Grab Your Chance to Fly Around the World

REDMOND, Wash., July 31, 1997 — Microsoft Corp. and Northwest Airlines today announced new incentives to visit the Microsoft® Expedia
™
travel service at http://expedia.com . Today through Aug. 30, 1997, visitors to Expedia can register to win the Microsoft Expedia Around-the-World Fantasy Sweepstakes with a Grand Prize of two round-the-world airline tickets compliments of Northwest Airlines, plus a generous allowance for accommodations.

The sweepstakes includes a chance for 10 additional visitors to Expedia to win round-trip tickets on Northwest Airlines for travel within the 48 contiguous United States, and between the 48 contiguous United States and Canada. As a final incentive, travelers buying Northwest Airlines tickets through Expedia will receive 1,000 bonus Northwest WorldPerks miles per ticket, through Aug. 30, 1997.

“Travelers look to Expedia for comprehensive, low-cost travel options, and incentives from with industry leaders such as Northwest are key to meeting customer expectations,”
said Richard Barton, travel business unit manager at Microsoft.
“Now, in addition to Expedia’s the outstanding editorial coverage and booking tools in Expedia in Expedia, travelers have a great new reason to visit expedia.com.”

Microsoft Expedia, launched in October 1996, is already one of the Web’s most successful electronic commerce sites. Expedia regularly tops $2 million in weekly travel sales and is on track to become a $100 million travel service by the end of 1997.

“Northwest Airlines is pleased to team with Microsoft on the Around-the-World Sweepstakes to encourage our customers to make their travel arrangements on the World Wide Web,”
said Rick Dow, vice president of marketing programs and worldwide advertising at Northwest.
“And, with our 1,000 bonus miles offer, which is exclusive to Expedia, customers have another reason to choose Northwest Airlines when they use Expedia.”

The Around-the-World Fantasy Sweepstakes began July 30, 1997, and ends Aug. 30, 1997. It is open to residents of the United States and Canada, excluding residents of Puerto Rico and Quebec. The prize drawing will take place on Sept. 15, 1997. For complete rules, see URL http://expedia.com .

Microsoft Expedia is a free online travel planning service available on the World Wide Web at http://expedia.com/ and on MSN
™
, The Microsoft Network (connect-time charges may apply). Using the same comprehensive reservations system used by professional travel agents, and extensive editorial content covering over 330 destinations around the world, Expedia helps customers research and purchase or reserve airline tickets, hotel rooms and rental cars. Airline tickets can be purchased online with credit cards and will be delivered by first-class or Express Mail. Expedia also supports electronic ticketing, or
“ticketless travel.”
After receiving their tickets, customers who require last-minute assistance can call the toll-free Expedia customer support number 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Expedia also sponsors the Mungo Park
™
online magazine, which is devoted to exploring the spirit of adventure in travel. It’s located at http://mungopark.com/ .

To access Microsoft Expedia, users need access to the World Wide Web and Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or an Internet browser that supports HTML 3.0, HTML Tables, HTML Frames and JavaScript.

Northwest Airlines is the world’s fourth largest airline and with its travel partners serves the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Asia, Europe and Africa. Northwest is currently celebrating 50 years of service to Asia.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

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Microsoft, Expedia, MSN and Mungo Park are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

The Microsoft Network is operated by Microsoft Corp. on behalf of Microsoft Network LLC.


For more information, press only:

For Microsoft:

Kathy Foresman, Edelman Worldwide, (312) 240-2762, [email protected]

Jill Collins, Edelman Worldwide, (312) 240-2659, [email protected]

For Northwest:

Northwest Media Relations, at 612-726-2331Mike Sund, Northwest Airlines, (612) 726-0021, [email protected]

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

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