Northwest Announces New Airfares

Carrier provides consumers with lower leisure fares, offering more ways to save;
Introduces new discount structure for contracted corporate customers

Northwest Airlines today unveiled a new fare structure that reduces leisure fares year round and offers options to enjoy even greater savings of up to 50%. For its customers traveling under corporate travel contracts, Northwest introduced valuable discounts on flexible business-oriented airfares.

“Our new fare structure builds on Northwest’s record of innovation in offering the best fares,” said Tim Griffin, executive vice president of marketing and distribution. “This initiative has been in development for several months and is an enhancement of our successful ‘Every Day Deals®’ fares introduced in August 1997. This new fare structure will offer more ways to save for leisure travelers and will provide a revised discount structure for corporate business travelers.”

The new Northwest fare structure applies to fares used for travel within and between the 48 contiguous United States, Canada and Alaska.

Low Leisure Fares Available Year Round, More Ways Than Ever To Save

Northwest is reducing by 25% its current Every Day Deals fares and shortening the advance purchase requirement for these fares from 21 days to 14 days.

“With leisure fares at affordable levels every day, customers will be able to book travel when it is convenient, without having to wait for sales or search for the best possible price,” said Griffin.

In addition to Northwest’s new Every Day Deals fares, the carrier unveiled an innovative array of choices that allow consumers to enjoy even greater savings of up to 50% from the original Every Day Deals prices:

Family & friends For customers traveling with a companion, this option offers up to 50% off the original Every Day Deals fares and 35% from the new Every Day Deals fares announced today. Family & friends fares will be available for travel six days per week. (Sundays are excluded). A Saturday night stay and a 14-day advance purchase requirement are key features of the new companion product.

Seven-day stay For customers staying exactly seven days, this fare offers up to 40% off the original Every Day Deals fares and 25% from the new Every Day Deals fares announced today. The seven-day stay fare requires a 14-day advance purchase. These fares are available for travel seven days per week.

Advance planner For customers that book 30 days in advance, this option offers up to 40% off the original Every Day Deals fares and 25% from the new Every Day Deals fares announced today. A Saturday night minimum and a 7-day maximum stay are key restrictions of this fare. Travel is valid six days per week. (Sundays are excluded.)

Northwest also announced additional savings for the most price sensitive leisure travelers with flexible schedules who purchase tickets at the e-commerce vendors Hotwire and Priceline.com. Hotwire and Priceline.com do not identify the carrier until the sale is final. For these travelers, Northwest is now offering fares with additional savings of up to 20% off the new ‘Advance Planner’ fare. A Saturday night stay and a minimum 7-day advance purchase are required.

Corporate Contract Structure

Northwest regularly enters into corporate travel contracts with companies for their employees’ business travel. These contracts provide volume-related discounts on certain eligible fares.

As a result of today’s announcement, qualifying corporate accounts will be able to receive discounts on the full portfolio of business fares – First Class, full coach, and now BizFlex, BizFlex First and ConnectFirst.

Northwest’s BizFlex fares are 50% off full unrestricted coach fares before any corporate discount and require only a one-night stay and 14-day advance purchase. (Most discount fares require a Saturday night stay.) BizFlex First fares allow customers to upgrade to First Class for a nominal charge. Northwest’s ConnectFirst fares offer First Class for the price of coach.

“By expanding corporate discounts to include these attractive business fares, more business customers will be able to take advantage of the flexibility, savings and service that these innovative fares provide,” said Griffin. “This change will make business travel more affordable and convenient for millions of customers.”

In a change of policy, corporate discounts on all other fares will be discontinued. Previously, business customers traveling on deeply discounted leisure-oriented fares received further discounts.

Other Incentives for Travelers

In addition to the new fares, all Northwest customers can take advantage of an array of special incentives the carrier has offered through its WorldPerks frequent flier program:

Double Miles: Northwest is offering double frequent flier miles awarded for travel on flights from now through December 15, 2001. Advance registration is required. Double miles apply to most fares on Northwest-operated flights worldwide.


nwa.com Check-In: By taking advantage of Northwest’s convenient Internet flight check-in at www.nwa.com, customers can receive a one-time bonus of 2,000 miles.


nwa.com Purchase: First time buyers on nwa.com receive 5,000 bonus miles and 2,500 bonus miles for subsequent purchases at nwa.com through December 31, 2001.

Domestic Consolidator Program Changes

The carrier also announced that it has advised its domestic airfare consolidators that it is terminating its domestic leisure airfare consolidator contracts. This action excludes consolidator programs in Canada, all other international destinations, and does not apply to student and tour operators.