ADLFO

Dear Bob:

Please pack this with you on your next meeting to ATL. Make sure you don't leave it in MSP because the southern portion of your (soon to be) family need your wisdom in regards to Pay With Miles. Thanks,

ADLFO

RobOnLI

GUS: Golds Upgraded Second. So, how's that an improvement?

Bob, details would be cool if you can provide them. Some of us on the board are very detail-oriented people...like knowing where we are on the upgrade standby list.

Can you elaborate on earlier upgrades? Already most come at the 6/4/2 mark so I'm wondering if this applies to non-standard cases like where people book last minute, use FlyNow, etc.

Thanks very much for the update.

-RM

james318

What point does this start showing up? I really have not flown this year. Only once. (Pathetic, I know.)

notsosmart

I've already notified the TalkBoard. Don't be surprised if you are unable to log into FT tomorrow morning.

This is a board for frequent flyers.

---

Travel patterns change all the time. I myself have flown a fair bit less in the last 18 months than in previous years.

james318

lol... I am sure work will send you a letter of appreciation... I'll be much more productive.

I've flown once this year, a DTW-BNA trip where I didn't get upgraded on DTW-BNA, but for the first time in 3 years, got upgraded on BNA-DTW. I have a DTW-FLL-MEM-DCA-DTW-BNA-DTW trip coming up, so I'll have a chance to see this new process in action... Which is why I am wondering when it will show up. At checkin? At 5 days out? at 24 hours because i am a lowly silver?

SPN Lifer

I suppose we'll know the change is coming soon when NW asks us to verify our DL number if we have one, or we are issued a new DL number.

Watchful

I think another thread indicated at the 24 hour point for all. I am looking forward to trying it out myself.

GBadger

According to other threads, it's already there.

raehl311

When I first read it, I assumed it was referring to the EARNING of miles/segments, not redemption.

Allanf

Has anyone been able to watch their place on the upgrade list? I was unable to find what Bob is referring to.

Allan F
Green Bay, WI

Nanrid1121

I will aplogize in advance if I am posting this in the wrong thread, but it is my very first post.

I have been NWA WP Silver (occasionally make Gold) for many years. I have been watching this forum for several months and find the information invaluable. My first question is whether there is any benefit to start collecting DL Skymiles for DL trips I have planned through the end of this calendar year? I do have a Skymles account, but I always enter the NWA WP # at the airport or when printing out boarding pass the day before. I realize the programs are going to be combined, but I already have sufficient miles booked on NWA to make Silver for next year.

I have similar questions as to whether it is time to consider switching my Visa Northwest Signature card to a Delta recognized card? I have not yet done the research to find out if there is a comparable card that gives the $100 e-certs or the two 19,000 mile award tickets. The new EQM program for the Signature card would probably put me back to Gold next year if the Visa Signature card remains a valid NWA/DL product.

Any advice is welcome.

Jaimito Cartero

For a number of reasons, you need to keep collecting NW miles. More miles, higher status in one, instead of status on two (or no status on either!). Ditto for the credit card. I'm sure they'll have a new offer sometime next year, and give you a sweetener to get an Amex card.

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

Nanrid1121

Thanks for the Welcome... and the advice. I will stick with NWA WP and the Visa for now. One exception - I will take SkyMiles for one BOS/DCA trip in October. I went into my SkyMiles account and found that I have 22.5K miles due to expire December 2008. I had been taking NWA WP miles for my Delta trips for the past two years and had not realized the DL miles were about to expire. Apparently, my travel on DL does not keep the account active if I choose to take NWA miles, and the miles expire. The SkyMiles member information indicates that Partner travel counts as "activity" but I guess that means getting DL miles for NWA travel.

Nancy Ridley

optimist1125

Since SkyMiles doesn't condsider segements for Elite qualification and WorldPerks does, does anyone have any insights about whether NWA segment qualification will carry over to the merged program?

I've gotta believe there are plenty of loyal NWA elites like me who qualify via segments earned on shorter-haul, domestic trips.

After three years as a Gold, I expect to finally hit Platinum in about six weeks. It's disconcerting to think that next year, under the potentially combined program, one might not be able to keep that status -- or even a lower status -- because of the way one happens to need to fly.

Thoughts, anyone?

RobOnLI

No one knows for sure because the program details are not finalized. With that said, the current DL head of Skymiles will be the new VP of Skymiles (or whatever it's called) after the merger. You can bet that many of the "enhancements" that DL has seen will be carried over and forced onto the NW WorldPerks program.

My personal opinion is we will see the following, at a minimum:
1. No more qualification on segments
2. No more 100% EQM for all fare classes in coach. Look for either a two- or three-tiered system (e.g. 25% for T/K, 50% for V/L and 100% for H/B/M/Q).
3. Probably a higher qualification threshold for Plats to 100K.

Again, these are just my opinion and none or all may happen. While these are all bad things, there may be some good things that come with the merged program like a higher elite category than Platinum somewhere in the 150K+ range.

-RM