JetBlue and Icelandair announced an expansion of their codeshare partnership to offer more ways to get from Europe to North America and vice versa. The JetBlue code will be added to seven of Icelandair's European routes from Reykjavik, offering customers a connecting itinerary from a Northeastern US gateway. The airlines plan to expand this codeshare in the future.
JetBlue and Icelandair expand codeshare agreement
JetBlue's "B6" code is now available on seven routes to Europe from Icelandair's hub in Reykjavik's Keflavik Airport (KEF). These routes are:
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
- Copenhagen Airport (CPH)
- Glasgow Airport (GLA)
- Helsinki Airport (HEL)
- Manchester Airport (MAN)
- Oslo Airport (OSL)
- Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN)
Icelandair operates a total of 24 routes to Europe from its hub at Reykjavik. The plan is to add more codeshare routes in the future, but these initial seven are now available for booking.
Robin Hayes, CEO of JetBlue, stated the following on the expansion:
“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Icelandair to offer our customers more options when traveling beyond Iceland. With our recent launch of services to London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports, this expansion with Icelandair provides customers even more choice for travel across the Atlantic and the ability to enjoy a stopover in Iceland en route.”
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More ways to get people to Europe
JetBlue is very strong in the Northeastern United States. Mainly from Boston and New York, the airline has plenty of ways to get passengers to destinations across many of the top spots in the US and down to the Caribbean. However, save for the airline's recent launch of operations to London, the airline has a tiny share of transatlantic customers.
Currently, JetBlue's codes on Icelandair cover routes to KEF from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Customers can connect to Icelandair's flights from JetBlue's network. Icelandair-JetBlue itineraries are available in combined ticketing and baggage transfers.
The codeshare is targeted more toward leisure travelers. While a small number of business customers may benefit from the codeshare, the myriad of nonstop and lie-flat options across the Atlantic are carrying the lion's share of corporate traffic across the pond. Leisure travelers typically shop around on price over schedule, and Icelandair has made its connecting hub in Reykjavik work while other airlines have failed.
JetBlue is looking at expanding its operations to Europe. While it has not released the final list of destinations it wants to target in Europe, there are some hints via this codeshare agreement. While some larger destinations like Amsterdam and Copenhagen are likely on JetBlue's radar, some smaller destinations, like Helsinki, may not be on JetBlue's agenda for nonstop service in the near future.
JetBlue does not have a lot of strong partners to get people to Europe. While it does have some connection for sale via Aer Lingus, the partnership with American Airlines provides the best schedules with nonstop flying to Europe.
A stopover in Iceland
As further evidence of a leisure-oriented codeshare expansion, customers who fly Icelandair's routings can select a stopover in the carrier's home country at no additional cost. Customers can choose to stop in Iceland for anywhere from one to seven days. This gives ample time to add a second destination on a trip to Europe without managing multiple flight itineraries and bookings, which can get pricey.
JetBlue's TrueBlue program members can earn loyalty points when flying Icelandair, and the same is true for Icelandair's Saga Club members. JetBlue and Icelandair plan to roll out points redemptions across both carriers in the future.