JetBlue to partner with U.S. carrier to expand route network

JetBlue Airways, in a bid to expand its route network, is set to establish a partnership with a domestic U.S. airline to cover cities like Boise and Omaha. Marty St. George, JetBlue's president, emphasized this strategy during a recent earnings call, stating, "The most important thing, number one, is a significantly higher network opportunity for earn and burn of TrueBlue points."

This move follows a court order in 2023 that terminated JetBlue's partnership with American Airlines, known as the Northeast Alliance. Joanna Geraghty, the CEO of JetBlue, commented on a lawsuit where American Airlines seeks over $1 million from JetBlue, saying, "This is not an expected turn."

American Airlines made a proposal to JetBlue following their partnership dissolution, but as Steve Johnson, American's vice chair and chief strategy officer, noted, "JetBlue was focused on different business priorities." Speculations suggest JetBlue might partner with other carriers like Alaska, Delta, Southwest, or United Airlines. St. George mentioned that JetBlue plans to announce its new partner by the end of June.