CO or DL
 

I need a second airline ex ROC going to TOL. I'm going to do 5+ trips in the next six weeks which works out to 20 segments on one of these. My other option is NW which I'm not going to consider. AA isn't on the client's airline list so I don't thin kI have any chance of using them.

I'm 2P on UA going towards 1P (Mid tier), so it looks like in the status match thread I can get the equivelant comped with either.

Can anyone offer any suggestions about either? It looks like on DL I would connect in ATL, whereas CO it would be CLE or DTW. I have no experience with either airport. I'm going to take a look at the timetables for both ex ROC and TOL as well.

Thanks!

The "CO" flights via DTW are NW metal.

On CO, you'll be on the ERJ and B1900, so no upgrades.

DL flies MD-80s on ROC-ATL, but I believe it's all RJ's on the TOL leg and via CVG.

NW flies DC9s and ARJs on ROC-DTW, both of which are likely to give you a near 100% upgrade percentage as a NW or CO Gold (which is what you'd be comped as a UA 1P). The Saabs on DTW-TOL are loud, but more comfortable than a CRJ. And I'd rather connect through DTW than ATL any day.

Why are you not even considering NW? You could fly NW and credit your miles to CO or DL, but Skymiles elites don't get upgraded on NW, and OnePass elites get upgraded, but only earn 50% EQMs on cheap fares on NW metal.

NW and CO and DL have roughly reciprocal mileage earning, except that on cheap fares on CO metal you'll only get 50% Worldperks or Skymiles EQMs, while cheap fares on NW or DL metal will only get you 50% OnePass EQMs. Also, on CLE-TOL you're going to be on the B1900, which is a "CO Connection" flight and NOT eligible for Worldperks or Skymiles earnings. The B1900 is great if you enjoy feeling like you're "really" flying. Avoid it like the plague if you are afraid of small planes (a CRJ is a giant in comparison).

[QUOTE=themicah]B1900[QUOTE]
These still exist?!?

I've never heard a good thing about NW, but, I trust the advice here about this sort of thing more than anywhere else, so I'm certainly willing to try it if recommended. If CO is just NW metal then I might as well just go NW ticket stock too. The only advantage of ATL to me is that I have my UA RCC membership which has a club there.

I'm not 1P yet on UA, so if I ask NW to comp me status it's only going to be their 2P equivelant which looks like silver. Does this still put me on the list for upgrades? I'm not used to getting that given I take UA everywhere right now so it's not like I'm going to make a decision based on that.

The little fine print and this thread says DL and most CO ticket classes don't count as EQM/EQS on NW. Is this the case reciprocally?

NW isn't going to wow you with their luxury airplanes, int'l upgrade opportunities or amazing employee attitudes (all of which are lacking). But I'd rather connect through DTW than ORD or ATL any day. And if you fly NW as an elite, you're going to sit in first class more often than not (NW domestic F is only slightly better than UA E+).

None of NW, CO or DL offer any sort of E+ product like UA's, so you're either in front or you're in steerage. All three offer complimentary upgrades to elites, however (assuming you're not flying RJs), and if you can snag bulkheads or exit rows you should be reasonably comfortable (note that the exit row on CO's ERJ is comfy, but there are no comfy seats on NW's or DL's CRJs). NW and CO have the advantage of reciprocal upgrade benefits, while DL is off by itself. On NW and CO upgrades are automatic. I think on DL you may have to request them (I'm not sure), but they're still free.

As a NW or CO silver you'll probably have a very good shot at upgrades on ROC-DTW. At most flight times I'd guess you'll be upgraded more often than not--even as a silver.

On NW you get 100/150% EQMs for all DL metal flights, but no EQSs. You get 50/100/150% EQMs for CO metal flights, depending on fare class, and EQSs for the 100/150% EQM fare classes (but not the 50% EQM fares). Note again that CO Connection flights like CLE-TOL are not eligible for Worldperks miles. You get 500 minimum EQMs on every segment, regardless of whose metal.

See http://nwa.com/worldperks/earn/air_partner.shtml for details on which fare classes earn what.

The rules are roughly reciprocal if you credit miles to DL or CO. DL offers minimum 100% EQMs for NW metal, and 50% EQMs only for cheap CO metal. CO offers 50% EQMs for cheap NW or DL metal. I'm not sure of the details regarding EQSs. You'll have to comb through their websites for that.

I'm not sure what you've been reading, but I think you're seriously mistaken. I fly CO and NW a lot. I'm fairly neutral on which one I like more. NW gets me more upgrades. Their service is good even in light of their labor issues. Their World Clubs and liquor/wine on board beat Continental hands down. I was in the Pres Club in IAH on Sunday wondering why I paid money for the place. The snacks were garbage and I couldn't get my own drinks. CO does offer meals in coach and I'm not sure if NW does (I get upgraded quite a bit). NW's website is much better than CO's.

