Etihad Airways and JetBlue have sealed a codeshare deal allowing the state-owned Abu Dhabi airline to extend is reach in the domestic US market.
The first stage of the partnership will see Etihad codeshare on 40 JetBlue routes within the US with more planned once Etihad begins daily flights to Los Angeles in June.
Additionally, Etihad will launch Abu Dhabi-Dallas Fort Worth flights in December.
Etihad will also place its ‘EY’ code on JetBlue flights in the summer between New York and destinations in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Colombia.
Etihad, the third largest carrier in the Gulf, currently runs daily flights from Abu Dhabi to New York, Washington DC and Chicago.
The codeshare deal is still pending government approval.
Etihad has ambitious plans to expand in the US domestic market and last month began recruiting US-based flight crew.
According to Etihad CEO, James Hogan, North America is "a major and growing market" and the company is looking at buying stakes in airlines in the Americas.
Etihad already has financial interests in AirBerlin, Air Seychelles, Aer Lingus, India’s Jet Airways and is currently in takeover talks with troubled Italian carrier Alitalia.
