For quite some time now, there have been rumors that United Airlines might be interested in buying JetBlue Airways. In March 2025, United CEO Scott Kirby even said that “JetBlue is the obvious candidate” for consolidation, and that “the ball is going to be in JetBlue’s court” when it comes to whether or not some sort of a deal happens.
The common wisdom has been that the reason that United hasn’t made a bid for JetBlue is due to concerns over regulatory approval. The two airlines launched a partnership last year, and it seemed like a “foot in the door” approach to closer cooperation.
Many airline executives believe that we’re going to see more industry consolidation soon, likely before the midterms. JetBlue is even reportedly actively looking at merger possibilities. However, in light of developments in recent days, I’d argue that this very moment is the ideal time for such a deal to be announced, in terms of maximizing odds of regulatory approval without too many concessions. Let me explain.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
