JetBlue, Brightline Commence Air-Rail Travel Partnership
Passengers can fly to Florida and take a train to their final destination on one ticket
My favorite airline and favorite railroad are hooking up.
JetBlue and Brightline announced Tuesday a partnership to offer combined air-and-rail booking across central and south Florida. The airline’s customers will be able to directly book Brightline tickets on its website, www.jetblue.com, as part of an itinerary that includes a JetBlue flight as well as a ride on Brightline.
The move gives JetBlue customers going to and from popular Florida destinations, including Orlando, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami, more travel options. In addition, when service is disrupted the airline can rebook passengers through other airports via Brightline. This gives the airline more flexibility and enhanced recovery options.
"This partnership enables travelers to book a single ticket for both air and rail, offering a fast, reliable, and eco-friendly rail transportation option while seamlessly connecting to JetBlue's extensive network," Barbara Drahl, Brightline senior vice president of marketing and commercial strategy, said in a statement.
“JetBlue and Brightline share a commitment to innovation and great service, and together we’re expanding transportation options for all of our customers to get to where they want to go, whether they're starting their journey, heading to their final destination, or adjusting plans along the way,” said David Jehn, JetBlue vice president of network planning and airline partnerships, in a statement.
The relation improves connectivity and convenience for travelers. They will not need to manage separate reservations. If, for example, someone flies to Fort Lauderdale and wants to return via Orlando they can skip the car rental and take a train instead.
Brightline’s Orlando station is located at Orlando International Airport. It provides rail station-to-airport shuttle services in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. They will be complimentary for passengers who book through JetBlue. The railroad’s frequent service throughout the day keeps waits to a minimum.
Passenger will be assigned Brightline accommodations to match the service level of their JetBlue flight. Someone traveling in Mint, the airline’s first-class brand, will travel in Brightline Premium, which features 2-1 seating and comes with access to station lounges and on board complimentary snacks and beverages. JetBlue coach passengers will ride in Brightline Smart Class coaches, which have 2-2 seating with complimentary wi-fi.
Five days after Brightline began serving Orlando in 2023 I flew there on JetBlue to take a two-hour train ride to West Palm Beach. My only beef was difficulty navigating from my gate to the train station, which is in a separate wing of the airport. The rail portion of the trip was smooth and on-time, and I enjoyed watching the train blow past the traffic on Highway 528 as it cruised at top speed of 125 mph.
Why are JetBlue and Brightline my favorites? One word: service. Brightline is a cut above Amtrak, and when I fly JetBlue I feel less stressed than with other airlines. Sadly, since my mother, who lived in Delray Beach, passed away a year ago, there will be fewer trips to Florida for me in the future. In addition, JetBlue no longer flies from New York to Austin, where my daughter and her family live.
This is not the first time an airline and U.S. passenger railroad teamed up. In 2002, Continental Airlines teamed up with Amtrak to let passengers fly via Newark International Airport and take Northeast Corridor trains to Philadelphia, Wilmington, DE, Stamford and New Haven, CT. In 1930, the Pennsylvania Railroad partnered with a Trans World Airlines predecessor on a rail-air service that cut a transcontinental trip to just two days.
Nevertheless this partnership between two customer-focused carriers makes a lot of sense. With Brightline planning to add fill-in stations in Cocoa and Stuart and building an extension to Tampa the growth potential is strong.
Tip: If Brightline doesn’t serve your destination directly you can still get there by train by transferring to Tri-Rail in West Palm Beach. Their station, which was built in the 1920s by the Seaboard Air Line railroad, is a 10-minute walk from Brightline.
Trouble in the Land of Lincoln
Travelers who depend upon the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), METRA, or Pace Buses, to travel in and around the Windy City are bracing for service reductions of 40 percent or more. The Illinois legislature ended its session without enacting a funding and reform package to close a $770 million budget gap for the three Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) agencies.
The hole results from the end of COVID relief funds that kept the RTA properties solvent. Without relief, 3,000 workers could be laid in 2026 and CTA could cut service on 50 percent of its El lines and 60 percent of its bus routes. In addition, METRA could discontinue late night and early morning service, and Pace would stop running on weekends.
A bill that combines reform with new taxes to fix budget woes passed the state Senate but was not voted on by the House before the session closed. At this time, a special session to vote on the measure has not yet been scheduled.
The legislation calls for restructuring RTA as the Northern Illinois Trans Authority, which would set fares and oversee capital planning for the three operating agencies. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who support reform, called funding without accountability a non-starter.
As if METRA did not have enough trouble on its plate, the commuter railroad is in a dispute over trackage rights fees charged by host railroad Union Pacific. Three METRA lines operate over UP routes. The freight railroad contends METRA pays below-market rates to use its railroad. If an agreement is not reached by July 1 UP could unilaterally impose higher fees.
Bureaucratic Obstruction Threatens Deal for LIRR Railyard, Station Site
It could be the best land deal in New York history since the Dutch bought Manhattan Island from the natives for $24. The Suffolk County Landbank wants to give 40 acres of land in a cleaned up Superfund site to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for $10 to be used for a future Long Island Rail Road storage yard and Port Jefferson station.
But, in a breathtaking example of bureaucratic dysfunction, the New York State Department of Transportation has been blocking the deal for the past 18 months. They say they need the property for a future highway that isn’t even on the planning table.
Suffolk County has given the state until the end of June to make up its mind. After prodding from Gov, Cathy Hochul, the DOT says it is willing to provide the necessary property easement to close the deal. But it will need several months to complete the process.
If the deal doesn’t go through, it will deliver a huge blow to plans to upgrade and electrify the LIRR Port Jefferson branch. The dispute between the DOT and MTA shows that even in a state as heavily reliant on transit as New York automobile culture dominates transportation planning.
A little late coming to the game, but better late than never! Hopefully, this leads to other similar such strategic alliances being formed!