American Airlines, JetBlue get DOT approval for alliance

Saturday, 13 Jan, 2021 0

American Airlines and JetBlue got the go-ahead to move forward with their Northeast based alliance.

Despite objections from rivals Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines, the carriers got the green light from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which has completed its review.

As part of the partnership, American will start nonstop services from New York JFK to Tel Aviv and Athens and resume seasonal services to Rio de Janeiro.

JetBlue will boost services out of New York to streamline connections with American’s international flights.

It is also adding flights at New York LaGuardia and Newark.

"With this alliance, American and JetBlue will operate the biggest network for our customers in the Northeast, which will allow American to grow our mainline operations as we recover from the pandemic," said AA’s Chief Revenue Officer, Vasu Raja.

This quarter the airlines will kick off a codeshare partnership, giving their respective customers access to more domestic and international flight options.

This covers 60 routes operated by American and 130 by JetBlue where customers can book through tickets to the final destination.

The airlines said there will also be reciprocal perks for frequent flyer members but they haven’t yet announced what they will be.

In order to get DOT approval, JetBlue and AA agreed to give up slots at New York JFK and Reagan National Airport in Washington DC.

Written by Ray Montgomery, US Editor

TravelMole Editorial Team

Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

Jet2.com is the UK’s third largest airline, flying from ten UK airports to more than 60 destinations across Europe and beyond....

Welcome to Qatar Airways Qatar Airways is proud to be one of the youngest global airlines to serve all...

The superpower in bed banks for 30 years We are an award-winning and trusted accommodation wholesaler since 1991. We are...

Our Mission Ecommerce has transformative powers, and we believe everyone should be able to take part. But outdated solutions and...

We’re the number one choice for travelers to the Greek Islands and Eastern Mediterranean – a fact we love to...

Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel operator. Its 93 properties span all major Thai destinations plus the Maldives,...

NSW, Australia Welcome to New South Wales – a place to feel free, feel alive, feel new. As the official...

Central Florida’s Polk County is conveniently located between Orlando and Tampa, and an easy drive to Central Florida attractions and...

Since its launch in 1999, TravelMole.com has become, one of the largest global online travel industry communities. It is comprised...

Located in the Mediterranean and connecting Asia and European continents that are separated by the famous Bosphorus, Türkiye is a...

Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising nearly 7,300 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in...

The city has been the vibrant heart of Japan for over 400 years, and is a crossroads where tradition meets...

Palladium Hotel Group is a renowned Spanish hotel chain that first emerged towards the end of the 1960s. Currently present...

Arival advances the business of creating amazing in-destination experiences. We provide events, insights, and community for creators and sellers of...