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JetBlue Airways and United Airlines have unveiled the next phase and one of the most anticipated parts of their Blue Sky partnership. It allows eligible TrueBlue® and MileagePlus® members to receive reciprocal elite benefits when flying across either airline’s network. The new loyalty integration officially launches this week and expands the growing collaboration between the two carriers, which first introduced interline booking and loyalty earning opportunities last year.
Under the expanded partnership, eligible frequent flyers who add their loyalty number to their reservation will now receive a range of elite-style perks while traveling on either airline.
The newly introduced reciprocal benefits include:
- Priority boarding
- Complimentary extra legroom seating at check-in
- Priority check-in and security access
- Complimentary preferred seat selection
- One free checked bag with priority baggage handling
- Same-day standby options
When flying on JetBlue, United MileagePlus Premier® members will receive:
- Premier Platinum® and Premier 1K® members boarding in Group 1
- Premier Gold members boarding in Group 2
- Premier Silver members boarding in Group 3
When flying on United, JetBlue Mosaic members will receive:
- Mosaic 2, 3, and 4 members boarding in Group 1
- Mosaic 1 members boarding in Group 2
Eligible travelers will also gain access to extra legroom seating products on both airlines, including:
- EvenMore® seats on JetBlue
- Economy Plus® seats on United
The rollout builds on the Blue Sky collaboration announced last May, which enabled customers to book flights across both airlines’ websites through an interline agreement.
Since then, travelers have been able to:
- Earn and redeem TrueBlue points and MileagePlus miles on eligible itineraries
- Book flights operated by either airline directly through JetBlue or United channels
The airlines say future phases of the partnership will eventually allow customers to book seamless single-ticket itineraries that combine flights operated by both airlines. That integration is expected to create easier connections between JetBlue’s strong leisure-focused route network and United’s extensive domestic and international footprint, including United Express® regional operations.
The partnership gives both airlines an opportunity to strengthen their loyalty offerings without entering a deeper merger or alliance structure. For JetBlue customers, the agreement provides access to United’s large global network and corporate travel presence. For United customers, it offers easier access to JetBlue’s popular East Coast and Caribbean leisure destinations.
Ed Pouthier, JetBlue’s Vice President of Loyalty and Personalization, said:
We are always looking for new ways to elevate the experience for our most loyal customers and this latest enhancement to our Blue Sky collaboration offers even greater value to our brand loyal customers. With more ways to earn and redeem, more destinations to explore across both airline networks, and now reciprocal benefits, Blue Sky delivers unmatched value for our most loyal customers. We’re elevating the travel experience by bringing seamless, meaningful perks to life across both airlines.”
Anthony’s Take: This is exciting news for both JetBlue and United flyers. The airlines say Blue Sky is designed to create a more personalized and flexible travel experience while giving customers additional options for earning rewards and accessing elite travel perks across a broader combined network. I’m still waiting for the merger announcement.
(Image Credits: United Airlines and JetBlue Airways.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
