Saturday, October 20, 2007

A Good Deal with....Northwest?

The title of this post is confusing, no?

Since you know that I live somewhere in the vicinity of Minneapolis-St.Paul, MN, and if you know anything about the airline industry at all, you know that my area is predominantly served by Northwest Airlines. In fact, it is SO predominantly served by NWA, that most people I know fly almost exclusively Northwest. While, I'll admit, at times I swear they are the worst airline on the planet (mostly due to the price gouging in their monopolistic markets due to the predatory nature of their EXTREME opposition to ANY sort of competition in their smaller markets, one of which I live in), they do occasionally have some redeeming qualities.

One of which is their World Clubs network. If you are a frequent business traveler or just have a really long layover (another common theme in my neck of the woods since they have decided to cut all flights between noon and 10 pm here--I'm not kidding...), they are actually a pretty decent value.

For a $45 day pass, an $85 60 day trial membership, or a $450 yearly pass (for you business travelers), you can secure yourself a refuge from the maddening crowds and horribly uncomfortable airport seating, as well as FREE DRINKS AND WIFI! Not a bad deal, when you think about airport drink pricing + the refuge from the chaos of the world outside. In addition, if you have a problem or get bumped from your flight, there are customer service agents with considerably shorter lines standing by.

Of course, other airlines offer similar services, but be sure to check with the airline ahead of time, as amenities (i.e. free booze) and prices vary.


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