American Airlines and JetBlue are proceeding with their strategic alliance following the end of a review by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which required a few concessions from the carriers.
With the partnership, which had been under review since the carriers announced it in July, the carriers will build their network in the Northeastern United States. JetBlue is planning "significant growth" at New York's LaGuardia Airport as well as up to 70 daily flights at Newark Liberty International Airport, according to JetBlue head of revenue and planning Scott Laurence. American Airlines, meanwhile, will upgauge aircraft and by year-end will be offering First Class on all of its flights out of New York. American also will begin service to both Tel Aviv and Athens out of New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport this summer, the first long-haul international service it has added out of New York in four years.
The carriers plan to begin codesharing later this quarter on select flights out of New York and Boston, a total of 60 American routes and 130 JetBlue routes, and will begin aligning schedules in the two cities in the first half of the year. Reciprocal loyalty program benefits will begin later this year, according to the carriers.
Both Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines were among those filing objections to the partnership to DOT, citing competition concerns. Per their agreement with DOT, JetBlue and American will divest some slots at JFK and Washington Reagan National Airport and have also committed to their capacity expansion plans. In addition, JetBlue and American will not coordinate "in city pair markets where they are substantial competitors to each other and there is little service from other airlines," according to the carriers.