Did Another Airline Just Find A Way To Hawaii?

Until now, Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue customers had a secret weapon when flying to Hawaii: codeshare access to the islands. That link is ending. The Alaska–Hawaiian deal means that by June 2025, JetBlue passengers may no longer be able to book seamless travel to Hawaii. That also ends access to Hawaiian’s vast network of island routes, which JetBlue flyers could once book without needing to change airlines.

But just as one door closes, another may open. A new report says JetBlue is finalizing a surprising domestic partnership with United. If true, it won’t just restore Hawaii access. It could reroute East Coast travel patterns and rewrite JetBlue loyalty strategy in the Pacific.

For Hawaii-bound flyers used to the JetBlue–Hawaiian duo, the shift to United could feel like a brand new map, with unfamiliar stops, different perks, and fewer tropical touches.

What’s ending with Hawaiian.

JetBlue and Hawaiian began their partnership in 2012, offering reciprocal frequent flyer benefits and linked booking. JetBlue loyalists could fly from Boston or JFK to the West Coast and then continue to Hawaii, including on Hawaiian’s Airbus A330 widebody planes.

JetBlue’s past connection to Hawaii has long raised questions about whether the airline might expand deeper into the market on its own. We previously explored that in Is Hawaii Ready for JetBlue Flights—and More? While that is no longer likely, the context remains relevant.

That now appears to be over. With Alaska and Hawaiian combining, codeshare agreements with rivals are being severed. JetBlue is no longer listed on Hawaiian’s website, and new bookings are unavailable. The last codeshare flights are expected to disappear entirely by summer.

For JetBlue flyers, the loss means no more TrueBlue points for Hawaiian flights. No more single-ticket itineraries to Hawaii. And with JetBlue pulling back in some West Coast cities, standalone access to Hawaii has narrowed even more.

A new Hawaii opening through United.

According to Reuters, JetBlue is now in negotiations for a strategic partnership with United Airlines. While not a merger or full alliance, it would enable travelers to earn and redeem miles across both networks, potentially offering broader access to Hawaii than JetBlue’s prior tie-up with Hawaiian Airlines.

That could radically reroute JetBlue’s Hawaii access. Instead of booking JFK–HNL through Hawaiian, a TrueBlue member might soon fly JetBlue to Chicago or Houston, then transfer to a United widebody for the Pacific leg.

For Hawaii-bound travelers in Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., or even Florida, this could restore a pathway that vanished with the acquisition of Hawaiian by Alaska. United serves all major Hawaiian airports from hubs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Houston, Chicago, and the East Coast.

Hawaii loyalty realignments.

There’s more at stake than just logistics. This potential partnership forces a loyalty reset for travelers who once leaned on JetBlue and Hawaiian. It could push those flyers toward MileagePlus, United’s global rewards program, instead of Alaska’s MileagePlan, or a new version of HawaiianMiles combined with MileagePlan, or Amex point transfers.

For Hawaii’s tourism industry, that matters. Loyalty programs influence not just bookings but credit card habits, hotel partnerships, and repeat travel. A JetBlue–United tie-up would strengthen the link between Hawaii-bound travelers and Star Alliance destinations worldwide.

That’s a blow to Hawaiian’s former ecosystem. As JetBlue exits and Alaska tries to convert old Hawaiian loyalists, United may be quietly gaining access to an entire swath of premium leisure travelers.

This comes as Alaska appears to be trying to connect its growing network to East Coast partners, such as JetBlue. See our prior piece on Does the Hawaiian Merger Connect the Dots Between Alaska and JetBlue?

Could this bring back United’s JFK to Hawaii?

One twist that matters specifically for Hawaii: United once flew nonstop from JFK to Honolulu, inaugurating the route in 1969 with DC-8 jets. At the time, it was the longest domestic flight in the U.S. That service ended years ago as United consolidated its Hawaii operations at Newark.

Hawaiian currently flies from JFK to HNL, using its new Dreamliners until September. Could United use a JetBlue partnership to reopen competing JFK service, with JetBlue codesharing on the route?

While there’s no sign yet of JFK–HNL ever returning, a JetBlue–United partnership would at least make it easier for East Coast travelers to book Hawaii trips on a single ticket—whether or not it requires a stop in Chicago, Houston, or elsewhere.

What JetBlue gets—and what it loses.

For JetBlue, this deal solves a problem on the West Coast. Hawaiian’s exit and JetBlue’s scaleback along the West Coast left some East Coast flyers stranded. United provides instant reach into Hawaii via multiple hubs.

But it also underscores JetBlue’s identity crisis. After failed merger talks with Spirit and the unraveling of the Northeast Alliance with American, JetBlue is now navigating from a weaker position. This partnership may be a lifeline, but it’s also a surrender of its own potential Hawaii strategy that JetBlue has sought to build.

The Alaska–Hawaiian angle.

Meanwhile, the Alaska–Hawaiian combination raises its questions. Alaska has long fought for Hawaii market share, particularly from the West Coast. It now inherits Hawaiian’s widebody routes, frequent flyer base, and more, but may also come under federal scrutiny for competitive issues in the future.

A United–JetBlue deal adds another layer. If JetBlue loyalists migrate toward United instead of Alaska, that, to some degree, weakens the Alaska–Hawaiian integration. And it could push United to expand in Hawaii in ways that undercut its new enlivened mainland rival.

There’s also the possibility of competitive retaliation. If United and JetBlue deepen their cooperation, Alaska may respond in its way with expanded routes or new promotions to pull Hawaii traffic back.

Hawaii travelers face a new map.

For regular travelers to the islands, this all adds up to a shifting map. Old partnerships are gone. New ones are coming. And how you get to Hawaii—and where your miles take you—may depend less on airline brands and more on who links with whom.

JetBlue’s move toward United suggests a future where no single airline truly dominates Hawaii access, but instead strategic tie-ups determine who earns your loyalty. This is a fascinating change.

What we don’t know yet is whether this new alliance will include status perks, baggage reciprocity, or lounge access. But even with limited benefits, the message is clear: JetBlue is out with Hawaiian, and possibly in with United. That could change the game for East Coast travelers heading to Hawaii and more.

If United does return to JFK using JetBlue slots, that move could restore more premium Hawaii access from the East Coast. Hawaiian Airlines is switching the JFK–Honolulu route from the new Dreamliner back to the older A330 this fall. At the same time, Alaska appears to be more focused on established West Coast-to-Hawaii markets.

A JetBlue–United partnership could open the door for new nonstop Hawaii service from JFK on United widebodies, especially if JetBlue shifts focus away from some long-haul flying.

Would such a possible shift make you more or less likely to book Hawaii flights through JetBlue or United? Or are you sticking with Alaska and Hawaiian? Let us know how your loyalty is changing.