My experience with this "alliance"....I am (effective 3/1) Gold w/CO. CO is very accomodating to my requests. The flights I am presently scheduled for on NW I have the worst seating on the plane, cannot get anyone in NW to improve my view. So, I believe you will get great service from CO, lousy from NW. And just the opposite for your wife. Hopefully this situation will improve on 3/1, buy I have this feeling that each airline (CO/NW) will secretly give the special priviliges to the individuals who actually hold FF accounts with them.