MSP-HNL flight. The A330 flight features full IFE including audio/video on demand (AVOD). There are also reports of the AVOD being turned on when the A330 is occasionally swapped on the MSP-SEA route.
  • There are no pillows provided on NW domestic flights. But there have been reports of pillows and blankets on west-cost red-eye flights to DTW.

[edit] Flying Domestic First Class

[edit] Northwest's Domestic Plane Types & Number of First Class Seats:

Plane FC Seats
757-200 22
757-300 24
A320 16
A319 16
DC-9 16
Embraer 175 12
CRJ-900 12

[edit] Percentage of Overall seats in First Class:

Plane FC Seat %
D9-30 16.00%
Embraer 175 15.79%
CRJ-900 15.79%
D9-40 14.55%
319 12.90%
D9-50 12.80%
755 12.22%
756 11.96%
320 10.81%
753 10.71%

So, in absolute terms, the 757-300 has the most First Class seats. But the ratio is the worst. However, as far as ratio of seats and upgrade potential is concerned, many NW FTers have reported finding that the absolute number of First Class seats is better, especially if one has a companion along.

[edit] Notes about Plane types:

[edit] Seats:

  • Pitch and width of the FC seats are worst on the DC-9's and best on the 757's.
  • A320 FC seats are much better than DC-9 FC seats.
  • The 757-200 is by far a favorite. Series 5500 has a short, but very deep, foot cutout for 2C and 2D. Series 5600 has a tall, but shallow, foot cutout for 2C and 2D. Much extra legroom in any case, and no one to recline into you. More generally speaking, the 757 First Class cabin has a nice big FC cabin that seems more cut off from coach.
  • DC-9, A319 and A320 seats in Row 5 (first row of Economy) have no bulkhead behind Row 4 (last row of First), and only a curtain at F-seat headrest level. This provides pitch and legroom close to WBC proportions. Beware of Row 5 aisle seats in regards to Row 4 underseat footwell luggage storage, the aisle seat footwell storage space is significantly smaller then the middle or window seat. The window seat of Row 5 can comfortably exit to the aisle (lav visits) with almost no disruption to middle or aisle seat pax.
  • 757-200 Economy seating in front of row 16 is risky. Operations will randomly change a 757 aircraft type on a segment, and occupants in rows 13/14/15 will be assigned random seats in the event of aircraft type change, including rear-middle seats. If possible, book in row 16, or further back. For exit row 16, beware of the window (A/F) seats, as the exit (2L/2R) door's emergency slide container will drastically interfere with legroom. Also, there have been reports of convection cooling from the doors that is so significant as to cause passenger discomfort in the lower legs.

[edit] Overhead Bins:

  • The A320/A319 has slightly larger overhead bins than those on the 757-200, but the bins are of similar size on the A320/A319 and 757-300.
  • The lip in the overhead bins of the 757's make squeezing bags in hard, just remember to flip your roll-a-board upside-down with the wheels out. (check over rows 1 and 13, they may not have the lip thus making stowage possible/easier)

[edit] Boarding:

  • On the 757's, they load from the 2nd door and then you don't have all of coach hitting you spilling your drink as they all file through. This is not always true often at MSP they will load through the first door.

[edit] Food and Beverage Service

  • Dinner means a full meal (entree, salad, desert).
  • Snack means a selections of snacks offered from a basket held by the FA - think mid size bags of Fritos, chips, candy, whole pieces of fruit, etc.
  • Beverage means a choice of beverages offered at no charge including a large variety of soft drinks and juices, water, coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages (mixed drinks with hard liquor, several brands of beer, and one type each of red and white wine).
  • Pre-Departure Beverage service is generally offered in the First Class Cabin. In most cases, a choice of beverage (including "adult beverages") will be offered. NWA policies for ensuring on-time departure may preclude this, however, if boarding does not start early enough. At such times pre-departures drinks may be eliminated, although in some cases the FA may offer a limited selection such as water only. See the table below for the amount of boarding time required before scheduled departure for a pre-departure drink to be offered.
DC9, A320 or A319 - 30 minutes
757 - 40 minutes
A330 or 747 (Domestic) - 55 minutes

[edit] Domestic First Class Meal Scheduling Parameters

According to Worldperks Forum moderator thezipper, these are the current (as of 7/19/2006) meal scheduling parameters for domestic first class:

