United Airlines and JetBlue Airways customers will soon be able to leverage their frequent flyer miles and status across both airlines.
The Department of Transportation has approved a previously announced new partnership between the carriers.
“Blue Sky is a new and unique collaboration designed to give 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,” JetBlue said in a press release on July 29, announcing federal regulators’ approval.
The Blue Sky partnership, with no relation to the social platform of the same name, will begin rolling out in phases this fall. Here’s what travelers can expect.
Earning and spending miles
Passengers will be able to earn and spend miles in either loyalty program on most flights on either airlines.
United and JetBlue will also offer each others’ flights for sale on their websites.
Although the exact start date for reciprocal perks has not yet been announced, here’s what frequent flyers with status can expect across both airlines:
Priority boarding
Access to preferred and extra legroom seats
Same-day changes and switches
Other partnership plans
In addition to perks for flyers, the airlines have agreed to “net neutral” swaps in the business side as well.
JetBlue is giving United slots for up to seven daily round-trip flights at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport starting in early 2027. In turn, United and JetBlue will exchange eight flight timings at Newark Liberty International Airport.
United will also move to JetBlue’s Paisly platform for sales of some non-flight products including cruises, hotels, rental cars and travel insurance.
Contributing: Eve Chen, USA TODAY
(This story was updated to correct a misspelling/typo.)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New United Airlines, JetBlue partnership approved. How it will work.
