Hello, All!

I hope this is the right forum to ask this. I am just beginning to fly quite a bit, and I'm trying to figure out which frequent flyer program is best: CO or NW? Both cover the areas of the US I will be flying. I'm a novice flyer, so your experience and opinions are appreciated.

Thanks!

jburke5

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You might want to post this question in both the NW and CO forum (and indicate that you did). There are highly charged opinions about NW and CO nowadays (including mine), and you should really hear all sides.

NW and CO are partners, and their programs are very similar.

Some notable differences include:

*CO allows elite qualification via segments or miles, NW miles only.
*NW has a more effective ":elite" phone line, CO merely gives you a seperate number that goes into the regular bank of operators.
*NW will process an elite upgrade for you if the automated system failed or missed you (and space is available), CO says "tough luck"
*CO serves food on most flights that had it prior to 9/11. NW cut back more severely.
*CO (for the most part) is flying newer aircraft.
*NW has done away with blackout dates on rewards, Co has not (but this is of arguably little benefit)

And, always consider that CO is run by "Gordo the liar" Bethune, who cut benefits from the One Pass program the same month that he was published in his inflight magazine saying that there will be no benefit cuts this year. He has never apologized nor owned the error. That's the kind of trust you can have in CO IMHO.


[This message has been edited by NJDavid (edited 03-19-2002).]

This was just discussed in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum35/HTML/002861.html

My $.02: if you're in Riverside (CA I presume), I think you'd get more use out of CO's program because America West flights count toward a CO account, but they do not count toward NW. If you're just starting to fly a lot, you should definitely focus your miles into a single account to earn elite status: that will give you free upgrades and bonus miles. Check out the Northwest, Continental, and America West forums-- you'll see lots of people mention Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum, and Chairmans Preferred.

Welcome to the board!!

[This message has been edited by Viajero Joven (edited 03-19-2002).]

Don't forget Alaska! If you live in California, you may want to join Alaska's program, as it is reciprocal with CO and NW, and works most closely with Northwest. They offer substantial bonus miles on enrollment, that may prove better than the enrollment in NW or CO.

Flying CO will earn miles on AS but they won't be status miles. AS is also partnered with AA, and flying AA will earn AS status miles (as well as NW).

When did AS miles stop counting towards elite status?

This is incorrect. Flying on Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air will accrue Elite-qualifying credit in the Continental OnePass program.

http://onepass.continental.com/elite.htm

To Qualify for Elite Status:
You may qualify for OnePass Elite membership based on the amount of paid flight miles (actual or minimum, whichever is greater) OR flight miles or segments/points you earn in a calendar year on the following airlines:

Continental Airlines
Continental Connection (Gulfstream International and CommutAir)
Continental Express
Continental Micronesia
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlink
Air Europa
Alaska Airlines
America West Airlines
America West Express
Copa Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
Horizon Air
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Azteca Lineas A�reas
AMTRAK train service between Boston, New York City, and Washington, D.C.
Continental code-share flights operated by other airlines. (Your ticket must indicate a Continental flight number in order for you to earn Elite miles.)



[This message has been edited by TransWorldOne (edited 03-19-2002).]

Also throw in Azteca to the list of airlines you can earn CO status miles on.

Thanks to all of you for replying to my question! I appreciate the information. I just joined with "FlyerTalk" and I've learned more about the airlines in a few days than I could have ever found out on my own.

You've given me plenty to think about!

Take care.

Jburke5

This actually is a correct statement. If you fly CO and "earn miles on AS" they will not count as status miles with Alaska.

Here's an opinion on the far end of earning miles--that is, using them.

I've booked two free trips since Jan. 1, one on Northwest and one on Continental. I did both about 7 + months from the time of departure. The Northwest trip (Spain in August) was nearly impossible to get together, and required my planning to use a second free trip on Southwest to get to a place (DTW) Northwest would fly me in & out of free. Then, I had to dip into my Diner's Clubs points for the trip back, when only business class was available (and only business class was available for all of August). A frustrating expererience that left a bad taste in my mouth.

I just put a flight on hold with Continental to Hawaii for November--they will let me hold it for 2 weeks with no penalty (Northwest may do this, but didn't offer). The agent worked very hard to make it work, and even enlisted a supervisor to work out a late Saturday departure & layover to get me the much lower mileage rate.

I would have thought Hawaii harder to book than Europe, but who knows. In my case, at least, Continental gets my vote hands down.

JP

TravelWeary is right, you guys misinterpreted my statement.

Since the post I was referring to was talking about using AS as the main FF program, I stated, correctly, that flying CO does not earn AS status miles (though I wish this was not the case). And I am well aware that flying AS will earn CO status miles.

One difference is that on awards to Mexico or the Caribbean, CO awards allow a stopover, while NW awards don't. Also, on transoceanic awards, which do allow a stopover, CO allows an open-jaw AND a stopover, while NW allows one OR the other.

Thanks everyone!!! I am piggybacking as I am deciding, if I leave AA, to go NW or CO !?

I love the free upgrades, miss those terribly. AA makes a stink over comping you 2 stickers and NW upgrades you, automatically, to a First class seat, no questions asked!

Also, I have heard of upgrading problems on CO.

Thank you!

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Michael
AA PLT,1 MLN Miles+
HH GLD, SCI GLD, MM SIL
LE PRESIDENT ETERNEL DE CAMAIR-CAMEROUN AIRLINES

It all depends on your travel habits. If you travel to Hawaii and generally fly sterage as I do then Northwest wins hands down with more reward seating than CO and you may connect with Hawaiian Air for no extra mileage charge if you go on to Maui or Kona
whereas CO hits you for an extra 10,000 making you burn 45000 One Pass miles to NW 35,000. HoKeY upgrade policy on CO is a joke
whereas on NW is is possible to get an upgrade but no World Busines Class just plain domestic FC. For Domestic travel I would recomend America West with the most generous FF program going at only 20,000 miles for a free ticket year round.
Thats just my opinion.