  • Flights longer than 2 ½ hours

Scheduled flight departure time in relationship to the following time windows:

Breakfast: 5:00am – 9:45am
Lunch: 9:46am – 1:30pm
Snack: 1:31pm – 3:59pm
Dinner: 4:00pm – 7:30pm

The lunch, snack, and dinner window will slightly vary for longer flights as well as on the direction of the flight (east bound versus west bound). Some examples:

  • DTW-LAX’s dinner ending parameter time is 8:00pm vs. 7:30pm
  • MSP-TPA’s lunch ending parameter time is 1:59pm vs. 1:30pm

[edit] Hub Airports

[edit] Detroit (DTW)

Well stocked with WorldClubs, the smaller clubs at each end of the terminal are usually less crowded than the much larger club in the center of the terminal. Despite the crowding, the center, larger club has a priceless amenity: showers. This alone has made routing through DTW worthwhile for international connections from Europe. To use the showers, ride up the escalator and see an agent at the counter directly in front of you; ask for use of the showers. They'll either take you to a shower (there are two), or, place you on a waiting list. The showers, cleaned between uses, come stocked with a smallish towell, and a soap and shampoo dispenser in the shower stall. Pack a new shirt, deodorant and a brush, and walk out feeling better than you should have for the EQMs you just flew.

Overnight layovers in DTW are made tolerable by the attached Westin. If you are traveling light, with carry-on luggage only, the entrance to the Westin is truly convenient, unobtrusively next to the McDonalds at about gate 36. Step through here to leave the security zone, with the check-in desk just around the corner. When you leave in the morning, return the same way; the hotel entrance has its own TSA checkpoint. Also convenient are the NW check-in kiosks in the hotel lobby. If you are unlucky enough to have luggage, you will have to recover it from baggage claim, then schlep it upstairs to the check-in level for the hotel entrance. Note: If security lines at DTW are long (very unlikely) any passenger can walk through the Westin's entrance and use their generally short security line.

[edit] Restaurants:

Sora is a great Japanese Restaurant and Sushi bar by gate A35 and arguably the best eats to be had in DTW. The Shrimp Tempura rolls are amazing.

Online cafe participates in "Rewards network dining for miles" http://nwa.rewardsnetwork.com/ . So one can pick up a few easy WP miles there. Food is OK. It is located next to gate A34.

[edit] Minneapolis/St Paul (MSP)

This Upper-Midwest hub is vital to NW for connecting both coasts, accepting incoming passengers from Asia, and providing easy connections to less-populated regions in the central U.S. Northwest occupies gates on all of the concourses at the main Lindbergh terminal. There are two automated tram lines in the airport: one runs the length of concourse C with 3 stops on the line. The second automated tram takes you from the ground-transport center and parking garages directly to the main terminal, two floors below the ticketing counter level.

[edit] WorldClubs

MSP boasts two WorldClubs: the original, larger one is located at the intersection of the F & G concourse, and a newer, yet slightly smaller WorldClub is located mid-way down the C concourse near gate C12. You can find more information about these WorldClubs from LoungeGuide.net:

[edit] Restaurants:

Famous Dave's is a locally based chain that makes award winning Bar-B-Que. The pulled pork is quite tasty!

Chili's Too between F and G concourses (next to the WC) always good food!

Ike's between the E and D concourses (at the end of the main hall). Excellent food and drinks from this outpost of a Minneapolis institution. Takes a little longer and there may be a wait for seating.

French Meadow two locations--next to Ike's at the beginning of the E concourse and in the middle of the F concourse. Better than most sandwiches and soups made with tasty ingredients. Also has to-go boxes.

[edit] Memphis (MEM)

Memphis is a very simple airport to navigate and boasts one of the shortest minimum connection times of any hub airport. Most NW mainline flights go out of the B gates, NW regional jets and props go out of the A gates, which are less than a five minute walk from the B gates.

[edit] Restaurants:

Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ is an absolute must for anyone who sets foot in the Memphis airport. They now have multiple locations throughout the airport. One is located across from gate B17 and the other, slightly larger version, is in the food court.

Grisanti's Bola Pasta and Corky's BBQ are located in Concourse A.

Blue Note Cafe allows smoking but be warned the drink prices are reportally confiscatory.

