Northwest Airlines today announced changes to its WorldPerks frequent
flyer program, which will benefit the program’s best customers and make
achieving Elite level qualification easier by giving additional credit for
business fares.
The changes, all of which take effect March 1, 2004, include a 50 percent
bonus towards Elite status qualification when members travel on coach
class business fares (B-type) on Northwest Airlines, Northwest Airlink, or
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flights. This is in addition to the 50 percent
bonus members currently earn for travel on paid First Class, World
Business Class and full coach fares (Y-type). The expansion of the 50
percent Elite qualifying bonus to coach B fare types, and Northwest’s
continued policy of awarding 100 percent mileage credit for most other
purchased fare types helps make WorldPerks Elite status attainable for
more of the airline’s customers. WorldPerks Elite status includes Silver
Elite (25,000 qualifying miles flown per year), Gold Elite (50,000
qualifying miles flown per year), and Platinum Elite (75,000 qualifying
miles flown per year).

  Additional program changes include:

—Platinum Companion Upgrade - Platinum Elite members who are traveling on domestic itineraries may have one companion, who is booked for
travel on the same reservation, be upgraded to first class at the same
time the Platinum member is upgraded.  Platinum Elite members and their
companions traveling on full coach fares will be eligible for these
upgrades at the time their reservation is made.
—Platinum Guaranteed World Business Class Confirmed Reservation -
Platinum Elite members must now make their World Business Class
reservations seven days in advance of the planned travel date to
request and receive guaranteed confirmed reservations in World Business
Class.  Previously, these reservations could be made within 48 hours of
travel.  Because of the popularity of World Business Class, the 48 hour
period does not provide sufficient time to properly fulfill the
member’s request for a confirmed reservation.
In addition, two new promotions are now available to WorldPerks Platinum
Elite members:

—Platinum Points - This is a special promotion (ends February 28, 2005)
that awards additional Platinum Points for qualifying miles to Platinum
Elite members.  Each time a member reaches a Platinum Points reward
threshold, the customer can choose a reward.  Rewards include items
such as additional bonus miles, confirmed upgrades, and discounted
WorldPerks travel awards.
—Platinum Confirmed Upgrade Guarantee - Platinum Elite members traveling
on domestic Northwest or Northwest Airlink flights will receive
1,000 bonus miles for any flight segment for which they are eligible to
claim WorldPerks miles and are not seated in first class (if first
class seating is available on that aircraft).  This promotion also ends
February 28, 2005.

“We are pleased to make these enhancements to our WorldPerks program in
order to recognize our most loyal customers,” said Beth Shultis, vice
president, marketing and loyalty programs. “These changes are another
example of how Northwest is delivering on its commitment to good customer
service.”

Complete details on these program changes are available at
http://www.nwa.com/freqfly or by calling 1-800-225-2525.

Northwest Airlines is the world’s fourth largest airline with hubs at
Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo and Amsterdam, and
approximately 1,500 daily departures. With its travel partners, Northwest
serves nearly 750 cities in almost 120 countries on six continents. In
2002, consumers from throughout the world recognized Northwest’s efforts
to make travel easier. A 2002 J.D. Power and Associates study ranked
airports at Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul, home to Northwest’s two
largest hubs, tied for second place among large domestic airports in
overall customer satisfaction. Readers of TTG Asia and TTG China named
Northwest “Best North American airline.”
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