British Airways, the flag carrier of the United Kingdom, is expanding its codeshare arrangement with JetBlue in order to increase its operations in the United States ahead of the incredibly busy summer season.
Codeshare agreements with benefits
British Airways wants to increase its impact in other ways besides increasing the frequency of its already-existing North American lines, which include London Heathrow Airport to New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and other smaller US cities. In order to develop into important areas, the airline inked codeshare agreements with several carriers worldwide in 2024.
Most notably, the airline has codeshare agreements with US hybrid carrier JetBlue and Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo. Given that the US has had a difficult several years of expanding into the European market, JetBlue benefited greatly from the relationship that British Airways made with the airline.
British Airways’ codeshare partnership with JetBlue has been very successful; in December 2024, it was announced that the following domestic JetBlue flights would henceforth be able to use BA flight numbers:
- Boston (BOS) to Atlanta (ATL).
- Boston to Austin (AUS).
- Boston to Cleveland (CLE).
- Boston to Denver (DEN).
- Boston to Seattle (SEA).
- New York (JFK) to Atlanta.
- New York to Sacramento (SMF).
- New York to Seattle.
Along with offering British Airways an advantage in the US market, JetBlue benefits immensely from its codeshare relationship with the British carrier.
After all, JetBlue carrying BA flight numbers allows British Airways travelers to earn Avios points while flying on the US carrier’s flights, further opening up the European market for JetBlue customers and their frequent flier program, TrueBlue.
Not an official oneworld alliance member
Despite collaborations and codeshare agreements with oneworld members British Airways and American Airlines, JetBlue has failed to join the alliance.
These partnerships, which, for example, allow JetBlue customers to book codeshare flights, benefit the New York-based airline because the majority of the major airports where JetBlue has hubs (such as Boston, New York JFK, and Los Angeles) are oneworld strongholds for member airline American Airlines.
However, this does not guarantee that the airline will join oneworld, as the company has one-time agreements with other non-aligned carriers such as Icelandair and even Star Alliance member Singapore Airlines.
Trouble in Europe
In recent years, JetBlue has attempted to expand into the transatlantic long-haul market. In the summer of 2021, the airline began historic flights from its New York JFK hub to London Heathrow Airport with its Airbus A321LR aircraft. Shortly after, the carrier expanded its service from Boston to London, then to Paris CDG and Amsterdam.
Despite promising expansion, the US airline has experienced issues with its European network, particularly in Amsterdam, where flights were temporarily suspended during the summer of 2024.
The carrier’s Amsterdam flights are currently scheduled to begin in March 2025. JetBlue’s future in Europe includes operating a fleet of Airbus A321XLRs on transatlantic routes, albeit deliveries have been delayed, according to Travel Weekly.
In a recent video assessment of the airline, aviation YouTube channel Simply Aviation reported on JetBlue’s decision to remove hot meals from economy class on transatlantic flights.
While this may appear to be a huge concern (especially on trips returning to the United States from Europe that can run up to seven hours), the carrier is still providing cold meals to passengers on its flights, such as wraps, salads, and sandwiches.
Despite the issues that the US carrier has encountered and overcome on its transatlantic routes, JetBlue serves as a reliable partner airline for both British Airways and American Airlines on their legacy routes between New York, Boston, and European locations such as London and Paris.
This provides oneworld members, regular flyers, and typical travelers with even another choice for traveling between North America and Europe. After all, more competition (even if it’s linked) improves ticket pricing. In the end, the future of the JetBlue-BA codeshare and relationship appears to be very positive.
FAQ
What new flights are being added to the British Airways and JetBlue codeshare agreement?
British Airways is adding new flights from Boston Logan International Airport and New York’s JFK Airport, expanding its existing codeshare partnership with JetBlue. These additions aim to provide more seamless travel options for passengers flying between the U.S. and Europe.
When will the new codeshare flights between British Airways and JetBlue start?
The new codeshare flights are expected to commence in the summer of 2025, enhancing connectivity between major U.S. cities and Europe.
How does the codeshare agreement benefit passengers?
The codeshare agreement allows passengers to book connecting flights more easily, enjoy streamlined check-in procedures, and benefit from joint frequent flyer programs offered by British Airways and JetBlue.
Which destinations in Europe can travelers access through this agreement?
Through this expanded codeshare, passengers will have access to various destinations across Europe, including London, Paris, and other major cities served by British Airways from its hubs.
Can passengers earn frequent flyer miles on these codeshare flights?
Yes, passengers can earn and redeem frequent flyer miles through both British Airways’ Executive Club and JetBlue’s TrueBlue loyalty program when traveling on codeshare flights.