[edit] Narita (NRT)

Transiting is very straightfoward, except that there are usually more planes than gates, often resulting in being bused to the gates. Most of the flights land and take off (except a late flight to Hawaii, and the flights to SPN/GUM) within around a 4-hour timespan. The transiting involves going through security but no customs/immigration. All flights land into Terminal One. If your flight is late and you miss your connection, the ground staff is amazingly competent; expect to be met in the transit area with your tickets for the next day already printed (and with better re-routing if necessary).

The airport's concessions are sparse. Small duty free, but nothing extensive. However, there is a very friendly fellow in one of the shops who sells Japanese sake (nihon-shu). He is quite knowledgable and talkative, and happy to give lots of free tastes.

There are three World Clubs in Narita, one on the main level of Terminal One near No 2 Satellite (near stairs down to Gate 28), a second one on the 4th floor of No. 2 Satellite (under renovation but still open) and the newest one upstairs on the fourth floor of No. 1 Satellite (elevator across from Gate 15). One of the nicer perks is the availability of several Apple laptops with free wifi internet access. The beer machine is also a big hit.

[edit] Amsterdam (AMS)

For a great thread on places to stay for a 24 hour layover in AMS, please see this thread: 24 Hour Layover Ideas in AMS

[edit] Luggage Policies

Luggage Check-in Time Limits Domestic Flights: You are required to check luggage at least 30 minutes prior to departure with the following exceptions:


Airport Luggage Cut-off Time Atlanta / Denver / Los Angeles / Newark / Tampa / Washington D.C. - Dulles 45 minutes prior to departure Las Vegas 60 minutes prior to departure


International Flights: For all flights with an international destination or origin, you are required to check luggage at least 60 minutes prior to departure.


Domestic Coach

Up to 50 lbs. free, 50-70 lbs $25, 70-100 $50. No longer do elites get the 70 lb. limit, only seated F cabin is eligible. If originating leg is coach or a single cabin aircraft, I am told the allowance *does not* apply, no matter the further class seatings. (See new luggage policy entry below.)

Domestic First Class

70 lbs. free. (See new luggage policy entry below.)

International Coach

International World Business Class

New Checked Luggage Policy March 2008

In March 2008, NWA announced a new checked luggage policy. The new policy as announced to WorldPerks Elite members states, "Customers who purchase nonrefundable domestic Coach Class tickets may check one piece of luggage for free and a second piece for $25." This presumably means that full-fare coach class customers are not subject to this policy. The announcement states that Elite status WorldPerks Elite members (including Silver Elite) "and all the travelers in your reservation re exempt from this policy change." Presumably this means that all travelers whose reservations are associated on the computer with the Frequent Flyer will also be exempt. Probably those whose reservations are separate on the computer will be told they are not exempt, unless the individual at the counter is able to waive the charge. The notice further states, "For your travel convenience, WorldPerks Elite members traveling domestically will still be able to check two (2) pieces of luggage for free if ticketed in Coach, and three (3) pieces of luggage if ticketed in First Class." Full details of the policy are available at: http://nwemail.nwa.com/W0RH01C048545B98E2168351789AC0

[edit] Volunteering Your Seat and Getting ‘Bumped’

[edit] What does ‘volunteering your seat’ and ‘being bumped’ mean?

NW often oversells its flights (books more passengers then there are seats). If more passengers show up then there is seats, NW will seek ‘volunteers.’ A volunteer is a person with flexible travel plans who is willing to give up his/her seat on a particular flight in exchange for a seat on a later flight plus compensation. If you’ve volunteered and your seat is needed, then you’ve been ‘bumped.’

[edit] Background

Like most airlines, NWA uses a series of data -- both historical & forward-looking -- to determine how many seats to sell on each aircraft operating each flight within its entire network. The information utilized is highly complex and takes an array of factors into consideration such as historical no-shows & historical misconnects. This data is propriety and highly-sensitive and thus not available to the general public. The end result is that every flight will have a different number of seats available for sale. In fact, it’s entirely feasible for the same flight under the same conditions (same city pairs, departure time and scheduled equipment) to have a different number of seats available for sale on different days of the week! This whole process is part of NW’s yield management.

[edit] Why does NW oversell its flights?

