Northwest Platinum Welcome Kit

Thanks, Lucky! I agree with you, but after a few BMI Cash and Points F flights/bookings on Swiss, I would love to keep earning some points on BMI. I'm not quite sure that the UA/CO cooperation will be the same as the UA/US cooperation. One would hope that UA will see how great the CO/NW cooperation has worked and try to adjust to it. But knowing UAs management, I doubt they will be humble and try to adjust to something successful.. Since many of my NW flights currently give only 50% CO EQMs, getting a NW Plat card is probably a good idea. Anyways, have 26K Star EQMS personal trips already booked for Q1 next year (securing 2P), 18K personal on CO in Q1, in addition. Work trips are typically booked 1-2 weeks in advance, they currently amount to 15-20K EQM a quarter. I have a C trip to SIN Q1 for work not booked yet We shall see where we will put these miles..

Hey Tommy, That's a tough situation. I plan on dropping down to 1K next year (I'm 2K this year ;) ), and will hopefully maintain NW/DL Plat as well. BD Gold won't be worth much as soon as LH fully takes them over, and I'm not a huge fan of AA, so unless I'm EXP I just don't find status with them to be totally worth it. You're in a tough situation. If I were you I'd status match to NW right now, as they should comp you NW Plat status. While I can only speculate, I'm betting that as soon as CO joins the Star Alliance, your CO PC membership will get you into RCC's when flying UA, although I doubt you'll get Economy Plus access, unfortunately. Given the fact that you travel so much to a destination that is served mostly by RJ's with CO, I would try to go for 1K again with UA (as much as they suck) for the SWU's, since the benefits of CO Plat are pretty meager other than the complimentary upgrades, which can be tough on flights like transcons. I would keep flying NW, except start crediting to them directly, as the relationship between NW and CO is ending soon, and NW isn't an airline you want to fly in coach. Of course this is all tentative, so I would just match to NW Plat for now (just in case), and keep doing things the way you are until there's a reason to change (i.e., no more reciprocal upgrades between NW/CO, CO joins the Star Alliance, etc.).

Hi Lucky, What's your plan for next year? Are you planning to retain 1K, NW Plat, BD Gold and AA Plat? That's 263K EQM, a little much for a guy who doesn't get any help from work to pay for travel ;-) I'm debating myself, this is where I'm at: CO Plat, UA Premier Exec (from 1K), BD Gold, AA Gold and Eurobonus Gold. I travel almost every week with NWA to MSP from ORD and a lot more smaller hops from ORD. Got the CO Plat card to diversify a little out of ORD, I have a 100% upgrade success on about 50 NWA flights this year! For the short hops around here, NWA is great compared to UA. They have that basket with goodies served in F on all legs, while UA serves nothing to MSP/DTW etc. Also, NW has the Firebrick beer, an Amber lager I just love! Now that move becomes pointless since CO is flying mainly ERJs to EWR from Jan 1. and NWA/ DL cooperation will be eliminated in 09. It's hard to make a decision now, we have no idea how the CO/UA cooperation will work. Will UA allow CO elites in to Economy Plus? What will the lounge situation look like? (Bought PC from CO, don't have RCC because of 2 international status cards) I was thinking about eliminating either CO or UA, but will wait to make a decision till the cooperation is presented in detail. Your input would be highly appreciated.

I can answer my own question now: yes, NW still matches !k to Plat. Just got the email :)

Sorry to hear about that, Miki. That's very odd, since usually the airlines love foreign customers, and often even lower the status thresholds for them or throw in some freebies. Have you thought about changing your address to a US one temporarily in order to get the status match? I bet that would work.