JetBlue and United on Thursday announced Blue Sky, a new collaboration that gives customers of both airlines more options to find flights that fit their plans as well as new opportunities to earn and use MileagePlus miles and TrueBlue points across both airlines.
Blue Sky includes the following components, with some starting as early as this fall, subject to regulatory review:
- United's MileagePlus customers can earn and use miles on most JetBlue flights. JetBlue offers 90 daily flights between the Northeast and the Caribbean this summer – with regular nonstop direct flights to popular island like Aruba, Barbados, and Jamaica. JetBlue's TrueBlue members can earn and use points for flights on United's extensive domestic and international network, the largest across the Atlantic and Pacific that includes popular destinations like Cape Town and Tahiti.
- Each airline will offer flights on one another's website and app to make booking across the two airlines' complementary networks simple and easy. 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 numbers.
- The benefits of each airline's loyalty program – priority boarding, complimentary access to preferred and extra legroom seats and same-day standby/switch – will be available when customers travel on the other airline's aircraft.
- As part of the airlines' agreement, JetBlue will provide United access to slots at JFK International Airport for up to seven daily round-trip flights out of JFK Terminal 6 to begin as early as 2027. And, as part of a net-neutral exchange, JetBlue and United will exchange eight flight timings at Newark.
- United will move its website and mobile app's ability to sell hotels, rental cars, cruises and travel insurance, on both a stand-alone and package basis, to new technology and services provided by JetBlue's Paisly platform.
"This collaboration with United is a bold step forward for the industry — one that brings together two customer-focused airlines to deliver more choices for travelers and value across our networks," said Joanna Geraghty, CEO of JetBlue.
"United's global reach perfectly complements JetBlue's East Coast leisure network and significantly expands the options and benefits for TrueBlue members, no matter where in the world they are traveling. This is a clear win for our customers and crewmembers and supports our JetForward strategy," Geraghty said.
United CEO Scott Kirby said Blue Sky shares United’s focus on innovation and the customer experience.
“The JetBlue brand is tied to a great product and under Joanna's leadership the airline continues to deliver for customers,” Kirby said. “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.
“Plus, our employees are really excited about United's return to JFK for the longer term, and we're all looking forward to starting up flights very soon," Kirby said.
JetBlue and United will continue to manage and price their networks independently, including the launch of new routes, frequencies and promotions.
Two Award-Winning Loyalty Programs
As part of Blue Sky, members of each airline's loyalty program will find similar benefits over time – as well as reciprocal revenue-based miles and points accrual and reciprocal miles and points redemption – when they use and earn miles or points on the partner airline.
Timing for reciprocal benefits for customers will be announced later this year. Whether customers are flying on United or JetBlue in the future, they will receive benefits in line with what they receive today, including:
- Priority treatment for check-in, boarding, security and baggage
- Access to preferred and extra leg room seat
- Free first checked bag
- Same-day changes and switches
