In 2022, customers will experience the full benefits of the Northeast Alliance (NEA) between American Airlines and JetBlue, including the most flight choices in dozens of markets from New York and Boston, lie-flat seats on all transcontinental routes and a robust international network. In addition, American will reimagine business travel in 2022 with the launch of Main Select for business travelers.
“The NEA is open for business, providing customers the most frequencies in New York, the best routes across key business markets and reciprocal status benefits,” American’s Chief Revenue Officer Vasu Raja said. “With lie-flat seats offered in all transcontinental markets and a robust international network that includes the launch of 10 new routes, the NEA is spurring competition in New York and transforming travel beyond the northeast.”
The innovative alliance between American and JetBlue continues to increase competition in the Northeast.
“The NEA has already supercharged competition in the Northeast by providing more choices and better service for customers,” said Scott Laurence, head of Revenue and Planning at JetBlue. “We were able to deliver on more consumer benefits, including most recently, more JetBlue flying out of LaGuardia than ever before, and reciprocal elite benefits.”
Easiest way to travel the East Coast
The NEA has created more frequencies in New York than any other airline, offering consumers access to nearly 60 markets, and more than 48 markets from Boston. And with a retimed 2022 schedule in high-frequency markets such as from Boston (BOS) to Washington, D.C. (DCA) and New York (LGA) to DCA, the NEA will offer customers the most convenient service on key business routes.
Recently, JetBlue added its code to several international flights on American’s network and continues to add its code to further domestic and international flights.
Customers can now easily connect from an American flight to a JetBlue flight and vice versa through New York (JFK) as the two airlines are now offering codeshare connections to nearly 600 origin and destination markets.
Since January, the NEA has brought more service to customers in New York and Boston, including 58 new routes, increased frequencies on more than 130 routes and codeshare on 175 routes. The NEA has also created reciprocal codeshare on the largest connecting markets from JFK.
The return of international travel
While other airlines try to make old routes new again, American has continued to operate its international schedule during the pandemic. Bolstered by the NEA, American is currently the fastest growing international carrier in New York. The alliance connects the Northeast to almost 150 worldwide destinations, including 10 new international routes from American.
These routes include new service from New York’s JFK to Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV), which launched in May; JFK service to Athens, Greece (ATH), which launched in June; and JFK service to Delhi, India (DEL), which launches on Nov. 12.
In its January 2022 schedule, American will also upgauge aircraft on its New York routes to Medellin and Cali, Colombia, offering more seats to the popular South American destination.
Blue Extra, meet Main Select
American is reimagining travel for business customers. In 2022, American will launch Main Select in key business markets, continuing American’s decades of premium business service by operating high-frequency routes between LGA to DCA, LGA to Chicago (ORD), BOS to DCA and in additional markets such as Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles. Main Select takes the stress out of business travel with refundable fares, priority boarding, priority check-in, choice of all seats in Main Cabin at time of booking including Main Cabin Extra, and free same-day flight changes.
With this new innovative fare product for business customers across the country, American will be retiring the airline’s Shuttle product, which was only available on select routes in the Northeast.
“We are revamping the high-frequency travel experience to meet the needs of today’s business customers,” Raja said. “That means creating an easy and seamless travel experience that has the amenities they want, the flexibility they need and a network that offers access to any destination they want to go.”
Business customers can purchase a Blue Extra fare when flying on JetBlue high-frequency routes, including LGA to BOS, operated exclusively by JetBlue. Blue Extra conveniently offers same-day flight switches, Even More® Speed at select airports and early boarding, making business travel a breeze.
Status perks on both airlines
Earlier this fall, American’s AAdvantage status members and JetBlue’s TrueBlue Mosaic members began receiving their benefits when traveling either carrier, including priority boarding, priority security and free checked baggage allowances.
For those TrueBlue Mosaic members who want to choose an aisle or a window seat, these preferred seats are now available for selection at the time of purchase.
