May 29 (UPI) — United Airlines will once again fly out of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, via a partnership with JetBlue Airways.
The two airlines announced Thursday they have reached an agreement, which they called “Blue Sky,” that will see each airline offer flights from each other’s websites but also continue to publish and market flights under their own brands.
“Blue Sky reflects our airlines’ shared focus on innovation and the customer experience,” said United CEO Scott Kirby Thursday in a press release. “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 left JFK in 2015, then made a short return in 2021 before exiting again in 2022 because it wasn’t able to secure longer-term slots there.
Under the agreement, JetBlue will allow United access to slots at JFK for as many as seven daily round-trip flights out of the airport’s Terminal 6, a deal which could begin as early as 2027. The airlines will also exchange eight flight timings at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport as part of the arrangement.
Additionally, each airline’s loyalty program benefits, such as complimentary access to preferred and extra legroom seats, free first-checked bags and priority boarding, will be available to passengers when they travel on the other airline’s aircraft.
United will also shift its mobile app and website’s ability to sell rental cars, hotels, cruises and travel insurance on both a stand-alone and package basis to the Paisly by JetBlue online platform. Blue Sky will also allow United’s MileagePlus customers to earn and use miles on most JetBlue flights, while JetBlue’s TrueBlue members can earn and use points for United flights within its domestic and international network.
“This collaboration with United is a bold step forward for the industry” said JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty in the release, “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.”
