Northwest Airlines Hubs and Primary Routes

Until its recent renovation, Northwest’s Detroit hub was likely the worst major airport in the country, offering a structure and service level more typically seen in Kyrgyzstan. But since the new terminal re-opened, travelers actually enjoy flying through the airport, which features an array of food choices, a pretty cool indoor monorail to take you around the terminal, and a quality Westin hotel. Not a bad way to spend 90 minutes. From the hub, they offer extensive service to Asia and throughout the Midwest (as well as the usual transcon flights), and a handful of flights to Europe. Northwest’s European presence is actually rather paltry, considering how deep its Asia ties run.

Northwest’s Minneapolis hub also serves as its headquarters, and that’s no surprise considering how clean and, well, nice the facilities are (would you expect anything else from Minnesotans?) The hub offers a few flights to Asia, a couple of Europe and strong coverage of the Upper Midwest and Great Plains.

The Memphis hub has long been the red-headed stepchild of the Northwest operation, constantly rumored for an impending shutdown. It’s an odd bird for the airline, considering its strength in the northern part of the country and its relatively paltry coverage in the South, even with the Memphis hub. Most assume it will be shuttered (or cut back) after the Delta merger, but it’s survived until now, so who knows? When looking for domestic reward travel, it’s worth checking on flights through Memphis, as they often have availability when Detroit and Minneapolis flights are full.

Northwest has also developed a focus city in Milwaukee offering primarily point-to-point service in the expectation (and increasingly likely chance) that Midwest Airlines will shut down.

Finally, the airline operates a hub at Tokyo-Narita airport for its Asian operation. Northwest a lucrative right to carry passengers from Tokyo to other destinations in Asia, giving it a significant footprint in the region. It’s not a particularly nice terminal, but connections there are generally quick.

Learn More About Northwest Airlines Worldperks

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Northwest Airlines Hubs and Routes
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