NW oversells flights for a variety of reasons. For example, flights will almost always have no-shows and many of the no-shows are traveling on expensive, refundable tickets. Thus, NW wants to protect its revenue stream. In addition, the airline may have an opportunity to sell pricy “walk-up” tickets in the day(s) of/before a full flight’s departure. If more persons show up for a flight then there are seats, NW can usually “buy back” one or more seats at a modest price - usually in the form of TCV’s that cost NW very little and many of which are never redeemed!

[edit] How can I find out if my flight is oversold?

If you call NWA, they are obligated to tell you whether your flight is oversold or not. They usually won’t, however, tell you by how much (although sometimes a friendly, chatty agent will). ITN.net is excellent resource. Once you’ve entered your flights’ data, take a look at the fare bucket results. For domestic flights, the lower the P & Y buckets, the greater the chance of your flight(s) being sold out. For international flights, compare the J & Y buckets. Sometimes, the whole flight will be shown as sold out (in other words, NW is no longer selling seats). In this case, your flight is probably oversold although there is no guarantee.

If they are oversold, get to the gate early and talk to the gate agent. Other gate agents working other flights can usually help you out if you are patient. The GAs usually seem to get to the gate about 1 hour to 45 minutes before boarding. It helps to be courteous and knowledgeable - "I spoke to the res line and they told me that this flight was overbooked, I am willing to volunteer should you need me" is a good approach.

Also, it's best to have alternate plans available. Call the NW's res line to find out when the next flight is scheduled out and what the connections are, if none are available, try the partner airlines then the competitors for times & routing so you can make suggestions if it will help you (i.e., get you home faster).

The operating carrier gets the revenue for the flight coupon. NW would prefer to reaccommodate onto their own metal, but would put you elsewhere if they have no choice.

In case you are forced to ask for a flight from another airline, print (or download onto laptop/PDA) all flights for all airlines from ORIGIN to DESTINATION:

One word of caution, if your bump involves connections on another airline be sure that you have confirmed seats on the second carrier. Gate Agents are not beyond lying about this and putting you as a standby on the second carrier while telling you that you are confirmed to make their lives easier and get their flight out.

[edit] What factors affect a flight’s oversell situation?

There are numerous factors that affect a flight’s oversell situation including tickets sold, delays, misconnections, flight cancellations, changes in equipment, reaccommodation of passengers from other airlines, etc.

[edit] If I volunteer my seat, what type of compensation will I receive?

The gate agent will make the compensation offer clear. For domestic flights, you will likely receive either:

  • A maximum $300 Transportation Credit Voucher (TCV): Gate agents are supposed to auction TCVs, starting as low as $50 and gradually increasing the offer to a current maximum of $300. However, most gate agents are lazy and will simply offer $300. TCVs can be applied toward any ticket in which each flight carries an NW and/or KL code. They’re treated like cash, although if you apply one toward a refundable ticket, you will not receive cash back (the TCV amount is clearly marked on the ticket). Any residual value is issued in the form of an MCO (Miscellaneous Charge Order) coupon.
    • You will earn miles from tickets purchased with TCV’s (banked & EQM’s).
    • The TCV's and free roundtrip tickets that you receive for volunteering your seat are NO LONGER TRANSFERABLE OR COMBINABLE. There is one loophole - the $300 TCV's can be "transferred" - in that they can be applied towards the purchase of a ticket for someone else but only when you are traveling with that person on the exact same itinerary. The free roundtrips cannot be ticketed in another's name.
    • You now can only use one TCV per ticket purchased, no more saving them up and using them to purchase that high fare ticket you want.
    • TCVs may not be used toward the purchase of a WorldClub membership.
    • The voucher can be used for the full price printed on the ticket, including tax. The voucher isn't good for airport departure taxes paid in cash on day of departure, but relatively few airports charge cash fees.
    • TCV’s have to be used and travel commenced by the expiration date on the TCV. However, the MCO issued for any residual credit expires 1 year from the issue date of the MCO, not the TCV. So if you've got vouchers that are about to run out, one alternative might be to book a really cheap flight and take the remainder as an MCO. Keep in mind that MCO cannot be transferred once issued.

or

  • A free roundtrip ticket good anywhere NW flies within the United States, excluding Hawaii: Be warned that availability for the roundtrip ticket comes from the same bucket as availability for award seats, although a Saturday night stay is not required. These tickets do not earn mileage.

