So Monday, I flew the flights that pushed me over 75K miles into Platinum-land (the double miles promotion only pushed up that date for me -- I have six itineraries already booked and I'll hit 100 segments on 10/20 as well).

Today, as expected, the miles posted and my account summary has me listed as a PE. Hooray for me.

So, after taking in all the details here at FT, I call the elite line to have them swap out my Gold number and enter my Platinum number. The woman who answered the phone (very knowledgable and friendly) told me that her computer still shows me as a GE and that this particular system wouldn't update until tonight, best that she could tell. She told me to call back tomorrow.

Interesting -- my Account Summary says Platinum, yet the front page (nwa.com) shows my updated mileage yet still has me as a "Gold Member."

Must be two different computers, although I find it strange that an update seems to be a batch run when it wouldn't be hard to update this in real life.

Doesn't matter -- I missed out on upgrades on my return tomorrow anyway. Wonder if when those computers are updated tomorrow and after I call they'll notice I'm a PE sitting in coach and I'll get the bonus miles...

Does anyone have any definite info on how this whole process works? I'd hate to call back day after day to get existing reservations updated. It's a shame that this doesn't happen automatically -- and I'm glad that FT has let me know I need to make this call.

(BTW, I think I am a good example of a "good comp." I was a mid-tier elite with AA, sick of flying through ORD. I called NW, they comped me to Gold for 2005 and I've now earned Platinum and send almost all of my business to NW)

Double check the dates of your elite status, it may look like this:
Gold Elite XXX-October 5
Platinum Elite October 6

It usually works like this:
Day 1. Flight
Day 3. Miles Post
Day 4. Status becomes active.

Example:
Mon : Flight
Wed : Miles Post
Thurs: Status becomes active

Thats how it usually works for me.

Given how big these databases are, and how old these systems are, it seems reasonable. A day usually doesn't make much difference in this thing, so the costs to upgrade the systems to communicate in real time wouldn't really have much benefit.

You hit the nail on the head. Thank you. I, for whatever reason, thought today was the 6th. I tend to lose track of the date when I travel.

I went thru the same thing last weekend:

Friday -- flew STL-DTW-DCA, which would yield enough miles for Plat

Saturday morning -- nothin'

Sunday morning -- miles posted, status change effective Monday, checked in as a GE anyway (wife was SE in same record) for Monday flight

Sunday evening -- kept trying to re-enter WP #, kept showing me as GE, finally about 11:30 p.m. EDT it worked and the itinerary showed me as PE (but I had already entered the waitlist as GE)

Monday morning -- printed dup. BP's at kiosk (showed me as PE), then stopped at WC to check on my priority & position in the waitlist, was advised that I was #1 but as a GE, so I showed her my BP and told her I was PE as of that date and would she please update the waitlist info, which she did. My first upgrade as a PE was a battlefield upgrade on DCA-MSP.

So if it's not too late to salvage/improve your upgrade chances, I would suggest:

(1) If you have computer access, keep trying to change your WP number until your itinerary shows your new status

(2) Use a kiosk to print duplicate BP's (or the hotel printer/fax if available), so you have a hard copy that show's you're a Plat

(3) Arrive as early as possible and show the hard copy to a WC CSR or TA/GA and make sure you're in the waitlist correctly. WorldClubs seem to be the best for that since they're less harried than the people at the ticket counters and gates and they're much more understanding of "high maintenance" customers.

The hard copy really shouldn't be needed, but it never hurts to have some physical evidence.

MSP,MEM and DTW can get sickening too

Any standing reservations made under your old status will still display as such. If I'm not mistaken, all you need to do is go into your existing reservations, via the web page and either view it, or reconfirm it. This will 'refresh' the record and you should now see your new status as Platinum for that reservation. Also your miles displayed on the NWA home page won't update until your click on Account Summary.

redjr....

On this point - I believe the NWA.COM front page keeps a summary from your last visit, via a cookie I think, while the account summary page is live.

My past experience was that you need to call in to have the elite agents update manually. I did it online with the procedure you mentioned, the upgrade did not go through.

I hit Plat three weeks ago. It first showed up under Account Summary. After that, I tried to update my information on a coming itinerary by doing it on nwa.com. However, no matter how I tried(delete it first, then add it; or first change it to non-elite DL skymiles number, then change back), the system kept remembering me as a GE(I was even listed as GE when I used the DL non-elite skymiles number). I ended up calling elite line and asked the agent to do it for me. So my experience told me that you would have to call.

There might be a third computer system on NW---the weekly email I got last week from NW still listed me as GE; but this week it changed to PE.

I did it online a couple weeks ago for my wife, and she was 4/6 as a newly minted SE. Not bad if you ask me. BTW, I tried calling a CSR to have them change the number as well. The CSR informed me that it was already showing her as SE from when I updated it online so there was nothing more to do.

Like I said, "If I'm not mistaken...". I don't recall exactly how I changed my status to display properly. I know I went into my reservation record, but not sure if I reconfirmed it, changed seat assignment, or updated my WP number. I haven't had the need to do it again since I haven't reached Platinum yet.

redjr...