Difference Between Silver & Gold
 

What a great website! There truely is a website for everything.

Work sends me to Asia 2 times year, so I have been Silver Elite for 3 years running without any effort or Mileage Run's. In 2006, I am willing to do some MR's to help me get to gold, even though these costs come out of my pocket.

Aside from the 50% to 100% bonus miles, what else is there to look forward to as a Gold Elite??

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http://www.nwa.com/freqfly/elite/benefits.html

>>>>iAside from the 50% to 100% bonus miles, what else is there to look forward to as a Gold Elite??

If you're going to still pretty much only due trips to Asia--particularly if they do not include domestic connections--then you may not find much benefit except for 100% bonus miles instead of 50% (edited with embarassed apologies :o and thanks to MikeMpls).

If you do a fair amount of domestic U.S. travel, then the earlier upgrades, the possibly more frequent upgrades, the direct gold/plat phone line, the policy that gives you a free hotel if stuck even due to weather, the access to gold/plat security lines, and the prettier luggage tag will be worth it.

Generally better service & attitudes from people each time you move up an elite level, fewer lines to wait in it. On MSP-AMS-OSL last July, my GE status really seemed to grease the skids for us. While NW generally tries to treat all its elites well, partner airlines in particular seem to respect Golds & Plats much more than Silvers (although you will find plenty of well-founded complaints about KL/AF in here).

Mike in Mpls.

Apologist at Large

Only DL pays 25% bonuses for Silvers, NW pays 50% bonuses for silvers.

The bonus for Golds is 100%.

Mike in Mpls.

Apologist at Large

What is your home airport? If you're in SEA, PDX, SFO, LAX, MSP or DTW, you won't see much of an increase in upgrades. ( based on my experience, YMMV)

Is this for real? I thought I was pretty well versed in NW elite bene's, but I've never heard of that. If so, cool! And... where exactly is it written? :confused:

It's been mentioned in here a number of times. I thought it was only for Plats. It is an "unpublished" benefit. KLM has also been reported to send Plats to better hotels.

Mike in Mpls.

Apologist at Large

Even the best GAs won't notice that you're elite, even with a glance at your BP. How do you get them to honor it? Flash your card when being rebooked/overnighted?

DL apparently does not honor NW Gold Elite for hotel rooms, as I was delayed out of ORD to CVG due to weather/ATC restrictions and missed my connection from CVG. They happily gave me a 50% off coupon at some off brand hotel which would have cost me $50 or more out of pocket.

The only time I've been given hotel accomodations (not for weather reasons), the same person (outsourced NW/KLM ticket agent in ATL) was also rebooking us. He was certainly aware of our elite status (not that it mattered under the circumstances).

I would imagine that in any situation where you are receiving a hotel room, they are also rebooking you and would be looking at your record.

I haven't heard of DL ever giving anyone hotels rooms for weather & traffic problems.

Mike in Mpls.

Apologist at Large

another nice perk is that if you're traveling on award tickets, you get free domestic upgrades to F if you're gold/plat...doesn't happen for silver. not sure if that's a big deal for you, but it does make a big difference to me.

My miles have varied. As a Gold, I've noticed a considerable increase (knock on wood) in the upgrades on these "trans-con" flights. Not necessarily in/out of PDX/SEA, but so long as I avoid traveling on the peak elite traveling times, I can be assured an upgrade 75% of the time thru LAX/SFO. ^

Agreed. As a silver, my wife and I were upgraded less than 25% of the time. Since we've been gold, we're at about 90%. We usually depart on a weekend redeye and return on late Monday or Tuesday.

In coach or WBC? If WBC, you can actually fly around the world cheaper than to NRT and back.

My friends company will actually pay for the extra hotel room or two on the way around, because it saves so much.

Last time he looked at fares DTW-NRT- $9000. DTW around the world- $6200.

Of course, then you don't need to do a mileage run, because each trip is 25,000 EQMs.

Go for the Gold. Go for Plat.!!!! Use the miles for upgrades on the Asia flights. I do that all the time...amazing in WBC.