JetBlue and United Get DOT Green Light for Blue Sky Partnership

JetBlue and United Blue Sky Partnership

JetBlue  and United today announced they have completed the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) review of their Blue Sky collaboration and are able to proceed to implementation.

The two airlines said they will share more details in the coming weeks as implementation of the Blue Sky collaboration begins.

Blue Sky was first announced two months ago. This is a collaboration designed to give customers of both airlines even more options to find flights as well as new opportunities to earn and use MileagePlus miles and TrueBlue points across both airlines.

Blue Sky will begin introducing new customer benefits starting this fall, rolling out in phases:

• United’s MileagePlus customers will be able to earn and use miles on most JetBlue flights. JetBlue’s TrueBlue members will be able to earn and use points for flights on United’s extensive domestic and international network.
• Through a traditional interline agreement, 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.
• 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. And, 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.