American and JetBlue Take the Next Step With Mileage Earning
American and JetBlue are introducing mileage earning reciprocity on most flights, creating more opportunity for mileage runners to try and game the system.
Effective immediately, it’s possible to earn AAdvantage miles on JetBlue and to earn TrueBlue points for travel on American. The only exception is that AAdvantage miles cannot be earned on JetBlue’s flights across the Pond. Also, neither airline can earn miles on the other’s flights to North Korea, primarily because there are none.
The earning rates on JetBlue for AA loyalists are remarkably similar to what AA offers on its own metal, from 5x miles per dollar spent for general members up to 11x miles per dollar spent for Executive Platinum. For EQMs, AAdvantage members flying on JetBlue earnings will be based on distance flown – Mint will earn 200-300% depending on fare class, economy 100% and basic economy gets the shaft – 0%.
TrueBlue members flying on AA will earn 3x points per dollar spent in any class except Basic Economy, which will earn just 1x points per dollar. Mosaic members will receive a 3x bonus per dollar on top of the points earned by their less important, non-elite brethren.
We’ll have more about a surprising aspect of this announcement tomorrow at crankyflier.com.
Allegiant Adds Six Routes, One Airport
Allegiant Air is expanding service in Florida and Arizona, adding six new routes and one new airport to its route map heading into summer.
The airline is adding its second airport in the Phoenix area, Sky Harbor (PHX), the main airport in the region. Allegiant’s presence at PHX will complement its already existing service at Phoenix/Mesa (AZA), located about 30 miles southeast of downtown Phoenix.
From PHX, Allegiant will begin nonstop service this October to both Provo, UT (PVU) and Stockton, CA (SCK). The former complements the existing route from Mesa to PVU that can be called the LDexpresS due to the large Mormon populations at both ends. And to be clear, this doesn’t mean the airline is leaving AZA, where it is the dominant carrier. In fact, Allegiant will add a new flight from Mesa to Pittsburgh that will begin operating on August 19.
In Florida, Allegiant is adding two new routes out of St. Petersburg (PIE) and one from Fort Lauderdale. From PIE, it will fly to Northwest Arkansas (XNA) beginning July 2 and Provo on October 7. Fort Lauderdale will also receive a flight to Northwest Arkansas, beginning October 8. It should be noted that Breeze just announced Tampa (TPA) to XNA as one of its early routes, so this is obviously pure coincidence… yeah.
United Offers Pilots Cash Incentive to Receive Vaccine
United Airlines and its pilots union, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) have come to an agreement to offer incentives to persuade UA’s pilots to receive the COVID vaccine.
Despite United CEO Scott Kirby’s desire to make it mandatory for UA pilots to receive the vaccine not happening, the airline is going to offer up to 13 hours of pay as incentive to do so. Pilots who receive their first dose by June 1 and do not need to take sick leave to do so will receive the full 13 hours pay. The amount of bonus pay begins to decrease the longer it takes the pilot to receive the vaccine, to the point that those who receive it after Thanksgiving will owe the airline money.
United’s senior leadership team was going to offer similar cash incentives to pilots with 90% or better on-time records, but a further examination revealed that the two pilots who would qualify are already vaccinated.
American and Alaska Streamline Upgrades
It’s a two-fer for American today as, in addition to the JetBlue news, it will begin making it easier for Alaska’s top-tier elites to upgrade on AA flights.
Starting this week, top-tier elites on Alaska – MVP Gold 75k — will be automatically added to the upgrade list on American flights. Alaska joined American in Oneworld on March 31, and MVP Gold 75k members have been eligible for upgrades the entire time, but the process has been clunky and not customer-friendly, which is in line with the AA experience.
MVP Gold 75k members will be prioritized behind Platinum Pro Elites on the waitlist in addition to anyone from DFW wearing a 10-gallon hat.
Later this fall, Alaska will have confirmed upgrade certificates for its top elites for any AA flight, including long-haul international. In the meantime, MVP Gold 75k members can enjoy two one-way upgrade certificates that are valid on a space available basis on any AA flight where they can enjoy AA’s warm hospitality while waiting out an inevitable mechanical delay.
Brazil’s ITA Announces First Routes
ITA – the Brazilian one, not the Italian dumpster fire – announced its inaugural routes for when it launches operations on July 2. The airline is going after the top three domestic airlines in Brazil – Azul, GOL, and LATAM Brasil – bracing for a fare war from the get-go. Even Rex in Australia agrees this seems crazy.
On July 2, the airline will connect its hub at São Paulo/GRU to seven destinations: Belo Horizonte (CNF), Brasília (BSB), Curitiba (CWB), Porto Alegre (POA), Porto Seguro (BPS), Rio de Janeiro/ Galeão (GIG), and Salvador (SSA).
The airline currently owns just one plane – an A320, but is acquiring more. It expects to aggressively expand shortly after launching operations, with five more destinations coming online in August, five more in September, and then three more on top of that in October and November. In addition to its GRU hub, ITA will build a second hub at Rio de Janeiro/Galeão this fall.
Unlike most airline launches these days, ITA is not positioning itself as a low-cost carrier. Its A320 has just 162 seats as opposed to 174 for Azul and LATAM. The airline will offer a premium economy product which only LATAM offers amongst its competitors, and it will not charge for the first checked bag or seat selection.
- Aeroflot has taken delivery of its first A320neo.
- Air Astana is launching new flights to Podgorica (TGD) the capital of Montenegro beginning June 9. Flights will operate from Nur-Sultan (NQZ) on Wednesday and Saturdays, and from Almaty (ALA) on Thursdays and Sundays.
- Air Serbia is resuming flights to six destinations: Dubrovnik, Split, Bucharest, Thessaloniki, Prague, and Sofia. The airline also announced an expanded codeshare agreement with Aeroflot which it was very excited to do, according to Russian media reports.
- Alaska has entered into a partnership with Airspace Intelligence to optimize traffic flow with artificial intelligence and machine learning. The computers – they’re coming for us.
- Dana Air and Ibom Air signed a codeshare agreement, the first such agreement between two Nigerian domestic carriers.
- Delta is adding 3x-weekly service to Barcelona from both Atlanta and New York/JFK. The airline already serves Madrid with daily service from JFK. JFK to Barcelona will begin on June 6, one day before Spain reopens for vaccinated travelers. Following a lengthy, summer-long siesta, Atlanta to Barcelona will resume on August 5.
- Emirates flew a flight from Mumbai to Dubai last week with just one passenger on-board. Somehow they still were out of his preferred snack choice when the cart reached his row.
- Green Africa Airways is expected to put tickets on sale next week for its anticipated launch on June 24.
- LATAM Brazil and Azul have ended their codeshare agreement after just nine months. They plan to remain friends and will return all gifts to friends and family in due time.
- SAS is receiving a credit line worth up to $360 million from major shareholders and the Danish and Swedish governments. Ryanair is surely getting the lawyers ready.
- Virgin Australia will add 250 new jobs over the next few months including pilots, baggage handlers, kangaroo spotters, and IT specialists.
I ordered 2000 lbs. of Chinese soup. It was won ton.