Northwest AirlinesNWA/ NW

Northwest Airlines was a major U.S. carrier that operated from 1926 until its merger with Delta Air Lines in 2010. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Northwest was one of the "Big Three" American legacy carriers and operated extensive domestic and international networks, with primary hubs in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Detroit, and Tokyo. The airline was a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance and offered a full range of cabin classes including first, business, and economy service on long-haul routes. Northwest's frequent flyer program, WorldPerks, was one of the industry's most generous loyalty programs and continued under Delta following the merger. As a full-service network carrier, Northwest competed with American, United, and Delta on major transcontinental and transatlantic routes while also maintaining significant Asia-Pacific operations, particularly to Japan and China. The airline's strong Pacific presence and Minneapolis hub made it a particularly important carrier for trade and travel between the United States and Asia before its integration into Delta.