<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by cab747:
Last time I flew NW into MCI, it was mainline to/from MSP and DTW (DC-9 IIRC). Not sure if it is today, but if it is, they you will get the upgrades.
Forget about the HP idea and buying space positive upgrades, fly NW MCI-MSP/DTW-PHX and get your free upgrades. The majority of MSP-PHX flights are 757s, so upgrades are almost a breeze with 22/24F seats. I've only once not gotten upgraded MSP-PHX on NW as a CO Gold in years, and that was an A320. Odds are pretty good.</font>
MCI-MSP and MCI-DTW are still mainline jets. You would probably get upgraded on those.
MCI-PHX with a one-hour connection in MSP is about a 5.5 hour airport-to-airport trip, assuming MSP is running smoothly.
MCI-PHX on America West is 3 hours going and 2.5 hours back home.
MCI-DTW-PHX is too painful to even think about.
So an all-NW option is possible, but you'd be spending a lot of time in MSP to get to PHX and a lot of time in either MSP or DTW to get into New York without an RJ.
The only alliance we haven't brought up is UA/US. Denver is a good route to connect for PHX - second only to going nonstop. PHL/PIT are good connections to NYC, and ORD isn't too bad if you need it. Getting to FL would probably be done through CLT on US. Should be all mainline jets, although there will probably be some "Ted" mixed in on that DEN-PHX segment. ("Ted" has mainline jets with economy plus, but not a true first class.)
I'd still take AA to get MRTC and the LGA nonstop, but a US/UA Fan would still do okay for those three destinations.