NW has always been a stickler on awarding segments.
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Elite Qualifying Segments are earned when paid segments are booked in P, F, J, C, Z, Y, S, or B (M is applicable on KLM flights only). </font>
... which means you have to fly more expensive fares to get segments and with the changes in OP, from what I understand, if you book a ticket on CO.com until the end of 2004 that is flown on NW booked in V, L, T, or K class,
you'd earn 1 segment, otherwise 0 segments will be offered for those flights.
Depending on what fare classes your flights are normally booked in, NW is the obvious choice with CO's recent change to EQMs. Under NW's Elite Qualifying Segment rules (which has been pretty constant for a few years now), however, you might just make Gold on NW too. Doesn't look like a win-win situation for you
Don't know how you'd transfer the status since NW won't comp (unless in rare circumstances) CO elites and gate agents are cracking down on the switch-at-the-gate strategy.
Good luck on your decision.
aloha
[This message has been edited by slippahs (edited Jan 02, 2004).]