JetBlue, American Accelerate Benefits and Routes with Partnership in Northeast Alliance

JetBlue plans to add seven new destinations to its route map this year and in 2022 as part of the next phase of the Northeast Alliance, a program authorized by the U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this year that aims to giving travelers in the northeast a new array of competitive choices. The Alliance has allowed JetBlue to partner with American Airlines in codeshares and market shares to provide a synergy of connectivity and routes.

“With the Northeast Alliance, we are finally able to give our customers in New York and Boston what they’ve been asking for years – more JetBlue service and more JetBlue low fares,” said Scott Laurence, head of revenue and planning, JetBlue. “By connecting with American’s large customer base and international network, we can add new markets that we have been eying for many years. The alliance quite literally gives us room to grow as we get greater access to airports that we’ve been locked out of for years.”

Each new destination on the list advances JetBlue’s focus city strategy in New York or Boston by strengthening JetBlue’s service in the Midwest, southern U.S., Central America and introducing JetBlue in Canada and Honduras.

New routes include service between:

• San Antonio International Airport (SAT) and:

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

Launching October 2021

• San Pedro Sula, Honduras’ Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport (SAP) (a) and:

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Launching December 2021

• Puerto Vallarta, Mexico’s Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) (a) and:

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

First Quarter 2022

• Kansas City International Airport (MCI) and:

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

Launching Second Quarter 2022

• Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) and:

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

Launching Second Quarter 2022

• Vancouver International Airport (YVR) (a) and

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) [seasonal]

Launching Summer 2022

• Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) [seasonal]

Launching Summer 2022

A portion of JetBlue’s growth will come from added frequencies between LaGuardia and Boston – a key business market and a route linking the airline’s two Northeast focus cities – with up to 15 daily roundtrips in 2022. Existing markets between LaGuardia and Charleston, S.C.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Orlando, Fla.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; Fort Myers, Fla.; and Tampa, Fla. will also see increased flying resulting in schedules that are more competitive.

“Time and again when JetBlue comes into a market, fares go down, service improves and customers win,” said Laurence. “When we came into the market between Boston and Atlanta, for example, advance purchase fares dropped by more than 40 percent. Now, by building a meaningful presence at LaGuardia we are set on bringing true competition there just as we have done throughout our 21-year history.”

JetBlue’s targeted growth plan at LaGuardia will also include the introduction of a half dozen new markets with service between LaGuardia and:

• Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)

Launching October 2021

• Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)

Launching October 2021

• Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV)

Launching October 2021

• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

Launching First Quarter 2022

• Nashville International Airport (BNA)

Launching Second Quarter 2022

• Portland International Jetport (PWM)

Launching Summer 2022

By the end of this year, JetBlue plans to operate more than two dozen daily departures from LGA and more than double that number by summer 2022 with more than 50 daily departures.

AA, B6 Reciprocal Benefits

Through this alliance, JetBlue expects to reach its largest ever number of flights in New York later this year. To accomplish this growth, the airline will return the majority of its parked aircraft to service that would have otherwise sat idle. In just the first few months of the Northeast Alliance, JetBlue has already served more than 2.4 million customers.

Starting in May, JetBlue will place its “B6” code and American will place its “AA” code on more than 30 combined additional markets. The newest codeshare routes are made up of a variety of markets including short and medium haul flights linking major cities, transcon flying and routes serving unique leisure destinations. The move expands the ability to book connecting flights between the two carriers on one itinerary.

Over time, customers of both JetBlue’s TrueBlue and American’s AAdvantage® programs will be able to enjoy reciprocal benefits. This will begin in the coming weeks with the ability to earn points or miles on either carrier, enhancing the value of both loyalty programs to all flyers. Customers will also be able to redeem points or miles on either carrier. The airlines are exploring opportunities to recognize JetBlue Mosaic customers and American’s AAdvantage elite members across both airlines as well.

Connecting at Kennedy

Later this year JetBlue and American plan to launch a new, post-security shuttle service between JetBlue at Terminal 5 and American at Terminal 8.

American Adds More Routes

American also announced a series of updates made possible by the Northeast Alliance: Beginning Oct. 31, the carrier will expand its international route map with nonstop service between New York-JFK and Delhi, India’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL).

Domestically, American will also add nonstop service between LaGuardia and Houston, Oklahoma City and Omaha, Neb. In Boston, the airline will add new nonstop service between Logan and Cincinnati, St. Louis and Toronto.