Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.

American Airlines and JetBlue Airways Introduce Reciprocal Elite Benefits

James Larounis's image
James Larounis
James Larounis's image

James Larounis

Senior Content Contributor

581 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 30U.S. States Visited: 35

James (Jamie) started The Forward Cabin blog to educate readers about points, miles, and loyalty programs. He’s spoken at Princeton University and The New York Times Travel Show and has been quoted in...
Jump to Section

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

American Airlines and JetBlue Airways entered into a Northeast Alliance in 2020, allowing the 2 airlines to feed passengers onto each other’s flights into key destinations in the Northeast U.S., particularly New York’s JFK airport. The alliance is intended to be a win-win for passengers — customers on JetBlue now have access to a huge international network on American, and American customers have access to more frequencies domestically.

With the alliance, American and JetBlue have announced reciprocal elite benefits valid on both carriers.

What JetBlue Elites Receive on American

You’ll only be able to partake in benefits on American if you’re a JetBlue TrueBlue Mosaic elite member. Here’s what you’ll be offered:

  • Priority check-in, available in most airports that American serves
  • 2 free checked bags, up to 50 pounds per bag (you’ll only be able to partake in this benefit if you check-in with an American agent until further IT improvements are rolled out)
  • Priority screening, available in select airports and all hubs
  • Group 4 Priority boarding (with AAdvantage Gold members)
  • Priority baggage handling, including the orange priority tag on all bags
  • Complimentary same-day changes on American flights (need “E” availability and must have the same origin/destination and routing)

What American Elites Receive on JetBlue

jetblue Overhead Compartment Storage bag
Priority boarding will be a new benefit for both American and JetBlue elite customers, allowing you to stow your bags first. Image Credit: JetBlue

All AAdvantage elite levels — from Gold to ConciergeKey — are able to partake in benefits on JetBlue. You’ll receive:

  • Priority check-in at the Mosaic or Mint queue
  • 2 free checked bags, accessible via all forms of check-in
  • Priority baggage handling, indicated by a tag on the bag at check-in
  • Priority security, available in select airports
  • Priority boarding with all Mosaic elites on all flights

Mileage Redemptions

In addition to the elite benefits announced, you’ll also be able to soon redeem American Airlines AAdvantage miles on JetBlue flights. The cheapest option will be economy class, starting at 12,500 miles (typical for American flights), and the most expensive option will be 65,000-mile one-way journeys in JetBlue’s Mint class from several major cities to Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (JFK). This is a steep price tag to pay for this premium product, so you’ll want to be sure you check out all your options before committing to a ticket.

Hot Tip: The ability to redeem JetBlue TrueBlue points on American flights should be available at a future date (TBD).

What’s Coming Soon?

Soon, you’ll be able to select “preferred” seats on both airlines, though both airlines have advised this will only include seats located in better areas of the plane, not seats with additional legroom or benefits.

Final Thoughts

The relationship between American Airlines and JetBlue is definitely going to bring a lot of benefits to flyers, and elite passengers now have more to look forward to when flying either airline. While the benefits certainly could have been stronger, and extra-legroom seating would have been greatly appreciated, the newly announced benefits are a great starting point and will encourage travelers to book both products moving forward.

James Larounis's image

About James Larounis

James (Jamie) started The Forward Cabin blog to educate readers about points, miles, and loyalty programs. He’s spoken at Princeton University and The New York Times Travel Show and has been quoted in dozens of travel publications.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy  and terms of service  apply.

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse
DMCA.com Protection Status