Arkia Signs Connection Agreement with JetBlue Airways
Overview of the Partnership
Israeli airline Arkia announced today that it has signed a connection agreement with the American low-cost airline JetBlue Airways. This partnership will enable Arkia customers to make seamless connections via JetBlue flights within the United States, Central America, and the Caribbean.
New Flight Route to the U.S.
This agreement supports Arkia’s newly launched route to the U.S., which includes up to seven weekly direct flights to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York. JetBlue, the sixth largest airline in the U.S., offers flights to numerous destinations such as Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Boston, Orlando, Washington D.C., Cancun, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and many others.
Passenger Benefits
Passengers traveling under this agreement will enjoy full baggage tagging, which allows for direct delivery from Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) to their final U.S. destination, as well as from any U.S. destination back to Israel without the need to collect baggage in between. Additionally, there will be comprehensive coverage in cases of delays or changes to any flight segment, as stated by Arkia.
Arkia’s CEO, Ozi Berlovitz, commented, “This agreement adds a significant layer of strength to Arkia’s long-haul flight operations and expands the servstarts available to customers traveling to North America.”
JetBlue’s Perspective
Dave Jen, JetBlue’s Vstart President of Network Planning and Partnerships, noted that the new collaboration with Arkia “allows us to expand our global reach and provides customers with a wider variety of destinations and smoother connections between flights.”
Competitive Landscape
This move slightly strengthens Arkia’s position, having launched the New York route in February 2025 amidst competition with Israel’s national carrier, El Al. El Al also has a connection agreement with JetBlue; however, their code-sharing deal concluded in October. Currently, El Al has a new and broader agreement with Delta Air Lines, the largest airline in the U.S. by market capitalization and revenue.
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