Two major airlines teaming up to combine their loyalty programs & travellers to enjoy four perks

TWO major airlines have announced they are teaming up to combine their loyalty programs and travellers can enjoy four perks.

The new and unique collaboration also gives customers of both airlines even more options to find flights that fit their plans.

JetBlue, New York’s Hometown Airline and United, the largest airline in the world have revealed Blue Sky which is a unique consumer collaboration that links the two companies loyalty programs.

Blue Sky will give customers new opportunities to earn and use MileagePlus® miles and TrueBlue points across both airlines.

MileagePlus customers can earn and use miles on JetBlue including hundreds of flights in and out of New York City and Boston.

While TrueBlue members will be able to earn and use points on United flights including to popular international destinations like Cape Town and Tahiti.

Benefits of each airline’s loyalty program like priority boarding, complimentary access to preferred and extra legroom seats, and same-day standby/switch will be available across both airlines

Airlines will also offer flights on one another’s website and app to make booking simple and easy

JetBlue will provide United access to slots at JFK International Airport for up to seven daily round-trip flights beginning in 2027.

United will also move some of its holiday and travel services to JetBlue’s Paisly platform.

Blue Sky Benefits

The new loyalty program Blue Sky includes the following components, with some starting as early as this fall:

• United’s MileagePlus customers can earn and use miles on most JetBlue flights.
• Each airline will offer flights on one another’s website and app to make booking across the two airlines’ complementary networks simple and easy.
• 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.
• 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.

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 seats
• Free first checked bag
• Same-day changes and switches

Additionally, business travelers and their employers will see benefits from the collaboration as well.

While United and JetBlue will continue to manage their commercial relationship independently, both airlines may extend the terms of parts of their corporate programs to the flights operated by the other airline.

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