United Airlines and JetBlue have rolled out the next stage of their Blue Sky partnership, with reciprocal elite perks now live. That is good news, but for United flyers there is still one glaring weakness for United flyers: JetBlue flights still do not help you re-qualify for United MileagePlus elite status.

United – JetBlue Blue Sky Partnership Adds Reciprocal Elite Perks, But A Big Flaw Remains

The United – JetBlue Blue Sky partnership has taken another step forward. As of this week, eligible United MileagePlus and JetBlue TrueBlue members can now enjoy reciprocal elite benefits when flying across either airline’s network. This follows earlier phases of the partnership that allowed members to earn and redeem miles or points across both carriers and book flights through either airline’s website.

I first covered the Blue Sky partnership details when United and JetBlue announced the tie-up. At the time, the big picture was clear: United wanted more relevance in New York, JetBlue wanted a stronger partner after the collapse of its American Airlines partnership and failed Spirit merger, and both carriers saw a way to link their networks without merging.

Now the elite benefits portion is finally live.

What United Elites Get On JetBlue

United MileagePlus Premier members traveling on JetBlue can now receive several benefits when adding their MileagePlus number to a JetBlue reservation.

Those benefits include:

• priority boarding
• priority check-in and security
• complimentary preferred seat selection after booking
• complimentary access to EvenMore seats at check-in, subject to availability for all MileagePlus elite
• one free checked bag
• priority bag handling
• same-day standby

Boarding groups depend on United status level. Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members board with JetBlue Group 1. Premier Gold members board with Group 2. Premier Silver members board with Group 3.

That is not bad at all. If you are a United elite who occasionally flies JetBlue, particularly out of Boston, New York, Florida, or the Caribbean, these perks make JetBlue a more palatable choice.

EvenMore is only available at check-in, subject to availability, which means there might not be any seats left, but considering JetBlue considers EvenMore a separate class of service, I think this is a valuable benefit.

What JetBlue Elites Get On United

JetBlue Mosaic members also receive reciprocal benefits when flying on United.

Those benefits include:

• priority boarding
• priority check-in and security
• complimentary preferred seat selection after booking
• complimentary access to Economy Plus at check-in, subject to availability
• one free checked bag
• priority bag handling
• same-day standby

Mosaic 2, Mosaic 3, and Mosaic 4 members board United flights with Group 1, while Mosaic 1 members board with Group 2.

Again, this is useful. JetBlue does not have anything close to United’s global network, so Mosaic members now have a more compelling reason to fly United when JetBlue cannot get them where they need to go.

The Economy Plus access at check-in is also valuable, though again limited by availability. United elites (Premier Gold and above) will still have the advantage on United metal, just as JetBlue elites will still have the pre-check-in advantage on JetBlue.

The Big Problem: No United Status Credit On JetBlue

Here is the problem, and it is a significant one.

United MileagePlus members can earn redeemable miles on eligible JetBlue flights. But JetBlue flights do not earn Premier Qualifying Points or Premier Qualifying Flights for United status.

That makes this partnership far less interesting for many United loyalists.

Redeemable miles are nice, but United status is built on PQP and PQF. If a JetBlue flight does not help you earn Premier status, then it is not really a substitute for a United flight in the way that matters most to United frequent flyers.

This is the core weakness of Blue Sky from the United side.

A Premier 1K member might appreciate boarding early on JetBlue or getting an EvenMore seat at check-in, but if the flight earns no PQPs, that member still has a strong incentive to book United whenever possible. That is especially true late in the year when many elites are trying to re-qualify and every dollar matters.

By contrast, JetBlue TrueBlue members can earn points and tiles on United flights when crediting to JetBlue, which makes the partnership more useful from the JetBlue side. If a Mosaic member can fly United and still move toward JetBlue status, that creates a strong incentive to fly United.

United has not really offered the same thing in return, though I understand why it does not want to incentivize “brand loyal” customers booking JetBlue over United (they may never go back!).

An example: my brother has to fly from Los Angeles to Boston for business. He texted me, “Going to book JetBlue Mint! That should give me Gold status.” I had to break the news to him that JetBlue flights don’t earn PQPs…if he wants to earn elite points, he’d have to fly on United, which is 737 MAX 9 with recliner seats.

(He booked JetBlue anyway…I convinced him to forget the status, especially when his company travel policy allows for paid business class and the JetBlue Mint product will have far superior food and drinks plus lie-flat seating and free high-speed internet)

This Is Still Useful, Just Not Transformational

I do not want to be too negative. Reciprocal benefits are better than no reciprocal benefits and these elite perks are positive developments for frequently flyers on JetBlue and United.

But for serious United flyers, the lack of PQP and PQF earning on JetBlue is a fundamental deficiency. Without status credit, JetBlue remains a situational option, not a real loyalty partner.

If United wants MileagePlus elites to seriously consider JetBlue as part of their travel pattern, then JetBlue flights need to count toward United status in some way…but United does not want this, so don’t expect this. United wants the JFK slots and is willing to play nice with JetBlue to get them, but it will do everything in its power to discourage its own flyers from flying JetBlue instead.

CONCLUSION

The United-JetBlue Blue Sky partnership is now more useful, with reciprocal elite benefits finally live. United elites get priority boarding, preferred seating, a free checked bag, and access to JetBlue EvenMore seats at check-in. JetBlue elites get similar treatment on United, including Economy Plus access at check-in.

While there is true value there, the partnership still has a major flaw for United flyers: JetBlue flights do not earn PQP or PQF toward MileagePlus status. For me, that makes Blue Sky far less compelling than it otherwise could be. But it’s by design…to keep us on the United hamster wheel.

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