Delta and WestJet late last week announced they have agreed to create a joint venture making it easier for their customers to fly within and between the U.S. and Canada.

Combined, the two expect to “offer more destinations to customers with an integrated network, superior airline products, improved airport connections and significantly enhanced frequent flyer benefits,” according to a news release.

Deepening a formal relationship that began in December, this joint venture will provide substantial reach into Canada and the U.S. with transborder service to more than 30 cities covering more than 95 percent of U.S.-Canada demand. In so doing, it will enable Delta and WestJet to compete more effectively against other carriers.

For fliers this means expanded code sharing, more closely aligned frequent flyer programs and reciprocal elite benefits and co-location at key hubs with more seamless passenger and baggage transit. The agreement will also include the ability to cooperate on cargo accompanying passenger flights as well as corporate contracts.

Beginning with Northwest Airline’s establishing a similar relationship with KLM in the early 1990s, Delta has gone on to develop a strong track record of partnering with airlines around the globe, in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Australia and now Canada. These joint ventures connect complementary networks, allowing the carriers to expand service options, add more convenient connections, and provide a more seamless customer experience than would otherwise have been possible.

As WestJet continues its global transformation, its airline partners connect the growing WestJet network to an extensive list of international destinations. WestJet has one of the youngest fleets in the airline industry and continues to provide award-winning guest experience, recently being named Canada’s Best Airline by TripAdvisor and North America’s Best Low-Cost Airline 2018 by Skytrax.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 180 million customers each year and with its partners, offers service to 324 destinations in 57 countries It employs 80,000 people.

WestJet offers service to more than 100 destinations in the Americas and Europe, and 175 destinations in 20 other countries.