Next time before making a statement like that you might want to ask what we would recommend without any qualifiers based on your own misconceptions. NW does offer a great product. Internationally, I'd take them over CO any day. Domestically, it's pretty neutral. I only wish I had gone with NW for my frequent flier program. They offer many special programs.

I definitely would go with Northwest
 

There are several advantages for chooing NWA for ROC-TOL:

1.) Despite Detroit's reputation for bad weather, DTW is one of the best large airports in the country for on-time operations. NWA is regularly one of the top legacy carriers for on-time performance.
2.) The five year old Northwest World Gateway Terminal (also known as McNamara terminal) is airy, spacious, easy to navigate, has good restuarants near the NWA gates, and has four comfortable WorldClubs.
3.) As other posters have noted, your upgrade opportunities on DTW-ROC are very good.
4.) VERY IMPORTANT: TOL is only about a 50 mile drive from DTW. If there are flight irregularities, missed connection, or you need to change your business schedule, you can easily drive to/from DTW and not loose half of a day.

Okie doke. I'm sold guys. I really appreciate all the help - I know my way around the UA/*A system but as always learning a new one has its growing pains. I've got a bunch of coworkers who are always griping about NW, but I'll trust the folks here any day over that. I just booked itin one, going to cut NW a fax requesting comp status.

Another Benefit for DTW/NWA
 

Good choice to choose NW for your ROC-TOL commute.

One other beneift of flying NWA through DTW that I forgot to mention. ALL of the NW AirLink (i.e. Saabs) and JetLink (i.e. CRJ and AVRO) planes are served by jetways at DTW.

At CVG, none of the gates in the Comair commuter terminal have jetways. One of my pet peaves is leaving dry Lansing, and arriving with soggy shoes at cold but dry Nashville, because the CVG ramp is wet. By flying through DTW, I never have that problem anymore. It makes for a more pleasant day.

While I still believe NW is the best choice in this case, not ALL of the NW Airlink planes are served by jetways at DTW. ALL planes flying into McNamara's A Terminal will be served by gateways, but if you are flying from B or C there is a chance the plane will not have a jetway. Especially on the Saabs.

Never the less, NW is still the best choice.

Really? I thought every B and C gate had a jetway. From the satellite photos on Google Maps (type in DTW and zoom in on terminals B/C) it certainly looks like every CRJ and SF3 is either hooked to a jetway or has the jetway pulled away (presumably for arrival or departure).

WHICH gates on Concourse B or C do not have jetways? Last time I looked, ALL of them did, including the Saab gates. The only recent time that I did not have a jetway at DTW was when I flew a Continental Express Beech 1900 in from CLE; although there was a jetway at that mainline arrival gate, we exited via a stair.

ALL of the Northwest Airlink services (CRJ's, AVRO's, Saabs) use jetways at DTW. (I imagine ther might be a rare circumstance where the airlines needs to park more than one plane at a gate, but such situations are not routine). All-in-all, DTW offers a much more 'weatherproof' commuter plane connecting service than CVG or CLE.

My experience (living near ROC) is that the ROC-DTW flights are usually a fairly easy upgrade as CO Gold, but I certainly don't always get upgraded at peak times. The Friday 5:10pm flight ROC-DTW is particularly difficult. Off-peak, there are often empty seats in F.

Once the ARJs depart the scene by the end of 2006, ROC will presumably see a lot more CRJs which will definitely reduce the attractiveness of NW. It'll probably remain the best deal for those flying west from ROC, but the difference will be less. (For example, today all five ROC-DTW flights have F; there are 2 ARJs and 3 DC-9 flights. If the ARJs get replaced one-for-one with CRJs, then a) there will be fewer flights with F, so upgrades will be harder, and b) aargh! CRJs. Although actually looking at a few random days in March 2007, it looks like the schedule drops to 3 DC-9 and 1 CRJ, so there is also a planned frequency reduction, for what that's worth this far out.)

Still, I'd pick NW for this commute too if I was starting from no status on any Skyteam airline. I personally am stuck with CO status and it's too difficult and annoying to switch, and my thinking from the previous paragraph makes me want to wait and see how the post-ARJ, post-labor troubles NW looks.

My schedule for this project at least right now is that I'm going to be on the 0610 ROC-DTW on Thursdays and a midafternoon DTW-ROC on Sundays. The 0610 was cancelled this morning when I got to ROC for another flight so that makes me a little nervous going into this.

I sent a fax to NW requesting a status match - I'll see what they say. If they do the upgrades are nice but I'm still going to fly because I have to.