and/or

  • Reaccommodation onto the next available flight: you will generally be reaccommodated onto the next available NW flight – sometimes several hours (and flights) after your scheduled one, sometimes the next day. Should you be asked to overnight, you can usually pick any available flight the next day should you be interested in sightseeing or getting a few extra hours of sleep. Very rarely you will be reaccommodated onto other airlines.
    • If you do get moved to a higher class as part of your compensation, you are entitled to all privileges associated with that class of service. If, for example, you get moved to Continental BusinessFirst, make sure you ask for President's Club passes for that day. They generally will not volunteer the passes, so make sure you ask.
  • Meal coupons: usually $4 for breakfast, $6 for lunch and $10 for dinner; meal coupons are not always offered but are almost always included with overnight stays.
    • Make sure you request a meal voucher for EACH and EVERY meal period you are delayed. They may not offer (or think) about the fact that you are missing more than one meal.
    • Always get all the meal vouchers you are entitled to because they can be pooled at the hotel for whatever food & beverages available... room service, bar tab, restaurant, etc.
  • Hotel accommodations (including transfers) if your ‘bump’ requires an overnight stay: Sometimes you luggage will be held and you will be able to retrieve it should you need it, other times it will be sent to your destination. Do not expect to be able to retrieve your luggage! Should you require a toiletry kit, they’re available free of charge at most airport’s baggage consumer service counters.
  • Premium cabin upgrades: sometimes offered as a standalone offer (with meal coupons), sometimes offered with a TCV/free ticket (and possibly with meal coupons an/or an overnight stay).
  • For international flights, it’s the same ordeal except only a TCV of higher dollar amount will usually be offered. And sometimes only a premium cabin upgrade will be offered. The highest I have ever heard offered for an International bump request is $1000, but that’s purely anecdotal.

Most persons prefer the TCV over the free ticket, although the latter may often be of more value. Decide which item you want – if the gate agent is only offering one, it doesn’t hurt to ask if the other’s available as well.

Any compensation is for EACH ticket holder. If you are a family or group, each person is entitled to receive compensation. If overnight accommodations are required, they have to give each person a hotel room and meal voucher.

If you make connections on Alaska/Horizon as part of your NW flight, getting bumped can be a great deal. Alaska/Horizon offer a free round-trip voucher anywhere in the system (including Alaska and Mexico flights) as compensation. You can give the name of anyone you want to be put on the voucher.

Before volunteering your name, make sure the complete terms of the offer are available to you. For example, if you volunteer your seat on a flight departing Los Angeles in the mid-afternoon to Detroit, you may be asked to hang around the airport for up to ten hours for a redeye flight (in this scenario, you’ll undoubtedly receive meal vouchers). If this is unacceptable to you, let the gate agent know before you volunteer in order for him/her to see if other persons would be willing to accept that offer. Do not assume you’ll be receiving anything more than what you’re being told! In the past NW has offered cash, vouchers, and/or reimbursement of things like taxicab fares to downtown areas, restaurant tabs, ‘necessities’ such as drugs / contact lens cleaners / etc. - the days of these perks are gone.

[edit] I'm interested in volunteering my seat. How do I do so?

If you are interested in volunteering your seat, you will need to notify the gate agent handing the flight you’re seeking to give up your seat. Sometimes NWA.com check-in and the kiosks at the airport will ask you if you’d like your name added to the list, but then they’ll refer you to the gate agent. A ticketing agent or gate agent handling any other flight but the one you’d like to give up your seat will NOT be able to help you. Since there are various factors (listed above) that affect a flight’s oversell situation, NW will wait until the check-in/boarding process has been completed to determine whether they need volunteers or not. It is not wise to call NW the day(s) before your flight, notify them that ITN.net shows your flight as oversold and ask to volunteer your seat – you may get stuck in traffic traveling to the airport and be a no-show yourself or your flight’s scheduled A320 may morph into a B757, etc. and NW knows this so your request will be denied.

[edit] Can I negotiate the offer?

