JetBlue Airways (B6, New York JFK) and American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth) have agreed to strengthen their partnership in New York and Boston, although the former has since underlined that it still intends to launch its own transatlantic services in 2021.

"The partnership includes an alliance agreement that proposes codeshare and loyalty benefits that will enhance each carrier’s offerings in New York and Boston, providing strategic growth and driving value for customers and crewmembers of both airlines," the airlines said in a joint press release.

American Airlines said that building on the partnership, it would launch its first new services out of New York in more than four years, namely a year-round service from New York JFK to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion and seasonally to Athens. The airline also plans to resume seasonal flights to Rio de Janeiro International during the Winter 2021/22 season.

"Once the coronavirus pandemic has ended, the new partnership is certain to facilitate American adding new long-haul markets in Europe, Africa, India and South America," the airline added, underling that the growth will complement its presence at Philadelphia International, its main transatlantic hub.

While JetBlue did not provide any details about prospective new routes, it said it would be growing at New York La Guardia, New York Newark, JFK, and Boston, adding services "to strategic markets on the East Coast, West Coast, and in the Southeast".

The codeshare partnership will cover more than 60 routes operated by American and more than 130 routes operated by JetBlue. The airlines also promised customers "convenient connections and an improved on-the-ground experience".

At JFK, each of the airlines operates its own terminal at this time - Terminal 5 for JetBlue and Terminal 8 for American Airlines. They also operate from separate terminals at La Guardia and in Boston, while at Newark they are largely co-located at Terminal A.

Besides sticking to its plan to launch London services in 2021, JetBlue underlined it would not be joining Oneworld or the American Airlines/IAG International Airlines Group transatlantic joint business agreement.

Earlier this year, American Airlines announced a similar partnership with Alaska Airlines (AS, Seattle Tacoma International) in the US North-West, centred on Seattle Tacoma International. However, contrary to JetBlue, Alaska Airlines has simultaneously announced its intention to join Oneworld, which it hopes to achieve by the end of 2020.

According to the ch-aviation capacities module, JFK and La Guardia are relatively secondary bases for American Airlines. The airline plans to proffer 112,617 departure seats out of La Guardia and 68,086 out of JFK in the week starting September 28, 2020, which places the airports as its ninth and twelfth points of origin by capacity in the carrier's network. AA does not have bases at either Newark or in Boston.

In turn, JFK and Boston are by far the two largest airports in JetBlue's network with 171,328 and 152,308 departure seats scheduled for the same week.