JetBlue and Hawaiian Airlines expand partnership

New York’s JetBlue Airways, and Hawaii’s flag carrier, Hawaiian Airlines, have expanded their partnership. Members of both carriers’ frequent flyer programs will soon be able to earn and redeem loyalty points or miles for travel on either airline. Travellers will also find more convenient connections between points throughout the East Coast and points throughout Hawaii with the signing of a new codeshare agreement. Both agreements will be in effect on 5 June 2012, when Hawaiian launches the only nonstop service between New York City and Hawaii with daily widebody flights between JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City and Honolulu International Airport (HNL). “Starting next month, Hawaiian will bring Hawaii to New York, and this expansion of our partnership with JetBlue will make travel between the East Coast and Hawaii easier than ever,” said Peter Ingram, Hawaiian’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer. Reciprocal Benefits for Frequent Flyers Effective 5 June, JetBlue’s TrueBlue members can accrue one point for every two miles flown on eligible Hawaiian-operated flights, while HawaiianMiles members will be able to earn miles on eligible JetBlue-operated flights on a mile-for-mile basis. To earn points or miles on the entire trip, customers must call JetBlue or Hawaiian Airlines reservations to enter their TrueBlue or HawaiianMiles number into their itinerary prior to travel. Frequent fliers can also redeem their points or miles for travel on either airline’s network by calling their program’s reservation desk. With TrueBlue, members enjoy the benefits of a program that has no blackout dates, and very importantly, every seat on every JetBlue flight is available for redemption, allowing customers to redeem awards whenever they want to travel. Codeshare Allows Hawaiian to Market East Coast Connections Hawaiian has placed its HA code on a host of connecting JetBlue flights, making it easy to find the most convenient connections between points throughout the East Coast and points throughout Hawaii in worldwide reservations systems. Codesharing provides one-stop check-in, seamless flight connections and boarding passes all the way through from origin to destination. “We are pleased to see our partnership with Hawaiian continue to blossom and we look forward to sharing our home at JFK,” said Scott Resnick, JetBlue’s director of alliances and partnerships. “Hawaiian’s Aloha spirit pairs nicely with JetBlue’s award-winning customer service, providing customers an enjoyable travel experience from start to finish.” In January, the airlines announced an interline partnership enabling customers to enjoy the convenience of a single combined ticket for connecting Hawaiian and JetBlue-operated flights, plus other benefits including one-stop check-in and baggage transfer between the carriers’ networks via New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), where Hawaiian offers multiple daily departures to Hawaii. JetBlue customers in cities including Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Raleigh/Durham can make seamless connections to Honolulu or onwards on Hawaiian to Kauai, Maui, or Hawaii Island.