The challenging domestic alliance involving Delta SkyMiles, Continental OnePass and Northwest WorldPerks (which is hoping to secure a more kindly blessing from the DOT) may, as soon as March 1, allow members to earn reciprocal miles when flying on each other. This is the first baby step for an alliance that looks to be one of the more complicated to come down the turnpike. It will likely take several additional months for reciprocal award redemption to become available, not to mention the actual function of a full reciprocal elite-level program.

A very important point to remember is that these programs will remain independent of each other, and there will be no mingling of miles for award redemption.

The tricky part will be how OnePass and WorldPerks deal with the elite requalification handicap that SkyMiles now has. Also interesting will be the way in which elite-level bonuses are earned. For instance, Platinum members of both the OnePass and WorldPerks programs currently earn a 125-percent flying bonus, while Platinum with SkyMiles earns 100 percent. The base elite level with SkyMiles earns a 25 percent bonus while the base level of the OnePass and WorldPerks program earns a 50 percent bonus. Our guess is that if you are a Platinum member flying Delta, you’ll eanr their 100 percent bonus rahter than your normal 125 percent if the program is truly to be reciprocal. However, there are certainly challenges ahead, since Delta does not have any elite reciprocal benefits with their other domestic alliance partner, United Mileage Plus. News when it happens…