JetBlue Becomes Official Airline For The New York Islanders Hockey Team

The New York Islanders hockey team announced that

JetBlue

will become its official domestic airline partner. The airline is deepening its investment in the area as it is set to begin service from Long Island MacArtther Airportrport next month and is celebrating the news with events today at JFK and the UBS Arena.

Hometown hockey heroes

JetBlue has long positioned itself as New York’s hometown airline, and it now appears to be looking to provide more for its frequent flyers in the metro area. Long Island residents who fly with the airline will receive exclusive benefits, including pre-sale access and special offers for UBS Arena events and New York Islanders games.

Members of JetBlue’s

TrueBlue

frequent flyer program will even receive access to a designated priority lane at the main entrance of the UBS Arena. This works well for hockey fans who have elite status at other airlines, and JetBlue is currently offering a free status match.

The airline is launching the partnership in style. The New York Islanders Hype Team joined mascots Sparky and Nyles and four-time Stanley Cup Champion Butch Goring in Terminal 5 of

New York JFK Airport

this morning to give away prizes and welcome passing customers. It will be followed by Light Up Long Island at 19:00 this evening. The second event will feature the UBS Arena lanterns and the Nassau County Executive & Legislative Building’s Dome lighting up in blue to welcome JetBlue to the New York Islanders’ home on Long Island. John Collins, Operating Partner New York Islanders, noted how the new partnership will serve the local community:

“We are proud to welcome JetBlue as the official domestic airline partner of the New York Islanders and UBS Arena.

“JetBlue’s dedication to the communities they serve will help us grow the game of hockey across the region.”

The National Hockey League team is not the only one getting a lift from JetBlue. The airline will further provide support for the Islanders’ Girls Hockey Program, including Girls Learn to Play, Girls Try Hockey for Free, and Girls Advanced Clinics.

Mosaic members to the front

As part of the partnership, JetBlue will get naming rights across the team’s home in the UBS Area. JetBlue will rebrand the existing Northwest Terrace as the TrueBlue Terrace. The outdoor space provides a quieter area for TrueBlue members to connect, relax, and grab a drink.

The UBS Arena’s event level, with access to the price suites and clubs, is set to become the JetBlue Runway Level. The Spotlight Club, located in the first six rows behind the player benches, will be renamed the JetBlue Mosaic Lounge. Meanwhile, the private Spotlight Suites will now be known as Mosaic Suites. Dan Griffis, President of Global Partnerships at the arena’s management firm Oak View Group, expressed his confidence in the new alliance:

“JetBlue is one of the most iconic and innovative major U.S. airlines and we are grateful to have them partner with UBS Arena and the NY Islanders for a long time to come.

“JetBlue’s incredible commitment to unique, high-quality experiences and passion for the communities they serve is congruent to our mission and values. I am confident that Belmont Park will be a better place with them involved.”

The benefits will extend to frequent flyers who are not hockey fans, as the arena regularly hosts concerts and other events, where priority entry will be useful.

Long Island legacy

The deepening investment in the greater New York City area comes as JetBlue gets ready to launch flights from Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP). Located further down the island in Islip, the airport is known for its convenience and efficiency and was recently named one of USA Today’s top ten small airports.

JetBlue will become the fourth airline with regularly scheduled services to the airport when flights to three destinations in Florida launch in October. The first service will take off for

Orlando International Airport

(MCO) on October 24th. The morning flight to Florida will depart Long Island daily and operate at the following times:

Flights to

Palm Beach International Airport

(PBI) will also commence on October 24th and run four times per week. The service to West Palm Beach will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays at the following times:

The final route will begin October 25th, when flights take off for

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

(FLL). The route will also be served four times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The flights will operate at the following times:

The routes are scheduled to be operated by Airbus A320s based in Florida. The new flights have been in the works for quite some time and were among the most requested routes by Long Island residents. Marty St. George, President of JetBlue, expressed his excitement for the partnership to take off with new options for Long Islanders:

“JetBlue is excited to lace up with the New York Islanders and UBS Arena for the ultimate New York power play as the Official Domestic Airline Partner.

With new JetBlue service from Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) launching next month, we’re excited to become an even bigger part of the Long Island community, home of some of our most loyal customers.”

When the new routes launch, JetBlue will face significant competition. According to airline scheduling data from Cirium, JetBlue will compete with Frontier Airlines on all three routes. Southwest Airlines also offers links to West Palm Beach and Orlando from Long Island MacArthur Airport. Breeze Airways, the airport’s remaining tenant, has no competing routes.