CO elite flying NWA
 

I need to fly NWA on my next trip for work. As a CO Plat, what can I expect with all of the recent changes?

a chance at an EUA for a NW coded and operated flight.

50% EQMs if on a cheap fare.
Fees should you need to bring checked baggage along.

Not a damn thing.

I flew NW last week and though there were seats in F, I was told CO elites are no longer upgraded on NW. I also had to pay to check a bag. Then there is the 50%............

I have a different experience with NWA... This past weekend I burned some NWA miles and booked a reward ticket from DCA-DTW-DCA, I put my CO PLAT # and I got upgraded both ways to F. Yes, in a reward ticket... how? I dont know... I was offered an elite upgrade when checking in online and I got them both ways. I only hold Elite status with CO. Im nobody with NW.

The agent was totally wrong - until CO leaves ST or an announcement to the contrary is made, recip upgrades are still a benefit. You should have escalated - not that NWA F is anything to get worked up over anyway.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with NWA first class. I've heard that a lot over the years and, as someone who's flown a ton of NW flights I can say that it's simply not true. I've also found that NW treats me better as a CO elite than CO does as their own elite. Go ahead and fly NW and enjoy.

As far as what to expect, it's true that if you are in coach you would have to pay to check bags. But if you get upgraded (as a CO plat your chances are excellent - better than they would be as a CO plat flying CO), the bag fee is waived. If there are seats available you will get upgraded 6 days out as a plat, most likely even with one of the cheaper fares.

This is a known/published benefit of Y reward tix on NW. Platinums are eligible for EUA on day of travel.

NWA EUA for CO Silver
 

My upgrade for DTW-MCI cleared 36 hours in advance. :D^

One perk on NWA/DL - The cocktails are pretty good. Try the Mile High Mojito:p

Enjoy the NWA benefits while we still have em'

As a Presidents club member, I would also point out that the Sky Clubs Ive been in lately (DTW, BOS, JFK) have really been nice and the food selection looks impressive at various times of the day.

Now that they have free wifi, I sort of like em more than Pres clubs (even in the hubs)

oh, i have an experience with DL. sunday, we were 'weather delayed' for 5 hours TPA/ATL. because there was no cancelation we couldn't re-accommodate so, of course we missed our Seattle connection... stranded in ATL. their new plan to get us home was on NW... the next day. i tried to get NW/DL to switch the FF program to onepass so we had a better chance to upgrade. we are both CO plat and only DL gold but we were told (airport/phone) that it couldn't be done. needless to say, we lost upgrades by a couple of positions and had middle seats to boot.
frustrating that DL can throw you on NW metal on a whim but pax are not offered the same option.
my partner promises to never fly DL on purpose again and i don't think i'm gonna miss the ridiculous snack basket in f.

Not to defend DL, but first, NW is DL now in terms of what Delta wants people to perceive. Yes, still separate airlines from an FAA perspective, unions, and the fact that NW still gives upgrades to CO elites based on the existing NW/CO contracts (until October 24 or when SkyMiles and WorldPerks merge, whichever comes first). So it's not like "DL throw you on NW metal on a whim" - DL did a good thing to get you home.

Second, it's a known limitation of Delta's systems (legacy Delta) that once you fly the first flight on an itinerary, it's impossible to change the FF# to a different one. However, NW can do so. The problem is, the DL agents don't realize that the legacy-NW system does allow this. If you had gone to nwa.com and been able to pull up the NW version of the reservation, you probably could have changed it yourself for the NW-operated flights.

BTW, "known limitation" means known to Delta agents and to many DL-flying FTers. It isn't a "known" as in Delta proactively tells people about this. :)

One other thing. The "ridiculous" Delta snack basket on my 214-mile F (ATL-RDU) flight last night at around 11pm was a lot healthier, more filling, and tastier, than the bag of CO pretzels on my CO 876-mile (IAH-DEN) 11pm-ish F flight a few days earlier. CO has better "meals at mealtime" than DL/NW does in F on under-3hrs-flights. But DL provides better non-mealtime F "snack flight" fare by far. On an "apples to apples" comparison, there sure weren't any apples on CO.:D (nor bananas, nor Twix bars, nor Biscoffs)

were you on NW or DL metal? If the latter, this makes sense.

Where are you going? I was upgraded to Alaska on (what I think as) the oldest 757 NWA was flying out of MSP. The video was missing - appeared to be ripped out of the wall. At least the drinks were on the house, but she had been rode hard and put away wet. . .

If you miss an upgrade on NW it's probably not because you're a OnePass member. NW has had a lot of system problems recently upgrading their own elites, especially if the flight is a DL codeshare.

DL cut way back on the food in the clubs a couple of weeks ago. Only a snack mix, Biscoff cookies and Nutella (go figure) except from 4 to 7, when you also can also choose from olives, wrapped "cheese product" sticks, broken cracker pieces, carrot and celery sticks out of a jar, and hummus. The PCs just moved ahead in the club food competition.

What happened to the CO cold deli plate for those longer non-mealtime flights?

I noticed an extensive afternoon buffet at the JFK SC with a spread of fruits, pasteries, salads, and cheeses. although your point is otherwise true. I would also note the cappacino machines available at most former WC locations