US carrier JetBlue
has upgraded its relationship with its longest-standing airline partner. Beginning today, members of JetBlue’s TrueBlue frequent flyer program can earn and redeem miles on flights with the commuter airline from several of its hubs.
The oldest of partners
The two airlines began working together in 2007, when Cape Air
became the the very first partner to launch a codeshare agreement with JetBlue. Since then, passengers have been able to purchase a single ticket that includes flights operated by both carriers and includes the convenience of one-stop check-in and automatic baggage transfers.
Seventeen years later, the two airlines announced that members of JetBlue’s TrueBlue
loyalty program could now earn and redeem TrueBlue points on select Cape Air-operated flights when booking directly with JetBlue. One of the largest commuter airlines in the nation, Cape Air currently serves 32 cities in the US and the Caribbean with more than 250 daily flights.
The two airlines significantly overlap in JetBlue’s focus cities of New York, Boston, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, allowing passengers to book seamless connections between destinations across the Northeast and Caribbean on one reservation. Chris Buckner, JetBlue’s Vice President of Loyalty and Partnerships, noted his excitement for this latest loyalty development:
“As our first airline partner, we couldn’t be more excited to expand our partnership with Cape Air to offer our customers the ability to earn and redeem through our TrueBlue loyalty program.”
“Whether traveling to one of our beloved focus cities like Boston, New York or San Juan, or connecting to world-class beach destinations in the Caribbean, we continue to provide customers with more ways to be rewarded for their loyalty and make the most of their travel experience.”
Sadly, Mosaic perks for those with elite status apply only to JetBlue-operated flights and do not extend to flights operated by partner airlines such as Cape Air.
How To Use TrueBlue Points on Cape Air
Points can only be earned for bookings made directly through JetBlue and cannot be added to flights booked with Cape Air or a third-party provider like Kayak. TrueBlue points are accrued on Cape Air flights based on the ticket fare, with customers earning up to 2 points per dollar on the Cape Air-operated portion of the flight of the itinerary.
According to JetBlue, Cape Air flights booked on Capeair.com or other airline or agency channels are ineligible to earn TrueBlue points.
To claim the points, be sure to enter your TrueBlue number into your booking or during JetBlue check-in. Cash + Points can be used for those looking to use fewer miles on roundtrip tickets with a JetBlue-operated portion on either the outbound or return flight but not on trips entirely operated by Cape Air. The full earning chart can be found below:
|
Class of Service |
Points Earned |
|---|---|
|
Core (Economy) Y, H, B, R, M, Z, O, U, S, P |
2 points/dollar |
|
L |
1 point/dollar |
|
A, X |
Ineligible |
To redeem TrueBlue points on Cape Air, simply head to the JetBlue website or app and select Use TrueBlue Points. Any eligible Cape Air flights will appear in the search results. Simple Flying analyzed sample dates and routes and found good availability on several routes and a straightforward booking process.
A representative flight from Boston (BOS) to Cape Cod (HYA) in November cost 10,800 points, compared to $119 cash. The same dates for a trip from San Juan (SJU) to St. Criox (STX) cost 21,000 points or $199. Lisa Shivdasani, Cape Air’s Senior Vice President of Airline Partnerships and Commercial, expressed how significant this expanded partnership is to the carrier:
“For 17 years we have grown our partnership with a shared vision to connect and delight customers in the communities we serve.
“With our expanded partnership, we are excited to offer even more value to those who live, work, and play in some of the most beautiful vacation destinations in the world.”
All fares include one personal item. However, it is worth noting that Cape Air aircraft do not support overhead bags and have limited space for heavy or oversized checked luggage.
An East Coast Expansion
The Cape Air announcement comes as JetBlue has widely committed to growing in the Northeastern region. This winter, the carrier will have 20% more seats in New England and will place its premium Mint product on more routes after adding it to flights to Yellowstone.
This growth will be spread across routes at focus cities, including Boston (which gets a second daily flight to Phoenix) and smaller outposts like Hartford, which is seeing a 30% increase in seats this winter. In nearby Rhode Island, Providence (PVD) will have triple the service it had last winter with new routes to Fort Myers (RSW), Tampa (TPA), and San Juan (SJU).
This winter, flights from Long Island and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) will join the airline’s network. JetBlue flights from Manchester (a hotspot for low-cost carriers looking to capture the Boston market) will launch in January with service to three Florida cities: Orlando (MCO), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), and Fort Myers (RSW).
The carrier is also investing significantly in its Puerto Rico offerings as it looks to strategically refocus its network to leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) routes with strong customer demand. The carrier will average over 40 daily departures this winter across 18 destinations from San Juan, Aguadilla, and Ponce.
These flights will be supplemented by Cape Air’s service, which offers additional destinations beyond San Juan, including Culebra, Mayagüez, Vieques, St Croix, St Thomas, Virgin Gorda, and Tortola/Beef Island.