Blockbuster partnership! United Airlines and JetBlue to team up in new alliance called ‘Blue Sky’

Two major U.S. airlines are joining forces in a blockbuster partnership. United Airlines will team up with JetBlue in a new alliance they are calling “Blue Sky,” the carriers announced Thursday.

The alliance will include a full-blown loyalty partnership that will allow United MileagePlus and JetBlue TrueBlue members the ability to earn and redeem miles on either carrier. Plus, United Premier elite members will be able to enjoy their status benefits when flying on JetBlue. JetBlue’s Mosaic members will get the same treatment on board United.

As part of the new arrangement, United and JetBlue will also be able to sell each other’s flights on their own websites, including connections between the two carriers.

The tie-up will also usher in United’s return to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) for the first time in several years.

The reveal of this new Blue Sky partnership comes after weeks of speculation that United and JetBlue would join forces in a new partnership.

It will bridge two airlines that have a sizable presence in the New York City region, but on opposite sides of the Hudson River. United operates a major hub at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) while JetBlue calls Terminal 5 at JFK its home base.

For JetBlue, this new partnership comes nearly two years after a federal judge effectively ended its so-called Northeast Alliance with American Airlines following a protracted legal battle with the Biden administration in 2023.

“United’s global reach perfectly complements JetBlue’s East Coast leisure network, and significantly expands the options and benefits for TrueBlue members,” JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty said in a statement Thursday.

“We’re always looking for ways to give our MileagePlus members even more value and benefits and this collaboration gives them new, unique ways to use their hard-earned miles and find options that fit their schedule,” United CEO Scott Kirby added.

Here’s what to know about the new United-JetBlue partnership, what it means for MileagePlus and TrueBlue loyalty members — and why these two airlines ended up joining forces.

United and JetBlue’s ‘Blue Sky’ partnership

For travelers who took advantage of JetBlue’s Northeast Alliance with American earlier this decade, Blue Sky will offer some familiarity — but some key differences, too.

Interline agreement

Once the partnership kicks off, United and JetBlue will launch an interline agreement, selling each other’s flights through their own websites and mobile apps. That means you’ll be able to book a United flight on JetBlue.com (or vice versa), and connect seamlessly on one itinerary between the two airlines.

The airlines did not immediately announce a launch date for this aspect of the partnership, but a United spokesperson told TPG some elements will begin early this fall.

Earn and redeem

Through Blue Sky, JetBlue’s TrueBlue members will be able to earn and redeem points across United’s global network.

United’s MileagePlus members will be able to earn and redeem miles “on most JetBlue flights,” the airline said. Some will be excluded, TPG learned — but, notably, JetBlue’s flights to Europe are expected to be part of the arrangement. That wasn’t the case with the now-defunct NEA between JetBlue and American.

Related: JetBlue launches TrueBlue redemptions on Japan Airlines flights to Tokyo and beyond

Reciprocal loyalty benefits

A key component for frequent flyers, United and JetBlue will offer a host of reciprocal elite status benefits to elite Premier and Mosaic members.

It won’t be the full elite status experience (no mention of lounge access or first-class upgrades, yet) and some of the benefits are fairly static across all elite status tiers.

For instance, all elite members with either program — regardless of status level — will be able to access extra legroom seats on the other airline at check-in. That means a Premier member (regardless of tier) would be able to select a JetBlue EvenMore seat at check-in, and Mosaic members would get the same privileges with Economy Plus seats.

All elite members would also get priority check-in and boarding benefits, their first checked bag free and access to same-day changes.

Here’s the full, initial rundown of the reciprocal elite status benefits the carriers shared Thursday.

The carriers are expected to announce more details about the timing of this loyalty partnership later this year.

United returns to JFK

As part of the arrangement with JetBlue, United would launch up to seven daily round-trip flights out of JFK by taking over slots (tightly-regulated takeoff and landing rights) from JetBlue. It’s been a few years since United has had a presence at JFK, where it expects to launch service out of the airport’s new Terminal 6 as early as 2027.

Meanwhile, JetBlue would exchange eight flight timings with United at the latter airline’s EWR hub.

United shifts to JetBlue’s Paisly

Finally, in a less headline-grabbing aspect of Blue Sky, United plans to shift its hotel, car rental, cruise and vacation package booking services to JetBlue’s in-house platform, Paisly.

A major industry partnership

This joining of forces between United and JetBlue is a significant one for frequent flyers of both carriers who will now gain new connectivity and ways to earn and redeem miles in cities where their preferred airline does not have as strong a presence.

JetBlue executives, in particular, had for months said they hoped to link up with another U.S. airline in a new partnership to expand the earning and redeeming options — and connectivity— than it could offer with its heavily East Coast-focused route network.

It explored rekindling ties with American, but after those talks fell apart last month, JetBlue instead landed United as its new dance partner.

United expands the options for frequent JetBlue flyers, with its strength in the country’s midsection, where JetBlue doesn’t fly as much. That includes United’s hometown hub at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) as well as major hubs at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Denver International Airport (DEN).  

United also has perhaps the most robust international network of any U.S. airline.

JetBlue, for its part, does have a budding transatlantic network, with nonstop destinations in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin and Edinburgh — along with Madrid, which it launched last week.

So far, the partnership has not included loyalty perks relating to premium-cabin upgrades. Part of that may stem from a premium inventory imbalance, at least from the outset; United’s regional and narrow-body planes sport first-class cabins, and its long-haul jets have Polaris business-class and premium economy.

Related: United just flew where no US airline has gone: On board the historic inaugural flight to Mongolia

JetBlue has its upscale Mint cabin, though only on a limited portion of its fleet. But it’s upping its game, with domestic first class expected to join its fleet in the coming years, along with new lounges slated for New York and Boston.

JetBlue finds its long-sought partner

JetBlue has spent much of this decade in search of a lasting U.S. airline partner, but with little success.

After its Northeast Alliance with American failed in federal court, another faceoff with the Biden administration doomed its proposed merger with Spirit Airlines.

Some aspects of Blue Sky, the airlines noted, would be subject to regulatory approval.

But the carriers were quick to note that they won’t coordinate on pricing or scheduling — something the federal judge who blocked the former Northeast Alliance said would have made JetBlue’s previous deal with American more acceptable.

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