JetBlue and United Airlines have partnered to link their
loyalty programs and gain access to each carrier’s hubs at New York John F.
Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, the
airlines announced Thursday. Some of the benefits of the deal, dubbed Blue Sky,
will become available as early as this fall.
The announcements confirm what had been reported
by Reuters in late April. Rumors that JetBlue and United were in
partnership talks began as early as late January, resulting in a United regulatory filing denying
such speculation.
As part of the deal, United’s MileagePlus customers will be
able to earn and use miles on “most JetBlue flights,” and JetBlue’s
TrueBlue members can earn and use points on United’s domestic and international
network. Benefits of each loyalty program, like priority boarding and preferred
seatings, will be available across each airline.
The carriers also will offer flights on each other’s website
and app. Blue Sky includes an interline agreement, not a codeshare, meaning
each airline will continue to publish and market flights independently under
its own brand and flight number, according to the carriers.
In addition, for corporate customers, United and JetBlue
“may extend the terms of parts of their corporate programs to the flights
operated by the other airline,” even though they will continue to manage
their commercial relationships independently. This extension could include the
discounts each airline has separately negotiated.
Further, JetBlue beginning in 2027 will provide United
access to slots at JFK Terminal 6 for up to seven daily round-trip flights.
JetBlue and United also will exchange eight flight timings at Newark. United
pulled out of JFK in October 2022.
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