I guess I could see how a West Coaster might be able to avoid ORD, but I still think it's highly probably one would still be routed through ORD if any reroutes occur.

With SEA-HNL flying, I'd rather upgrade with miles on a 753 than to have to connect, but that's just IMHO.

UA allows ugs without miles to hawaii. I also dont mind breaking up the trip for an hr to fly a wide body. but ua does have a 757 sea-hnl that I can ug for free. Its been a while whats NWs milleage UG? 17500miles each way?

upgrades
 

Well for slippahs, his upgrades SEA-HNL are free too.

Thought you were going to stop posting in this forum since your switch.

:D

It's free for us based in HI (looks like rtarbuck beat me to the punch on this one), which is why I stay with NW. As a mid-tier elite, I don't want to go earning 500-milers to upgrade a flight where 6 of these would be required for a o/w.

And, it's nice having a non-stop that operates more than once a week. ;)

BTW slippahs I was really quite pleased with my switch to ua because sea is kinda a focus hub. Your "westcoaster" doesnt really apply the same way to a seattle flyer vs a lax or sfo flyer. they end up with the same hub hostage fares as NW flyers that live near msp or dtw. I guess im lucky. I can fly sea-sfo-mco for about 259 and someone in the bay area can fly sfo-mco for 299 on the same plane. go figure :D

Slippahs im a haleiwa ex-pat, I still have my Hi drivers license, PO box and cell phone # 808. I could get those too but I wouldnt want to take them from you guys ;) ^ you need them:)

well Im still a NW plat and still have miles to burn. :) I have to stay in here til its all gone. News is Knowledge and FT has the latest news. Up to the second :D

It makes sense for Hawaii mid-tier elites such as slippahs to stay with NW because of NW's Hawaii resident UG policy.

Unless, of course, if slippahs flies 100K per year....;) ;)

Off-Topic
 

As I am sure the Zipper would say here, I think we've gotten way off topic!

:p

well NW is going to merge with delta, so consider this the NW coffeehouse thread :p

NWA/Delta
 

Since there is a real thread dealing with the potential NW/Delta merge, I still think this conversation is way OFF-TOPIC.

Program enhancements have nothing to do with this "discussion".

My guess is that Platinum points is going to be rolled into an EQM-based system.

That will put 2 SWU's into the 150K EQM range. However, I'm also guessing that the SWU's will essentially be a 'mileage waiver' from Y/B fares -- in other words, you'll still have to fly Y/B, but not on a B fare you won't have to spend the 60,000 miles.

But I am waiting to see...for the right incentives I could swing my business back to NW... :)

Steve

I really think you need to turn in your magic 8-Ball.... and as rtarbuck so kindly reminded us... this is a thread on NWA Program Enhancements for 2007...

Getting back OT...

As RC indicated I doubt there will be any enhancements.

There may be a chance they will implement a "buy-up" day of departure upgrade programme like Flying Blue just introduced and similar to CO, where you pay a co-pay amount on the day of departure based on fare class. The only reason I suggest this is a KLM Crown Lounge agent showed me the printout last week that says NW WorldPerks members may now participate in the co-pay DOD upgrade program.

However, DOD upgrades have been available to WP Members in the Crown Lounges for several years now and it's never been announced or communicated to us, so they may keep this "on the quiet" as well.

Thanks, I appreciate that... :p
I seriously doubt I'd ever be flying 100k per year. And, even if I did, I still stick with NW. UA has a FC product that pales in comparison to the A333 NW offers on NW98/99, and I would imagine that there's a lot of competition for Hawaii seats on a UA (and/or AA flight) for the top-level elites. I'd rather not that have that kind of stress.
I am a large opponent of co-pay upgrades because of the inherent devaluation that rings with the word "pay" in co-pay.