In the next two months, Jetblue is expected to announce his next great association of the airline, executives said this week.
Now, speculation is turning on which airline will be and what it will mean for frequent flyers.
Speaking in the company’s first quarter of the company on Tuesday, the president of Jetblue, Marty St. George, said the airline planned to announce its most recent link with another important operator at the end of the second quarter, which extends until the end of June.
“I think we are getting close to making an ad,” said St. George. “We have made good progress in discussions.”
The airline in question, said St. George, will be an American domestic carrier who has a larger network than Jetblue.
Only five conform to that category: American carriers of “large three”, along with Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines.
It is not Alaska, TPG confirmed.
Nor is American, the former Northeast Alliance partner of Jetblue, as the carrier said on Monday that he speaks between you and Jetblue about A revived association collapsed (And now he is demanding Jetblue).
Add fuel to speculation: Reuters on Tuesday reported That Jetblue is, in fact, in conversations with other important aircraft carriers, United Airlines, citing familiar sources with the ongoing negotiations. TPG has not independently verified that the reports, and both operators have refused to comment on the reported conversations.
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When asked about the reports, a Jetblue spokesman deferred to comment on this week’s earning call.
As TPG reported on TuesdayDuring that call, Jetblue leaders said they expected a new airline association to open new destinations for travelers who hope to win and exchange Jetblue Trueblue needles The idea: essentially expand the network of an airline that bases a significant part of its operation on the east coast.
“Only a kind of better opportunity for our customers to fly more frequently,” said St. George.
For months, Jetblue He has publicly recognized who hopes to find a new partner of an airline that marks a void created in 2023 when a federal judge ordered The end of his NEA with a American in antitrust land.
Last year, Jetblue announced a comprehensive strategy called “Jetforward” aimed at returning the airline to profitability. The plan included the airline New airport halls Appear to open at the end of this year, your new National First Class Seats and an association with another airline (among other elements).
But, according to St. George, the Jetblue agreement is now looking at is larger than the company had anticipated last year.
“We have a Jetforward number for associations,” analysts told Tuesday while talking about the possible financial benefit. “It is a number that does not assume an association of this size.”
For its part, Jetblue already has a handful of loyalty associations that allow Trueblue members to win and redeem points with international aircraft carriers, from Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways in the Middle East to Singapore airlines in Asia. Last week, the carrier announced a new loyalty agreement With Japan Airlines that quickly presented Jetblue with New opportunities for redemption of sweet points On flights to Asia.
