Emirates, JetBlue sever ties ahead of expected United partnership

Emirates and JetBlue are ending their codeshare partnership on Oct. 30, according to Emirates’ website.

The news comes as Emirates and United Airlines are widely expected to announce a codeshare partnership at an event in Washington on Sept. 14.

The Emirates codeshare is particularly lucrative for JetBlue, because it allows U.S. government employees to book flights on the Gulf carrier. Government employees are generally restricted to booking tickets through U.S. carriers, but the codeshare has been a conduit to allow for government employee travel on Emirates as long as the flight is booked with a JetBlue ticket number.

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On its website, Emirates said that passengers can still accrue Skywards miles on JetBlue flights through Oct. 29.

United and Emirates promise a big partnership that represents a significant thawing of relations between a major U.S. carrier and a Middle Eastern carrier — something unthinkable just a few years ago.

JetBlue and Emirates first launched their partnership in 2012.

TPG reached out to JetBlue, Emirates and United for comment and will update this story when we hear back.

This is a developing story that will be updated.

Featured photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images.