JetBlue, United Airlines announce Blue Sky collaboration

JetBlue (JBLU) and United (UAL) announced Blue Sky: a new collaboration that gives customers of both airlines even 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 islands like Aruba, Barbados, and Jamaica. JetBlue’s TrueBlue members can earn and use points for flights on United’s 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. 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.” “Blue Sky reflects our airlines’ shared focus on innovation and the customer experience,” said United CEO Scott Kirby. “The JetBlue brand is tied to a great product and under Joanna’s leadership the airline continues to deliver for customers. 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.”