- American Airlines and JetBlue Airways move forward with a partnership in the northeastern US.
- The two will coordinate better in the region, adding 33 domestic and international routes in total.
- Elite status holders can also earn and redeem miles with any airline.
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American Airlines and JetBlue Airways join forces in the Northeast as part of an alliance that creates new routes, schedules, frequent flyer programs and more.
The duo is moving on to the first phase of a “Northeast alliance” following a regulatory overhaul of the Department of Transportation that was completed in January. JetBlue and US flight codes will be posted on more than 70 flights between the two airlines under a codeshare agreement, allowing customers to book certain flights through the airline or website.
“Our alliance with American opens the door for JetBlue to successfully enter new markets, bring more choices, and introduce our award-winning service and low rates to more customers,” said Scott Laurence, JetBlue’s chief of sales and planning.
American has joined forces with coastal airlines such as JetBlue on the East Coast and Alaska Airlines on the West Coast to fill the gaps in its route network. Both American and JetBlue will add 33 new routes, combined to domestic and international destinations, as travel slowly recovers with the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine and growing testing for access opportunities abroad.
Here travelers will see the biggest differences.
New routes from the northeast
JetBlue is adding 15 new routes from New York City’s three major airports, John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International and LaGuardia. American, for its part, will add 18 new routes from Kennedy International and LaGuardia, as well as JetBlue’s stronghold at Logan International Airport in Boston.
From Kennedy International, two new JetBlue routes will be added in July to Boise, Idaho and Kalispell, Montana. Both are located in the Mountain West, a region that gained popularity during the pandemic as Americans seek social distance in nature.
On American, new routes from Kennedy to the Colombian cities of Cali, Bogota and Medellin; Santiago, Chile; St Lucia; and Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands start in May and June. Previously announced routes from New York to Tel Aviv, Israel, Athens, Greece and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will also start this year.
American also gives New York City its first non-stop service to Orange County, California, as the airline adds a new route from Kennedy starting July 2. The daily flight will be operated by American’s ultra-premium Airbus A321 aircraft with first class, business class and economy class seats.
Newark will see 10 new routes to Antigua’s existing JetBlue vacation destinations; Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; Cartagena, Colombia; Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts; Nantucket, Massachusetts; Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Seattle; St Lucia; and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The new routes start on July 1.
LaGuardia is getting more routes across the east coast and to the west. JetBlue flights to Charleston, South Carolina; Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts; and Denver also begin July 1, while American will launch and resume summer season flights to Key West Florida; Pensacola, Florida; Rapid City, South Dakota; Kansas City, Missouri; and Savannah, Georgia in June.
And from Boston, American also flies to Asheville, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Traverse City, Michigan; and Wilmington, North Carolina this summer.
Better schedules and more first class
The two airlines coordinate timetables in the main markets, so passengers have more choice when they fly. American will notice the difference in six segments, specifically Boston-South Florida, Boston-Washington, New York-Washington, New York-Boston, New York-South Florida, and New York-California.
JetBlue flyers will notice the difference in the Boston-Los Angeles, Boston-Chicago, New York-San Francisco, New York-Atlanta, New York-Dallas, New York-Chicago, and New York-Raleigh, North Carolina segments.
For example, on the popular New York-Los Angeles route, the airlines offer 14 daily flights combined. Both American and JetBlue operate the route with Airbus A321 aircraft with business class cabins.
American also plans to offer first class on all of its flights originating in New York as it retires smaller regional jets such as the Embraer ERJ145. JetBlue currently offers business class on selected routes to popular destinations.
Loyalty has its advantages
Frequent flyers from both airlines will also benefit as they can earn miles starting this spring when they fly on either. Both airlines will soon allow customers to use points and miles to book award tickets on each other’s flights, but that functionality will come “over time.”
A JetBlue loyalist may be able to book an award ticket from New York to Tel Aviv on American, as Israel is currently well beyond JetBlue’s reach.
Elite status holders can also receive reciprocal benefits when traveling with the two, but details, including whether that includes free premium upgrades, have yet to be announced.
JetBlue elites are not currently receiving upgrades to the airline’s chic Mint business class cabin, while American is offering its status holders free upgrades on select flights. Upgrades are a key benefit of frequent flying and keep customers loyal to a particular airline, as a single upgrade can be worth hundreds of dollars and get free meals, early boarding and even free lounge access.
Better options for one itinerary
The codeshare agreement opens the door to single itinerary bookings for connecting flights, simplifying the travel experience for those unable to reach their final destination using only American or JetBlue.
For example, a JetBlue flyer in Buffalo could book a one-stop trip from New York to Athens, Greece on a mix of JetBlue and US flights under one itinerary.
The move also eliminates the need for self-connections between the two airlines with passengers booking two separate tickets. While it is a common practice, it can have drawbacks if one of the flights is canceled or delayed.
Flights can already be booked under the codeshare agreement starting February 25.