They're capacity controlled and apparently can only be redeemed 2-7 days prior to departure. The general consensus is that they're worse than Delta's PMUs, which even though they can be booked anytime, are considered useless due to capacity controls.

I am one who has never received them & I don't think I will benefit from it, although others probably will. I haven't read all of the details, so maybe somebody will tell me that I am wrong. (Also, I am switching my paid flights to AA whenever possible, so even less likely this will help me.)

If I was continuing with NWA & I have the same flying patterns as I have for the last 3 years would these be useful to me? I have no international travel, ICT is 100% CRJ, over half of my destinations are also served by RJ's after connecting in the hub, & the only time I haven't been upgraded on my other routes was when I changed flights the day of the flight. Unless these are good on award tickets & can be used on family members, I don't think I will benefit.

Interesting. . . I've had no experience with either NW or DL SWU/PMU before, so this is good to know. Thanks for the info.

I guess United's are much better -- I have an almost perfect record in upgrading about a dozen trans-Atlantic segments (from either Y to C or C to F) over the past two or three years when I have sought to under various circumstances.

I don't know of a better SWU than NW has (had). Very easy to use, upgrades any revenue ticket, into C class.

For what its worth, next year (if any of us are left :) ) we should get the Delta PMUs

Has there been any indication that the NW ones will be good on M fares as are the DL ones. I have a flight I'm planning (after Mar 1) where the M fare is not all that much more than the next available fare, and with 150% EQM for M, it might be worth a gamble.

The other question I have on them is what happens if there is a intra-Europe KLM flight (I often do AMS-NUE or AMS-ZRH or even AMS-DUS after taking NW metal over the pond). I don't care about getting upgraded on the CityHopper flight, but I have a feeling that any KLM metal will invalidate them.

I think that us Delta Plats are so busy reacting to changes to our existing program that we are not looking closely at NW Plat benefits we could have and haven't started to demand those (fat chance that will happen anyway). It could be just a smoke screen put up by DL folks so us DL plats don't have the time to look into the beneis would could be getting?

You just got one -- upgrades on award tickets.

Overall now the program merger is a plus for DL elits and big minus for NW elites.

I agree 100%. They should be takeing the best of both. DL plat can not look at NWA because no one can keep up wit all the changes.

Not sure I would say a plus for DL elites - maybe less of a minus? Did DL platinum elites/medallions get free award ticket changes too?

That's only a plus if there are empty F seats. Otherwise, it's just taking seats from Silvers and giving them to Plats/Golds.

I'm no conspiracy theorist but with all the distractions that have been created by DL, I admit I have spent no time whatsoever to look at what NW elites are receiving. We are so preoccupied fighting the fight to keep our existing benefits that we may actually be loosing in the long run by not acquiring NW benefits.

Intresting strategy .....

Sleazy DL SkyMiles management is used to putting up smoke and mirrors in order to maximize the fleecing of the "loyalty" program customers. These kind of dishonest games by DL are par for the course as of late.

Welcome to Delta Airlines, where management thinks of the customers as the enemy or sheep to be fleeced and it shows.

SWUs are one of those wonderful phantom benefits...just try to redeem one.

9. UP6 snafu...

Increased award change/cancellation fees and more types of award fees.