It's official – Northwest joins Delta

Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines today merged, creating a premier global airline with service to nearly all of the world’s major travel markets.

The new airline, called Delta and headquartered in Atlanta, will begin its first day as a combined company delivering service to customers in 66 countries and more than 375 worldwide cities – more than any other airline.

With the completion of the merger, Northwest Airlines is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta. Customers should continue to check-in and do business directly with the airline operating their flight just as they did before the merger. Delta will continue operation of the airlines’ separate Web sites, www.delta.com and www.nwa.com, as well as the two airlines’ reservations systems and loyalty programs.

The companies will be integrated through a thoughtful process with customer benefits rolled out over the next 12-24 months, including:

-- The addition of Delta’s code to nearly all of the Northwest system by the end of 2008, creating thousands of additional connecting opportunities.

-- The launch of a fully consolidated worldwide flight schedule in advance of summer 2009.

-- The introduction of elements of Delta’s brand throughout the Northwest system beginning in spring 2009.

-- The consolidation of the Delta and Northwest loyalty programs, ultimately including the ability to combine miles from SkyMiles and WorldPerks accounts at a one-to-one ratio.

-- The full integration of Delta and Northwest Web sites, kiosks, and customer-facing technology to ensure a consistent worldwide travel experience.