Let's see... prefer NW b'cos

1. from home, LGA is only 10mins vs 1:10h to EWR (I'm in Manhattan's UES)

2. reasonable coverage in Asia among US based carriers (still have to work on the KUL, SGN, HAN and DPS routes)

3. I'm 3/3 for op-up on NRT-HNL - great for mileage runs from Asia to USA

4. better chances of EUA vs CO's battlefield upgrades

5. poor schedules working in my favor (<18hr westcoast layover mini-vacations)

6. CO- and KL- codeshares for mileage runs thru IAH and AMS

7. WP program slightly better than OP or SkyMiles

1. NW has lovely China-US routes (I'm a Chinese currently living in the states)

Yes Air China and United offers non-stop services, but all of them are 744... 744 economy cabin is intolerable -- they don't provide IFE. I love window seats but I'm by no means glad to ask the two guys sitting beside me to stand up when I want to go out.

2. Skyteam has the best coverage and offers the best choices within the states.

3. NW livery is absolutely AWESOME.

Hm. "Lovely" is a new way to describe them... :)

Best option to Asia from SEA and the only non-stops to MSP. Plus, EQMs on AS.

I was very involved in the DL forum www.saveskymiles.com program. We rebelled at many of the changes that DL made in the Skymiles program. I gave many interviews on Radio,and newspapers including Wall Street Journal (I didnt have a wood cut photo image :( )

Along with 3 other DL flyers, I met with DL Skymiles Director and others in management.

On FT, from totally anonymous individuals on a web forum, we raised money. Bought ads in USA Today pushing SSM. We also rented a mobile truck sign that drove around the block during the DL annual meeting. We made and distributed buttons that said Driving Every Loyal Traveler Away. All from people who never met. Only one pledge was not sent in. (FT is a strong community)

Many of the issues were corrected. full MQMs for all fares etc. But my biggest hang up was DL's decision to not count segments.

Traveling in a relatively small geographic area, segment credit was crucial for me to remain PM. I told Robbie Boy Borden that flyers like me were getting screwed and if DL didn't revert back to segment credit, I would take my 125 trips a year somewhere else.

NW was gracious enough to comp me to GE and I achieved PE almost immediately and have been relatively happy ever since.

FYI, DL has since reneged on other promises made ten years ago. When DL switched from their Frequent Flyer Program to SlyMiles, they promised in print that all OLD miles earned as part of the Frequent Flyer Program would never expire. And, if you maintained constant Medallion status, those miles would always be redeemed at the old redemption chart. They took that away last year when they moved old miles into Slymiles.

So, Mikey is not very happy with Dulta:mad:

A very sobering commentary Mikey. And I thought ATL was DL's biggest drawback. Many thanks for sharing.

According to their TV commercials, American Airlines knows why I fly. Why not ask them? :D

(Actually, I echo Mikey....I was a loyal Deltaholic, but the changes at SkyMiles sent me over to NW. I got a comp to GE right before the SkyTeam deal was made, made PE, and I haven't looked back. NW takes good care of me.)

I hope NW continues to understand the importance of segments for a long time to come.

From Omaha, flying east, the choices of a northern hub (MSP/DTW) and a southern hub (MEM) makes travel much easier. Im not interested in going through Chicago, CVG or going to TX first. The Alaska Airlines connections take care of my west coast travel.

The only drawback is coverage in the Caribbean which I have to use CO or DL - I do not care for DL

I fly for conferences, and virtually always my travel is paid for by someone else. It's often booked by someone else too - if I book an NW flight, it will be because it is the cheapest flight on an AS partner that fits in my schedule.

I think there are quite a few of us who jumped ship from DL - NW around the same time. Actually Mikey, the good part of all that is that I did "meet" (virtually anyway) some very nice & interesting people during that whole SSM fiasco / frenzy / hoopla. It was amazing to see so many people who never met, but had a common interest work together so quickly and successfully!

My personal upset from DL during that time was when they did away with the immediate upgrades for K+ fares for platinums. I switched to NW - they comped me GE and I never looked back. (well, OK, I look back sometimes). What sold me on NW was DTW and the WC. I LOVE DTW. Sure beats ATL and CVG. They also give you a meal once in awhile, and as a Platinum I'm almost always upgraded. I do like the little "games" they play too - like milezilla, etc. Helps you put a little game into the travel. Though I never use my points - they are basically just a stock pile for Christmas gifts and graduation presents for relatives. The WC is great - if only they would stock ginger ale, though! Doesn't anyone else drink Rye & Ginger besides me?

I, too, drink ginger ale. It would be a nice, simple addition to the WorldClubs, especially since I prefer it to 7-UP/Sprite when feeling under the weather.

I always said that the SSM efforts would be a great MBA thesis