American Airlines and JetBlue Airways are forming a partnership that will include codesharing and expanded service offerings out of New York, the carriers announced.
Pending government approval, the carriers will develop a codeshare network "pairing JetBlue's domestic network with American's international route map," according to JetBlue president and COO Joanna Geraghty. It will include about 60 routes operated by American and more than 130 routes operated by JetBlue.
To build on the partnership, American plans to launch service between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Tel Aviv as well as seasonal summer service between JFK and Athens, the first long-haul flights the carrier has added from JFK in four years. American also will add seasonal winter service to Rio de Janeiro beginning in winter 2021.
JetBlue, meanwhile, plans to increase its network out of New York, with new service at JFK coordinated to connect with American's international network. The carrier plans to build from the other two major New York area airports, including new transcontinental service from Newark that includes its premium Mint product.
The announcement did not include specific details on how the carriers' respective loyalty programs would play into the agreement, which an American Airlines spokesperson said were still under discussion.
JetBlue and American have worked together before, having launched interlining and offering frequent flyer reciprocity on select routes about a decade ago. The carriers terminated those agreements in 2014.
The new partnership will be an East Coast counterpart to the West Coast alliance announced by American and Alaska Airlines earlier this year. Unlike Alaska, however, JetBlue said it had no intention of joining the Oneworld alliance. JetBlue also will not join the joint business agreement in place between American and International Airlines Group and still plans to launch its own transatlantic service to London next year.