• by Tanya Gazdik , October 3, 2007

Northwest Airlines is counting on its customers' love of playing games as well as the desire to win a free vacation in a new promotion launching this week.

In an e-mail that went out Tuesday to WorldPerks frequent-flier customers, Northwest calls the "Mystery Miles" endeavor "one of our biggest promotions of the year." The promotion features Detective Max Miles, who looks like a character from the 1940s. The headline on the e-mail and web site proclaims "Max Miles is on the case." The promotion involves a game wherein visitors to the Eagan, Minn.-based airline's web site will be asked to piece together the clues that reveal the city or landmark and win a trip for two to that destination.

Miles will be found in a new "Mystery Destination" each week for a total of 12 weeks. The first will be posted on Monday. A different clue will be provided at nwa.com/mysterymiles each weekday of each weekly prize period until a contestant correctly guesses where the detective is. Within the same day of a contestant's correct guess, a notice will be posted on the Web site.

Consumers can win one of 12 trips for two, including air and hotel. Each WorldPerks member can also earn a maximum of 100,000 bonus frequent-flier miles during this promotion.

Also as part of the promotion, Northwest also is offering 20 ways to earn points that will translate to bonus frequent-flier miles, including shopping in the WorldPerks Mall, signing up for a WorldPerks Visa Platinum, Signature or Business Card, a stay with any WorldPerks hotel partner or a rented vehicle from a WorldPerks rental partner. WorldPerks members must register at nwa.com for this promotion prior to any qualifying activity and no later than Dec, 31. Qualifying activity must occur after registration and be completed by Jan. 31.

Northwest spokesman Roman Blahoski says the airline will inform customers about the promotion in a number of ways, including e-mail blasts, info during the hold message on the Northwest toll-free line, as well as ads on NWA.com and on the mileage summaries sent to WorldPerks customers.

"We also are planning a direct mail piece ... to WorldPerks members," Blahoski tells Marketing Daily.

Northwest Airlines Corp., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2005. The airline emerged from bankruptcy in May of this year and is now placing a renewed focus on customer service.