United and JetBlue have taken another step toward a closer commercial relationship with the launch of reciprocal revenue bookings on each other’s flights, but the details of what is and isn’t available matter a great deal to MileagePlus members.
United And JetBlue Launch Reciprocal Revenue Bookings, But Earning Remains Limited
As part of its “Blue Sky” partnership, United Airlines and JetBlue Airways have announced that passengers can now book each other’s flights directly through united.com and jetblue.com, a notable expansion of cooperation between the two carriers. While not a codeshare relationship, you can book JetBlue domestic and international flights directly via United.
For United MileagePlus members, this means you can now:
- Book JetBlue flights on united.com, which will be issued on 016 (United) ticket stock
- Cancel a JetBlue ticket booked via United and retain the value for use on another United or partner flight in your name (i.e. credit will not be limited to JetBlue flights only)
However, it’s equally important to understand the notable limitations of this partnership as it stands.
Under the current rules outlined by United, MileagePlus members can earn award miles on eligible JetBlue flights when adding their United MileagePlus number
But there are significant earning limitations that MileagePlus members should be clear on when booking JetBlue:
- No Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) on JetBlue flights, even when booked with United
- No Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) on JetBlue flights, even when booked with United
This is a crucial distinction. Earning revenue miles is good, but without PQP and PQF credit, these flights do not count toward elite status in MileagePlus. For many MileagePlus members, that means the tradeoff of flying JetBlue is steep: it’s like leaving something on the table.
As an aside, the opposite is not true. JetBlue members can earn Mosaic tiles toward elite status when flying United and adding their JetBlue TrueBlue number.
Newark (EWR) Exclusion
Another key detail for MileagePlus earners: members cannot earn miles on reciprocal bookings for certain JetBlue service out of Newark (EWR). Specifically, earnings are excluded on travel between EWR and the following destinations:
- Aruba (AUA)
- Cancun (CUN)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Las Vegas (LAS)
- Punta Cana (PUJ)
This means that even if you book those flights through JetBlue (because United will not sell them to you) and put in your MileagePlus number, you will not earn miles. I’d imagine because United competes directly on those routes and doesn’t want to pull traffic from its own metal or draw regulatory scrutiny for close cooperation on overlapping routes.
Reciprocal Elite Benefits Coming Soon
While reciprocal ticket sales are now live, elite benefits are not yet fully aligned. United and JetBlue have indicated that additional reciprocal elite perks are expected to roll out “later this spring.” Based on what has been outlined so far, members can expect:
- Priority check-in access for United Premier and JetBlue Mosaic members when flying the partner airline
- Priority security access where available
- Priority boarding privileges across both carriers
- Complimentary access to preferred or extra legroom seating, subject to availability
- Same-day standby or same-day change reciprocity on eligible fares
There has been no word on reciprocal upgrades or lounge access…if that comes, it won’t be this spring.
Is This A Prelude To Something Bigger?
United and JetBlue’s reciprocal revenue bookings are notable, but they fall short of a full revenue-based partnership integration and that makes flying JetBlue far less attractive if trying to earn elite status with United (whereas flying United if trying to earn Mosaic status with JetBlue does make sense).
Even so, that increased visibility could benefit JetBlue. United’s global footprint and corporate contracts attract many to united.com. If a United flyer uses the platform to find a JetBlue flight that better suits timing or price, JetBlue captures that revenue and loyalty. Should a MileagePlus member start favoring JetBlue for short-haul travel because it’s easily bookable and still earns award miles, it strengthens JetBlue’s position rather than weakens it.
On the other hand, JetBlue passengers, even those seeking status, may be more incentivized to book with United now knowing they can earn award and status miles for their trips. That will benefit United and the JFK slots in Terminal 6 “as early as 2027” (now no longer “in 2027” as terminal construction faces delays) will also greatly benefit United. The worst-kept secret in the industry is that United is going to re-debut in JFK with a fierce schedule which I suspect is at least double the current 7 slot agreement that JetBlue is handing over to United.