In general, no. If your flight appears to be oversold and you’d rather travel on an earlier or later destination – or another local airport, such as SNA as opposed to LAX – it doesn’t hurt to ask by calling NW before your flight’s scheduled to depart. But don’t expect to receive additional compensation. If NW appears to be struggling to lure volunteers, it may not hurt to suggest alternate travel arrangements then what they’re offering (for example, if you’re headed to LAX, you may ask for a flight to SNA + motor coach fare to LAX in addition to the TCV and/or free ticket). Remember that volunteers require flexible travel plans and should you not meet that criterion, you should not be volunteering to begin with. Also remember that NW’s looking to offer the lowest compensation possible. If NW’s looking for volunteers on a DTW-NRT flight in exchange for a premium cabin upgrade on the same flight the next day and a small voucher, but you can’t overnight, don’t expect to plead to be reaccommodated onto Singapore Airlines that same day – many times, NW would rather involuntary ‘bump.’ If your trip is short and you volunteer on the outbound, NW will not allow you to change your return flight without a fee in order to compensate for the shortened stay.

[edit] What can I do to maximize my chances of being ‘bumped?’

  • Book late flights on heavily traveled days, such as Fridays, Sundays and various holidays.
  • Notify the gate agent as soon as possible.
  • Bring only carry-on luggage.

[edit] Which routes can I fly to maximize my chances of being ‘bumped?’

All flights that routinely depart full have an equal chance of being oversold and needing volunteers. While this may not be true with other airlines, it is true of NW.

[edit] Earning WorldPerks Miles on Partners

[edit] Codeshare Flights by Northwest Partners on Airlines that are not WorldPerks Parnters

You will not earn any miles for codeshare flights that are WorldPerks partner carriers but operated by a non-partner. For example, a Continental Airlines codeshare on Virgin Atlantic will earn you 0 WorldPerks miles.

[edit] Skyteam Partners

[edit] Air France

[edit] Seat Selection on Air France

Heads up for those with legs on Air France. Air France allows seat assignments 332 days in advance (vs. NW's 90 days). You can't select your seats online or by calling NW.

  • Optional - use ITN to bring up your flights and check which seats are available.

Use seatguru.com to help you select the seats that work best for you.

  • Call NW and get your Air France Confirmation Code

You can also do this online by first going to NW site pull up your itinerary and copy your ticket #. Then go to the air france site, select "My Reservations" from the pull down (enter your last name and ticket #). You can also update your air france reservation portion with your address and passport # here.

  • Call Air France to request your seats

800 237 2747, press 4, then 2, then 1

Update 28 May 08: This is now out of date; you can go to an AF website (e.g., www.airfrance.co.uk) and pull up your NW award ticket using the AFKL confirmatinon number, which NW now lists when viewing your reservations on nwa.com. You can then select your seats from approximately 332 days out.

When completed the seats show up on nwa.com.

[edit] Reserved

[edit] Promotions

Northwest has an amazing quantity of ways to acquire milage, beyond just flight miles ("EQM").

[edit] Direct

Direct promotions are those that are specifically related to flight activity. These can be in regards to the purchase of a ticket, which fare class was purchased, OLCI (On-Line Check In), the actual flying of a segment, and even which city-pairs are flown.

[edit] SuperSize

SuperSize Your Flight: For $20, add 1000 miles to your WorldPerks account, after completing your next round-trip itinerary. If you are a WorldPerks Visa Cardholder, that is increased to 2000 miles total to your WorldPerls account. This is available to any WorldPerks member, and there is no change in benefits if an Elite WorldPerks member.

Northwest

  • Must be resident of US50 or Canada
  • SuperSize before flight, no retroactive transactions
  • One SuperSize per itinerary
  • Paid flights only (no award itineraries)
  • Travel must be completed by 12/31/06
  • All NW/KL-metal only
  • Online only, no purchasable via NW reservations
  • No refunds, even if not used
  • Bonus miles do not qualify towards Elite status
  • Reference code: GNWP SUPERSIZE

FlyerTalk

  • There's no easy way to identify quantity of unused purchases
  • Be careful of nesting, multiple itineraries ending in the same calendar day, etc. Manual intervention sometimes needed to post miles
  • WorldPerks Visa Cardholders get 2000 miles at $0.01/RDM, a good deal to some

[edit] Partner

Partner promotions reward WorldPerks members with mileage accrual for almost any activity. That can include not only the use of a credit card, but also what is being purchased with the credit card.

[edit] WorldPerks Visa

[edit] Award Travel

[edit] Booking

[edit] Flying

No EQMs/EQS (Elite Qualifying Miles/Elite Qualifying Segments) are earned for any flights on Award travel.

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