AWA America West Holdingsb

Loyalty Programs Now Include Network Reach of America West and US Airways, Will Fully Combine Into One Dividend Miles Program in Spring 2006 PHOENIX, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- America West (NYSE:AWA) and US Airways (OTC:UAIRQ) (BULLETIN BOARD: UAIRQ) today announced details of immediate changes to their joint frequent flyer programs, FlightFund and Dividend Miles, resulting from the merger between US Airways and America West. A new program, which will launch in spring of 2006, will retain the name Dividend Miles. Members of FlightFund, the America West frequent flyer program, and Dividend Miles, the frequent flyer program for US Airways, will be able to redeem and earn miles on flights operated by either airline beginning Oct. 5, and their outstanding mileage balance will be automatically combined and integrated into the new Dividend Miles program in spring of 2006. "By combining America West's award-winning FlightFund and Elite program with the worldwide reach of US Airways and the Star Alliance, we believe that we have created the best frequent flyer program in the nation for our customers," said Scott Kirby, executive vice president, sales and marketing. "As a low-cost carrier with nationwide and international service, US Airways offers what may be the only frequent flyer program that our customers will ever need." Beginning Oct. 5, Dividend Miles and FlightFund members will be able to earn and redeem miles to any destination served by America West or US Airways. Additional Dividend Miles and FlightFund highlights include: -- A 500-mile bonus for booking online at either americawest.com or usairways.com -- No more Saturday-night stay requirement for Dividend Miles awards -- A single worldwide award chart with award travel beginning at 25,000 miles: Roundtrip award One Coach-Class One First-Class destinations Award or Business-Class Award Within and between Mileage Saver: 25,000 Mileage Saver: 50,000 the continental US Premium: 50,000 Premium: 100,000 and Canada Between the Mileage Saver: 30,000 Mileage Saver: 60,000 continental US Premium: 60,000 Premium: 120,000 or Canada and the Caribbean, Central America or Mexico Between North Mileage Saver: 35,000 Mileage Saver: 70,000 America* and Hawaii Premium: 70,000 Premium: 140,000 Between North America* or Hawaii Mileage Saver: 50,000 Mileage Saver: 80,000 and Europe Premium: 100,000 Premium: 160,000 *North America includes the continental US, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America or Mexico. -- In order to be able to provide members with the greatest number of award seats possible, and also due to the merged airline's expanded route network, the America West short-haul award and the USAirways.com awards have been replaced by a single, worldwide redemption chart with travel beginning at 25,000 miles. -- For additional information on the new Dividend Miles program including award-travel charts, please visit http://www.usairwaysinfo.com/ and click on the Frequent Flyer section. For FlightFund Elite and Dividend Miles Preferred Members, a new Preferred Program: -- Beginning Oct. 5, Preferred and Elite members in either FlightFund or Dividend Miles may receive complimentary first-class upgrades on eligible flights operated by both US Airways and America West. -- Miles and segments flown on flights operated by both America West and US Airways for all of 2005 will count toward Preferred or Elite status. -- America West Platinum Elite members will be elevated to Chairman's Elite status through February 28, 2006. -- Preferred and Elite programs combine the best of advance upgrade options from both programs by retaining the Dividend Miles seven-day window for Chairman's Preferred level and the FlightFund two-day window for the Silver Preferred level: Qualifications Silver Gold Platinum Chairman's and benefits Preferred/ Preferred/ Preferred/ Preferred/ Elite Elite Elite Elite Unlimited Confirm Confirm Confirm Confirm upgrades to anytime on anytime on anytime in anytime in First Class in Full Coach Full Coach advance on advance on North America, or 2 days or 3 days Full Coach Full Coach Latin America before before or 4 days or 7 days or the departure departure before before Caribbean on other on other departure departure fares fares on other on other fares fares 2006 Preferred Qualifying Miles 25,000 50,000 75,000 100,000 2006 Preferred Qualifying Segments 30 60 90 120 Preferred Flight Bonus 25% 50%* 75%* 100% Unlimited Preferred Upgrades Yes Yes Yes Yes Private Connections Reservations Service Yes Yes Yes Chairman's Preferred Liaison Desk* Priority Check-in and Boarding Yes Yes Yes Yes Preferred Seating on US Airways Yes Yes Yes Yes Blackout Dates No No No No Preferred Seating Yes Yes Yes Yes Priority Standby Yes Yes Yes Highest priority Benefits listed begin Oct. 5 unless otherwise indicated *Benefits effective early 2006 Benefits are subject to change at the discretion of US Airways. US Airways and America West have joined together to create the fifth largest domestic airline. US Airways, US Airways Shuttle and the US Airways Express operate approximately 4,000 flights per day and serve more than 225 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. This press release and additional information on US Airways can be accessed at http://www.usairways.com/ or http://www.americawest.com/. US Airways is a member of the Star Alliance, which was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer customers global reach and a smooth travel experience. The other members are Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Spanair, TAP Portugal, Thai Airways International, United and VARIG Brazilian Airlines. South African Airways and SWISS will be integrated during the course of the next 12 months. Overall, the member carriers offer more than 15,000 daily flights to 795 destinations in 139 countries. (AWAG) FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS All statements other than statements of historical facts may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We urge you to read cautionary language regarding forward-looking statements, including factors that may cause actual results and/or outcomes to differ from the forward-looking statements, located on the Company's website at http://www.americawest.com/. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT In connection with the proposed merger transaction, US Airways Group and America West have filed a Registration Statement on Form S-4 and other documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Registration No. 333- 126162) containing a joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction. WE URGE INVESTORS TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER RELATED MATERIALS CAREFULLY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement and proxy statement, as well as other filed documents containing information about US Airways Group and America West (when available) at http://www.sec.gov/, the SEC's website. Free copies of America West's SEC filings are also available on America West's website at http://www.shareholder.com/americawest/edgar.cfm, or by request to Investor Relations, America West Holdings Corporation, 111 West Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe, Arizona 85281. Free copies of US Airways Group's SEC filings are also available on US Airways Group's website at http://investor.usairways.com/edgar.cfm or by request to Investor Relations, US Airways Group, Inc., 2345 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22227. This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there by any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION America West, US Airways Group and their respective executive officers and directors may be deemed, under SEC rules, to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from America West's stockholders with respect to the proposed transaction. Information regarding the officers and directors of America West is included in its definitive proxy statement for its 2005 Annual Meeting filed with the SEC on April 15, 2005. Information regarding the officers and directors of US Airways Group is included in its 2004 Annual Report filed with the SEC on Form 10-K on March 1, 2005. More detailed information regarding the identity of participants, and their interests in the solicitation, is set forth in the registration statement and proxy statement and other materials filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. DATASOURCE: America West Airlines CONTACT: America West Airlines, +1-480-693-5729 Web site: http://www.americawest.com/ http://www.usairways.com/

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