JetBlue and American Announce 11 New Routes Despite Alliance Lawsuit

• JetBlue Airways and American Airlines announced 11 new routes as part of their Northeast Alliance.
• The new routes will fly to places like Bermuda, Vancouver, and Knoxville from New York and Boston.
• The network expansion comes as the airlines face an antitrust lawsuit over their partnership.

Customers flying JetBlue Airways or American Airlines just got a few more flight options out of the Northeast.

On Friday, the pair announced 11 new nonstop routes from New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Boston Logan International Airport to cities across North America starting next spring.

Between the two, there will be eight new domestic routes, including to Atlanta, Georgia; Knoxville, Tennessee; Hyannis, Massachusetts; Birmingham, Alabama; Buffalo, New York; Greenville, South Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; and Grand Rapid, Michigan. 

Meanwhile, three new international routes will be added to the pair’s network, including to Nassau, Vancouver, and Bermuda. JetBlue will also expand its Mint business class service between Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and Aruba, as well as resume flights between Newark and Montego Bay, Jamaica, in the summer of 2023.

The route expansion is part of JetBlue and American’s powerful Northeast Alliance, which has come under scrutiny by competitors and the US Department of Justice. In September 2021, the DOJ filed an antitrust lawsuit against the airlines, which went to trial a year later in September 2022. 

The agency argues the partnership decreases competition and increases fares, saying at the trial that the matter “opens a Pandora’s box” and “continues the trend of 20 years of consolidation in this industry.”

JetBlue’s lawyer, Richard Schwed, rebutted, saying the pair “created a seamless network at great expense,” and that fares have decreased in Boston by 12%, Courthouse News reported. Judge Leo T. Sorokin is expected to make a ruling next year.

Although the trial is over, the pair are now facing a consumer lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Bloomberg reported, which accuses JetBlue and American of overcharging customers some $700 million a year since the pair teamed up in July 2020.

Despite the controversy, both airlines are marching forward with their alliance, having added about 50 new nonstop routes since its start. The two have also started strategically timing their flights and made JetBlue the pair’s sole operator between Boston and LaGuardia.

Moreover, customers can seamlessly travel under one booking, with JetBlue travelers now able to connect onto an overseas American flight out of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Boston.

“Giving customers more choices for travel is a critical part of the Northeast Alliance,” American’s VP of global alliances and partnerships, Anmol Bhargava, said in a press release.

Further commenting on the new routes, he said, “we are pleased that with our partner, JetBlue, we will now serve 45 of the top 50 domestic markets from LGA.”

Take a closer look at the Northeast Alliance’s 11 new routes.

Between LaGuardia and Atlanta

JetBlue will start daily flights between New York and Atlanta in the spring of 2023. The service will run four times per day and the carrier will compete with Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines, while American also has frequencies.

Between LaGuardia and Hyannis

JetBlue will start once-daily flights between New York and Hyannis near Cape Code in the spring of 2023. The route is summer seasonal and was last flown by US Airways in 2009, per The Points Guy.

Between LaGuardia and Bermuda

JetBlue will start once-daily flights between New York and Bermuda in the spring of 2023. The service is summer seasonal and the carrier will not face any competition.

Between LaGuardia and Nassau

JetBlue will start once-daily flights between New York and Nassau in the spring of 2023. The route is also operated by American.

Between Boston and Vancouver

JetBlue will start once-daily flights between Boston and Vancouver in the spring of 2023. The route is summer seasonal and complements the carrier’s current service between New York-JFK and the Canadian city. JetBlue will compete with Air Canada on the route.

Between LaGuardia and Birmingham

American will start once-daily flights between New York and Birmingham on May 5. The route is also operated by Delta.

Between LaGuardia and Buffalo

American will start thrice-daily flights between New York and Buffalo on May 5. The route is also operated by Delta.

Between LaGuardia and Greenville

American will start twice-daily flights between New York and Greenville on May 5. The route is also operated by Delta.

Between LaGuardia and Columbia

American will start once-daily flights between New York and Columbia on May 5. The route is also operated by Delta.

Between LaGuardia and Grand Rapids

American will start once-daily flights between New York and Grand Rapids on May 5. The route is also operated by Delta.

Between LaGuardia and Knoxville

American will start once-daily flights between New York and Knoxville on May 5. The route is also operated by Delta.