JetBlue and United Airlines have announced a new collaboration called Blue Sky, which aims to provide customers with more flight options and opportunities to earn and use loyalty points across both airlines. This partnership will allow United's MileagePlus members to earn and redeem miles on most JetBlue flights, while JetBlue's TrueBlue members can do the same on United's domestic and international routes.
The collaboration includes an interline agreement, allowing each airline to offer flights on one another's websites and apps without entering into a codeshare arrangement. This means that both airlines will continue to market their flights independently under their own brands.
JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty described the partnership as "a bold step forward for the industry," emphasizing that it brings together two customer-focused airlines to offer more choices for travelers. She noted that the collaboration expands options and benefits for TrueBlue members globally.
United CEO Scott Kirby highlighted that Blue Sky aligns with United’s focus on innovation and enhancing customer experience. He praised JetBlue's product quality under Geraghty's leadership and expressed excitement about United's return to JFK International Airport in the longer term.
As part of the agreement, JetBlue will grant United access to slots at JFK International Airport for up to seven daily round-trip flights starting as early as 2027. Additionally, there will be an exchange of eight flight timings between JetBlue and United at Newark.
The collaboration also involves moving hotel, rental car, cruise, and travel insurance sales on United’s website and app to technology provided by JetBlue’s Paisly platform.
Both airlines plan to maintain independent management of their networks, including launching new routes, frequencies, and promotions. They aim to provide similar benefits over time through reciprocal revenue-based miles accruals when using or earning miles or points on partner airlines. The timing for these reciprocal benefits will be announced later this year.
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