All of this strikes me as a foundation for eventual consolidation or deeper marriage even though, ironically, this partnership may leave JetBlue in a stronger short-term position if United flyers shift bookings to JetBlue because they are now easily bookable on united.com
I do believe, no matter what United CEO Scott Kirby says, that United wants to eat JetBlue. For competitive reasons, I hope that never happens, but in closely watching this industry for 20 years, I’m fairly confident in stating this is exactly what United wants.
CONCLUSION
United flyers can now book JetBlue flights easily and earn award miles, but without PQP or PQF, there is no meaningful status upside. That is a major limitation and one that will cause many Premier members to think twice before shifting their loyalty. JetBlue members, by contrast, can earn Mosaic tiles when flying United. That asymmetry is striking and it tells you something about leverage in this relationship.
The coming reciprocal elite benefits will smooth the experience at the airport with priority services and seating perks, but unless status earning becomes reciprocal as well, this remains a convenience play rather than a serious collaboration.
But this is another step. Cross-selling inventory, aligning ticketing systems, and integrating limited benefits create the foundation for something larger. Whether that ultimately leads to deeper commercial cooperation or outright consolidation remains to be seen. What is clear is that United is positioning itself strategically while trying to ensure that it does not lose business to JetBlue.
In the short term, JetBlue likely benefits from increased visibility and easier access to United’s customer base. In the long term, if United can use this relationship to become a dominant carrier in New York (JFK) and later Boston (BOS)…and perhaps even in Fort Lauderdale (FLL)…it will depend on events, likely economic, that we just cannot predict right now. It may take the “perfect storm” for regulatory approval for a merger, regardless of administration, but this strikes me as what United is working toward, even if that option is never exercised. In the meantime, keeping JetBlue away from American Airlines is itself a win for United.
JetBlue’s march toward vassalage continues. I’m not a fan.
Let’s be clear that B6 holds the cards here. UA wants access to JFK again and B6 has that but is going to be very careful to get more out of UA than UA will take from B6 by UA starting JFK to SFO and LAX flights which UA says it needs.
and even if B6 is convinced that giving up slots to what will legally still be a competitor – there is no chance that UA and B6 will be able to have revenue sharing, it doesn’t stop AA and/or DL from starting EWR to LAX and SFO flights.
As much as UA wants to undo the strategic mistake of leaving JFK years ago, everyone else involved is in a stronger strategic position than UA.
Spectrum boy in his zeel for the klan airline in Geoerogia forgets facts are stubborn things. UA beats klanair in all metrics now. Does that mean you cannot leave your basement kid? Dontou need a safe space? Do you have a sad?
well, no.
Feel free to let us know what metrics you think UA wins at.
The DOT says that UA has worse on-time, higher cancellation rates, and is worst in the industry in baggage handling.
and UA’s own financial reports show that they underperform DL by a fairly wide margin.
It is actually you and others that can’t admit facts that lash out at people that speak the reality that you don’t want to hear.
and specific to this discussion, there is no assurance that UA will succeed at regaining access to JFK and even if they do that AA and/or DL won’t add flights from EWR which is schedule coordinated, not slot controlled like JFK and LGA, because of yet another strategic mistake by UA mgmt.
This reminds me of the old DL/UA partnership. You would early earn bonus miles flying DL for US domestic flights.
“There has been no word on reciprocal upgrades or lounge access…if that comes, it won’t be this spring.”
I’ll keep harping on that, because, while it didn’t last, the AA-B6 NEA actually included this, and it was a big deal, especially for lounges while flying B6 metal (since B6 didn’t have any, until recently, with the new one at JFK T5, but, even then, access there is super limited.)
Spectrum boy tries to deflect from Klanair in Georgia but facts are stubborn things kids!
Small items with possible big implications… Stay tuned!