American Airlines and JetBlue, partners in the so-called ‘Northeast Alliance’ which allows them to cooperate rather than compete in a number of areas, have now hooked up their AAdvantage and TrueBlue programs to allow passengers to earn award points in either program.
That gives customers a choice no matter which airline the ticket is sold through or which one operates the flight—with one exception. Passengers on JetBlue’s upcoming London flights will not be able to earn AAdvantage miles.
Unlike in the past where rewards points on partner airlines were based 1:1 on miles flown, AAdvantage members flying on JetBlue will get miles based on the same fare-based chart as they do on AA flights, a sliding scale of miles-per-dollar that depends on elite status. ‘Elite-qualifying miles’ will still be awarded based on distance.
There are a few wrinkles in the system to keep an eye on. JetBlue gives some bonuses for booking on its site and for using its co-branded cards; if you book a JetBlue flight through AA, you won’t get the bonuses. The airlines have suggested that there may be reciprocal perks for fees like checked bags in future, but for now, if you have a card or a membership that gives you free checked bags, that may determine which airline you book through.
