... but to answer your question, since you live in MSP, I wouldn't completely 'bail' on NWA for obvious reasons (non-stop flights to half the world), but give YX a try. If you fly to the east coast alot, it could work out quite nicely! Who knows, someday maybe they'll add real flights to MSP, though I would't count on it for a while!

Also, I was under the impression that NWA miles can be earned on YX flights... but perhaps that's changed.