Spirit Airlines Is Not Happy With Two Rival U.S. Airlines
On Tuesday, Spirit formally filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation about the new Blue Sky partnership between JetBlue Airways and United Airlines, alleging that it "raises serious competition and public interest questions" and is a "coordinated oligopoly masquerading as competition."
In the 12-page filing, Spirit argues that the agreement between JetBlue and United has the same competitive concerns as the now-defunct Northeast Alliance between American Airlines' and JetBlue, which was discontinued in 2023.
Spirit also says it is worried that the partnership will turn JetBlue into 'a de facto vassal of United."
"This anti-competitive tie-up involving a dominant legacy carrier will neutralize the competitive benefit of an existing low-fare competitor (JetBlue), will raise fares, and will tend to weaken other value airlines, such as Spirit and others, by siphoning off customers attracted by access to the United loyalty program," Spirit said.
Spirit has asked the DOT to extend the review period and to make the details of the BlueSky agreement public and open to scrutiny.
Announced back in May, Blue Sky was described by the two airlines as the time as "a new and unique collaboration that gives customers of both airlines even more options to find flights that fit their plans as well as new opportunities to earn and use MileagePlus miles and TrueBlue points across both airlines."
The arrangement enables United's MileagePlus customers and JetBlue's TrueBlue members to use and earn points on the other carrier's flights, and also allows for the sales of both airlines' flights on either company's website.
Additionally, JetBlue will provide United access to slots at JFK for up to seven daily round-trip flights out of Terminal 6, starting as early as 2027.
Spirit Airlines Is Not Happy With Two Rival U.S. Airlines first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 26, 2025
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