Il barbone just spent 4€ ( +25 thousand Avios) to fly from Boston to Milan, here's how to detach award tickets with jetBlue

At last, the news we have been waiting for has become a reality: from May 11, 2026 JetBlue will connect Milan Malpensa to Boston Logan daily.

A summer route, yes, but with all the potential to become the U.S. company's European gateway to Italy.

And we're not just talking about a narrow-body: the flight will be operated with the Airbus A321LR, the same one JetBlue uses for its transatlantic routes to JFK and BOS from other European cities, equipped with the spectacular Mint cabin, business class with suites, sliding doors and a premium product that many legacy carriers dream of.

The "power play": when JetBlue and Qatar Airways open a highway of points

Although JetBlue is not part of any major alliance, the American company has built a network of very strategic partnerships over the years. And this is where the following comes in. Qatar Airways, one of the most important partners and-what is of interest to TFC readers-one of the most useful for playing with points and miles.

Through this agreement, the TrueBlue and Privilege Club loyalty programs are talking to each other: those who accumulate points with JetBlue can also use them on Qatar, Etihad and Hawaiian and recently also with Condor; vice versa, Qatar can access JetBlue's fare content and premium availability. It is precisely this "behind-the-scenes" connection that enables dot-com geeks to build strategies that, until a few years ago, seemed like science fiction.

The million Avios question: can you fly in Mint using Qatar Airways?

Here we have to be honest: as of yet, there is no official confirmation that Mint business class on the new MXP-BOS can be booked directly with Qatar Airways Avios. However, it has happened before on other JetBlue routes, and the dynamics of the partnership suggest that the possibility is far from remote.

In particular, when Qatar has access to JetBlue award seats, Economy seats appear regularly and - when available - Mint seats as well. So we will have to wait a few days after sales open (which began today) and the progressive loading of award availability to find out whether the Mint Suite will also appear on MXP-BOS.

The good news: Economy is bookable--and at a price that's jaw-dropping!

While we wait for confirmation on the business, there is already one detail that deserves our full attention: the new JetBlue route from Milan to Boston can already be booked now through Qatar Airways from as low as 25,000 Avios one way and less than €5 in taxes.

If we consider:

• A direct transatlantic flight,
• an above-average product in Economy,
• historically generous award availability through partner Qatar Airways,

...well, it is difficult to find such favorable alternatives in the domestic market to fly direct to the East Coast city. For many Italian families and travelers, this new route immediately becomes a strategic upgrade: finally a concrete way to fly to the U.S. using Avios without running into the usual fuel surcharges.

Il Barbone strikes again: couldn't miss the inaugural one!

Let's face it: when faced with such an opportunity, il Barbone certainly could not back down.

When he found out that JetBlue's new MXP-BOS connection was finally bookable with Qatar Airways points, he did exactly what any self-respecting mileage hunter would do: opened his virtual piggy bank, fished out 25,000 Avios and added just under 4 euros in taxes ... and off he went, ticket booked for the inaugural flight on May 11! Wanting to do the math in the pocket of Barbone the same flight bought cash, all things being equal, would have cost 944$.

How could he say no to the chance to be among the first to fly to Malpensa from Boston on a JetBlue A321LR! Sure, for now the ticket is in economy, but who knows-maybe at the last minute some seats will open up for an upgrade to the Mint Suite. And in any case, less than eight hours in economy can be tackled plenty to say with pride: I was there.

At the moment there is still a fair amount of space available, in both directions, note that the ticket from Italy to Boston has an extra cost of about 40€.

How to earn Avios in Italy

You do not need to be enrolled in the TFC Training Center to know that Avios can be accumulated in hundreds of ways.

Paying with the right credit card: either American Express or Revolut you can in fact turn every transaction into points, from online shopping to shopping in physical stores such as at Fidenza Village, from online surveys to activity-related promos such as rentals, hotel stays to the Uber rides.

In conclusion

JetBlue's arrival in Italy is not only an interesting addition to the transatlantic offering: it is an opportunity to take full advantage of the triangulation of points between different programs. Economy already available on ultra-cheap terms, Mint potentially redeemable (as soon as we have confirmations), and a partner like Qatar Airways that allows Avios to be combined with a carrier never before seen at Malpensa.

The advice is simple: keep your radars open between the opening of sales and the first weeks of award availability. If the Mint appears for MXP-BOS as well, we're looking at one of the best sweet spots of the year--and it will be a case of booking on the fly.

• Avios