Intelligence – January, 23 2009

Intelligence – January, 23 2009

The Northwest WorldPerks U.S. Bank co-branded credit card will be phased out by the end of 2009 but the U.S. Bank debit card will remain as a miles-earning partner of the new Delta. (Just as InsideFlyer predicted.)…

Delta is set to launch service between Detroit and Rome on June 4, 2009. The daily flight will be operated by Northwest Airlines in cooperation with KLM

American Airlines plans to reinstate the Boston-San Diego route starting April 7, 2009. The route was discontinued in September because of fuel prices. American also plans a new Dallas-Madrid route starting May 1, 2009…

El Salvador’s TACA International Airlines SA now participates in Points.com’s Global Points Exchange (GPX). Distancia members can trade their miles with other participating programs. TACA is the first Latin American airline to participate in GPX…

Delta SkyMiles members can now earn 50 miles in each direction when catching a ride with SuperShuttle. Delta is the fourth airline to be a partner with SuperShuttle. SuperShuttle also partners with US Airways, Northwest and Frontier…

Southwest is rumored to be looking to start service from another major airport in 2009. Guesses include Charlotte, Atlanta, Memphis, Cincinnati and Boston. BoardingArea.com’s blog, Things in the Sky, posted a poll asking which destinations readers believe will be added. More than 43 percent said Cincinnati, followed by Atlanta, Boston, “Other” and Charlotte, in that order…

Hawaiian Airlines will be adding a third daily flight between Las Vegas and Honolulu on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays starting Feb. 23, 2009…

Continental Airlines will launch seasonal daily nonstop service between Cleveland and London Heathrow on May 2, 2009. The route will replace the current seasonal service between Cleveland and London Gatwick. The usual seasonal service from Cleveland to Paris Charles de Gaulle has been cancelled, “due to economic challenges.”…

Subject to government approval, Delta Air Lines will launch a daily nonstop flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia starting July 1, 2009…

Canada’s WestJet is set to add new destinations next spring including San Francisco, San Diego, Yellowknife and Sydney, N.S. WestJet is Southwest Airline’s latest airline partner…

Beleaguered Italian airline, Alitalia, has merged with its biggest domestic rival Air One, a partner of Lufthansa in Star Alliance. Alitalia is currently a member of SkyTeam, but when the ink is dry on the final plans for the airline, the alliance partnership might change…

There are significant changes coming to the Air France/KLM Flying Blue program in April. Only elite members can claim a first class award seat (others can’t regardless of how many miles they have) and there will be reduced mileage accrual on several fares. Some members are hopping mad and threatening to jump ship. Read next month’s InsideFlyer International Edition to learn more…

SAS EuroBonus members recently received good news–the Swedish Market Court’s injunction prohibiting SAS from awarding EuroBonus points to domestic passengers has been lifted. Members can now earn points for travel within Sweden…