I'm Silver with DL and plan to ask either CO or NW to comp my status so I can abandon DL (due to DL's fare based upgrade restriction). Which has the better elite program at the silver level, CO or NW? From what I've read on the 2 boards, it seems that NW is a bit better, and NW certainly offers many more promotions than CO. Complaints on both boards about award availability seem to be roughly equal.

Award availability is similar. If you fly one airline over the other, sign up for the one you fly so you can maximize your bonuses. If you want to qualify on segments, go with OnePass. Otherwise, go with WorldPerks as their customer service is significantly better than OnePass.

Other considerations are whether you think you might join World Club or Presidents Club and where you think you may fly. World Club members can use Americas West's Clubs, but President Club members cannot. Check out other partners in which you might be interested.

PC is cheaper than WC. Both give their elites, but not the other's elites, discounts on club memberships.

Previous posters have some valid points.

But it all depends on who you are going to fly the most. If you are going to fly CO more than NW, go to CO. Elite level rank differently on each airline.

CO:

CO Plat
NW Plat
CO Plat Companion
CO Gold
NW Gold
CO Gold Companion
CO Silver
NW Silver

on NW (please confirm if I mis-stated):

NW Plat
CO Plat
NW Gold
CO Gold
NW Silver
CO Silver
Plat COmpanions
Gold Companions

The only thing that NW has over CO is it's choice of partners. NW still has HP in it's fold and you can upgrade on AS. It also has better integration and reward travel on KL.

NW ELite Earning Partners:

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Continental Airlines
Copa Airlines
AirAlps Aviation
Alaska Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
Malev Hungarian Airlines

NW Non-Elite Earning Partners:

Air China
American Eagle
America West Airlines
Big Sky Airlines
Cebu Pacific
Garuda
Gulfstream International Airlines
Japan Air System
Japan Airlines
Jet Airways
Kenya Airways
Malaysia Airlines
Midwest Express Airlines and Skyways Airlines
Pacific Island Aviation
Swisswings
Transavia

CO Elite Earning Partners:

Northwest Airlines
Air Europa
Alaska Airlines
Amtrak
British European flybe.
Copa Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
Horizon Air
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Continental code-share flights operated by other airlines (Your ticket must indicate a Continental flight number in order for you to earn Elite miles.)

CO Non-Elite Earning Partners:

Aces
Alaska Airlines
British European flyBE.
Emirates
EVA Air
Qantas


- HF

Most important question is perhaps: how do you make Silver on Delta? If on segments, go with CO, if you fly fewer, but longer trips, my preference would be for NW.

Don't go to NW if you fly less than 25K per year

CO revamped its Electronic upgrade system (EUA) earlier this year.

This sparked a bunch of problems, and an annoying tendency for revenue management to zero out all F inventory until the day of departure.

NW elites report that its easier to get EUA over-ridden by NW agents (even if you're flying on CO metal).

This may be another factor to choose NW over CO.

Also keep in mind that NW miles are NOT easily transferred out (via hilton, etc) unlike Onepass miles.

Go for Northwest.

The program is 500% better than CO and the upgrades are more easily arranged wuith the NW elite line. You have the computer and the elite line w/ Northwest.

With CO you have the computer, maybe!

Good luck!

Just FYI, AFAIK, NW does not have a separate elite line for Silvers....only Gold and Platinum

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SFnFlaGuy