JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) and American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL) today announced that customers in New York and Boston will have more reasons to make the Northeast Alliance (NEA) their preferred travel provider as the airlines add new routes, improved schedules and enhanced product offerings. Nine new routes go on sale this week across both airlines in New York and Boston. With these new routes, the NEA offers more frequencies in New York and Boston than any other airline.
“A new year brings new opportunities for the Northeast Alliance to add more JetBlue flying in New York and Boston and to deliver on the customer benefits we’ve promised since first announcing this innovative partnership,” said Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s president and chief operating officer. “As we look ahead to 2022, the NEA is poised to deliver incredible growth, which will bring more of our award-winning service and low fares to travelers in the Northeast as, together with American, we create a true third competitor in the region.”
Record-setting service in New York and Boston
With the addition of new destinations, new markets and added frequencies on variety of existing routes in New York and Boston, JetBlue and American are on track for a record-setting year in the Northeast in summer 2022.
“As we welcome customers back to travel, the Northeast Alliance is delivering on promises to offer customers more choices and travel benefits,” said Robert Isom, American Airlines president. “We’re excited to offer our New York and Boston customers even more frequencies and destinations when they travel next year.”
At New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), the NEA will offer up to 300 daily departures. Along with the introduction of JetBlue’s new Vancouver service, the airline will also add frequencies on a variety of existing routes between JFK and:
Aruba (AUA): Up to 4x daily.
Atlanta (ATL): Up to 4x daily.
Cancun, Mexico (CUN): Up to 4x daily.
Detroit (DTW): Up to 2x daily.
Guayaquil, Ecuador (GYE): Up to 2x daily.
Kingston, Jamaica (KIN): Up to 5x daily.
Minneapolis–St. Paul (MSP): Up to 2x daily.
Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ): Up to 4x daily.
Raleigh–Durham, North Carolina (RDU): Up to 3x daily.
Saint Lucia (UVF): Up to 2x daily.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (PLS): Up to 2x daily.
As part of the customer-focused NEA, in 2022, American will enhance its global reach with new nonstop service between JFK and Doha, Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (DOH), becoming the only U.S.-based carrier to serve the Middle Eastern destination.
In the past year, American has provided New York customers with new international travel options, including JFK to Santiago, Chile (SCL); Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV); Athens, Greece (ATH) and Delhi, India (DEL).
At LGA, the NEA will offer nearly 200 daily departures, which includes JetBlue tripling their departures compared to 2019. Along with the introduction of JetBlue’s new Portland, Maine (PWM), service, the airline will also add frequencies on a variety of existing routes between LGA and:
Boston (BOS): Up to 15x daily.
Charleston, South Carolina (CHS): Up to 3x daily.
Jacksonville, Florida (JAX): Up to 3x daily.
Nashville, Tennessee (BNA): Up to 3x daily.
New Orleans (MSY): Up to 2x daily.
Orlando, Florida (MCO): Up to 5x daily.
Tampa, Florida (TPA): Up to 3x daily.
Savannah, Georgia (SAV): Up to 2x daily.
American has also added new LGA routes to Houston (IAH); Kansas City, Missouri (MCI); Oklahoma City (OKC); and Omaha, Nebraska (OMA). The airline has also added more seats to routes to St. Louis (STL), RDU and BNA. Bolstered by the NEA, American has strengthened its offering at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) with better frequencies to hub airports.
As part of the LaGuardia redevelopment project, American is completing its move of operations to the new Terminal B, Western Concourse starting today. The airline will no longer operate out of the old Central Terminal Building, which has been home to American’s operation since the 1960s. Additionally, JetBlue will be fully operating out of LaGuardia’s Terminal B when completed in summer 2022, providing easy connections for customers traveling on the Northeast Alliance. The LaGuardia Terminal B redevelopment includes a new 1.3-million-square-foot terminal with 35 gates, an array of New York City-inspired shops and dining options, permanent pieces of art by leading artists, and a one-of-a-kind water feature.
Beginning in June, customers in Boston will enjoy greater connectivity with six new U.S. domestic routes and two new options to Canada. With these new routes, the NEA will serve 46 of the top 50 U.S. domestic mainland markets from Boston. Tickets will be available for sale starting Dec. 20.
In Boston, American today announced new nonstop service operated on Embraer E175 aircraft between Boston and:
Halifax, Nova Scotia (YHZ): 1x weekly.
Louisville, Kentucky (SDF): Up to daily.
Memphis, Tennessee (MEM): Up to daily.
Pensacola, Florida (PNS): 1x weekly.
Traverse City, Michigan (TVC): 1x weekly.
These new routes follow recently announced American routes from BOS to Columbus, Ohio (CMH); Cincinnati (CVG); Indianapolis (IND); Wilmington, North Carolina (ILM); STL; and Toronto (YYZ).
Along with JetBlue’s introduction of new service to Vancouver and Asheville, the airline will add even more flying between BOS and Reagan National Airport (DCA) with up to 16 daily departures. Additionally, service at Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) will return in summer 2022 with up to five daily flights between BWI and BOS starting June 9.
In summer 2022, the NEA will offer more than 200 daily departures at BOS, with JetBlue operating more than 150, to more nonstop destinations than any other carrier.
Codeshare expands
Today’s newly announced 2022 schedules come just as JetBlue and American have activated a key component of its codeshare agreement with more connecting markets through JFK. The airlines are now codesharing on 185 routes, as American will have its code placed on 70 JetBlue routes while JetBlue will place its code on 115 American routes. This gives the pair a combined schedule with the number of markets and seats that allows American and JetBlue to offer their respective customers options that stack up against larger, dominant carriers. JetBlue and American customers purchasing a codeshare itinerary benefit from having a single ticket that includes flights operated by both carriers, as well as conveniences on their day of travel like one-stop check-in and baggage transfer. More connecting markets through other New York airports and Boston are set to become available to book soon.
