The carriers were forced to unwind the ‘Northeast Alliance’ in 2023.
An American 777 and JetBlue A320 (Photo: Shutterstock | NYC Russ)
The U.S. Supreme Court will not revisit the federal ruling that blocked a partnership between American and JetBlue.
The court on Monday rejected an appeal from American, which argued the “Northeast Alliance” did not violate antitrust law and should have been allowed to continue. The two airlines quit their partnership in 2023 after an unfavorable ruling from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, but a reversal from the Supreme Court could have influenced how carriers negotiate linkups in the future.
Officials with American called the court’s decision disappointing.
“The Northeast Alliance was designed to increase competition and expand customer options in the Northeast, which it clearly did during the time it was allowed to operate,” the airline said in a statement.
JetBlue was not a party to the case. After the Northeast Alliance collapsed, it sought to acquire low-cost airline Spirit for $3.8 billion, but this move was also blocked by a federal court.
American and JetBlue first announced the Northeast Alliance in 2020. It allowed the two airlines to coordinate on routes and share revenue and offered reciprocal points and benefits for loyalty program members.
The deal was approved by the first Trump administration, but after the 2020 election, the Biden-era Justice Department reexamined the case and sued to undo the partnership, arguing it was anticompetitive and would hurt travelers in the long run. The proceedings continued for close to three years before U.S. Judge Leo Sorokin ruled in favor of the Justice Department.
In November 2024, a federal appeals court upheld that decision, finding American had not proven that the district court “committed clear factual errors or an error of law.” This left the Supreme Court as the carrier’s last avenue for appeal.
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