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JetBlue gets permission to fly to Amsterdam but has no plans to take off yet

JetBlue was awarded slots to fly to Amsterdam beginning this summer, but don't go tallying up your TrueBlue points and packing your bags just yet.

The slots are only temporary, and for now, JetBlue has no plans to serve Amsterdam.

"JetBlue is a disruptor in the transatlantic marketplace and we have long said we believe that customers on both ends of these routes deserve better service at a lower price point than what exists today," the airline said in a statement. "The Amsterdam slots that we have been granted are on a seasonal temporary basis, which means JetBlue could face immediate expulsion from the airport within months of launching the route. We will continue to vigorously pursue permanent slots via all available avenues, including with the U.S. Department of Transportation."

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A JetBlue Airbus A321LR outside of one of the airline's hangars.
A JetBlue Airbus A321LR outside of one of the airline's hangars.

JetBlue flights to Europe

JetBlue first began flying to Europe with service to London from New York in August 2021. Flights between the U.K. and Boston began a few months later, and JetBlue will begin flying between New York and Paris in June.

The airline continues to push for intercontinental growth, but said the temporary nature of the Amsterdam slots mean that service to the Netherlands is not yet a realistic option.

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"JetBlue's incredible service and low fares would be welcomed by customers traveling between the U.S. and Amsterdam, and we will wait to determine the feasibility of our entry onto this route when we are further along in this process," the airline's statement said.

Iceland-based low cost carrier Play will begin connecting flights from North America to Amsterdam via its Reykjavik hub on June 5.

It has filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation, accusing the Dutch government of discriminatory treatment.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: JetBlue awarded slots at Amsterdam but has no plans to fly there yet