JetBlue is obvious on what it desires from a new airline partner: extra dots on its map.
“The most important thing, number one, is a significantly higher network opportunity for earn and burn of TrueBlue points,” Marty St. George, president of JetBlue, mentioned throughout the airline’s first-quarter earnings name on Tuesday.
St. George went on to describe a situation the place a loyal JetBlue frequent flyer wants to go to Boise or Omaha however, given the airline’s present route map, which is closely East Coast oriented, can’t. The service’s new partner — an as-yet-unnamed U.S. home airline — will fill that hole.
The new partner can even fill a niche left after a 2023 courtroom order pressured JetBlue and American Airlines to finish their partnership referred to as the Northeast Alliance. The two airways have spent the higher a part of two years unwinding the pact, although some excellent gadgets stay unresolved. American Airlines filed go well with in Texas on Monday for greater than $1 million that it claims JetBlue owes.
“This is not an expected turn,” Joanna Geraghty, CEO of JetBlue, mentioned of the lawsuit on Tuesday.
One factor is clear: American won’t be JetBlue’s new home partner.
“Although we proposed a very attractive proposition to JetBlue and its customers and team, it became clear over time that JetBlue was focused on different business priorities,” wrote Steve Johnson, American’s vice chair and chief technique officer, in a letter to employees on Monday.
With American out of the image, JetBlue’s finest choices to expand the breadth of its U.S. route map for TrueBlue members are carriers like Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.
JetBlue plans to announce its new U.S. partner by the tip of June, St. George mentioned.
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At least 2 extra new JetBlue cities coming in 2025
“There will be multiple new dots coming later this year on the route map,” St. George mentioned in response to a query on whether or not the airline deliberate any additional enlargement in 2025. He added that “multiple” might imply simply two new cities, with out elaborating.
The additions come after JetBlue slashed its schedule by 4.3% within the first quarter in contrast to 2024 and plans to shrink it by as a lot as 3.5% within the second quarter. The airline has suspended its full-year outlook, citing macroeconomic uncertainty.
U.S. home journey demand has slowed since President Trump took workplace in January. For JetBlue, bookings decreased in January, February and March however have stabilized (albeit at a decrease degree than initially forecast) since early April, St.George mentioned.
“I would not do something as simple as to say this is a red-versus-blue recession of whatever you want to call it,” he continued. “But it does seem like the coasts seem to be impacted a little bit more.”
The slowdown has prompted JetBlue to minimize off-peak flying on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The cuts comply with the airline’s exit from 15 cities and dozens of routes since early 2024 as half of a bigger restructuring referred to as JetForward that goals to return JetBlue to common profitability.
The airline even pulled deliberate new service to Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) in Nova Scotia from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) that was due to start in June.
Profits eluded JetBlue within the first quarter when the airline reported a internet lack of $208 million on income of $2.1 billion.
Prior to the most recent slowdown, JetBlue had unveiled plans to add Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in New Hampshire, Norfolk International Airport (ORF) in Virginia, Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport (SAP) in Honduras, Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) in Michigan and Wilmington International Airport (ILM) in North Carolina to its map in 2025.
JetBlue’s loyalty and premium bets are paying off
JetBlue executives appeared completely satisfied with the airline’s resolution to double down on its premium and loyalty choices forward of the most recent slowdown. Both segments of its enterprise outperformed economic system leisure journey within the first quarter.
In January, the airline unveiled the new JetBlue Premier Card with a plethora of advantages. That addition helped drive a 7% improve in cobranded bank card spending throughout the first quarter.
The data for the JetBlue Premier Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
JetBlue additionally rebranded its extra-legroom Even More Space seats as “EvenMore” in January. As a part of the change, the service turned the seats into their very own fare class that vacationers can choose throughout the reserving course of fairly than as an add-on after they e book a flight.
The actually thrilling stuff, nevertheless, comes later this yr when JetBlue will unveil its eagerly awaited home firstclass. The new seats will likely be specified by a 2-2 configuration and situated on the entrance of its Airbus A320 household and A220 plane. Beyond that, the airline has been quiet on particulars.
The airline additionally plans to unveil its first airport lounge at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) within the fourth quarter and a lounge at BOS in 2026.
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