JetBlue plots its next chapter, and Boston, you’re back up

The Blue’s NE alliance with American was killed by DOJ, as was its merger with Spirit. A management refresh pulls back on international flying and looks to Boston for growth.

JetBlue and American attempted a superpartnership in the Northeast US to combat United’s dominance at Newark and Delta’s at JFK and LGA. The thinking was JetBlue could feed American’s longhaul flights from JFK, helping to overcome United’s strength at Newark and Delta’s at JFK and LGA. Delta especially feigned outrage to hub-state senators, such as Amy Klobuchar (D-MSP), to successfully urge Justice to block the American–JetBlue partnership.

The American Blues are now divorcing, while JetBlue also picks up the pieces its blocked Sprit marriage. It’s shifting focus north from New York. Newly minted (and returning) JetBlue President Marty St. George made clear at the Bank of America Transportation, Airlines, and Industrials Conference that he’s bringing the flight to Delta at BOS: “We have better Net Promoter Scores than our biggest competitor. We still are going to be bullish in Boston."

JetBlue aims to replace lost longhaul American flights with American JV partner BA. The Points Guy reports BA-Blue will codeshare “on flights to 92 destinations, including 75 in the United States — 39 from New York and 36 from Boston.”

That adds a lot of connectivity to and from the TATL routes, but not for everyone. "If you're a super duper secret platinum, diamond, whatever, we're probably not going to be a first choice airline," said St. George. "But if you are the silver or gold low-tier elite on any of the full-service airlines, you will all-in-all have a better experience on JetBlue."

Puerto Rico, is back too. JetBlue is running its old playbook. Brian Sumers has much more in his excellent Substack.

Schedule, lounges, international network, and loyalty advantage Delta in Boston. JetBlue’s geographic concentration in the northeast and Caribbean tempts weather jeopardy, and JetBlue otherwise struggles to fly as scheduled.

These Blue new promises are good news for Boston flyers, likely at the expense of New Yorkers not loyal to United or Delta.