Passengers on a Boeing 737 Max-8 plane during a United Airlines flight departing from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, Latest Jersey, US, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.
Bing Guan | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Now playing on United Airlines‘ seatback screens: personalized ads.
The carrier on Friday said it launched a media platform to serve travelers personalized advertisements on seatback screens and in its app, amongst other platforms, because it seeks to leverage customer data.
United said its recent platform, Kinective Media, is already working with Norwegian Cruise Line, Macy’s, IHG Hotels & Resorts, TelevisaUnivision and JPMorgan Chase, which offers a number of co-branded bank cards with United.
The platform is the newest example of airlines attempting to drum up recent lines of revenue and leverage their lucrative loyalty programs. Delta Air Lines said in early 2023 that it will start offering free Wi-Fi to customers in the event that they were registered members of its SkyMiles frequent flyer program.
“Unlike some commerce media platforms, United gives brands across a big selection of industries the flexibility to succeed in engaged customers throughout all the marketing funnel — from brand consideration to conversion — in a way that is highly personalized and relevant, and we’re already seeing impressive results,” Richard Nunn, CEO of United’s MileagePlus loyalty program, said in a news release.
United declined to offer projected sales from the initiative.
Customers can opt out of seeing targeted ads through a United web page, and United says advertisers cannot access customers’ personally identifiable information, the airline said.
“There may be the potential for 3.5 hours of attention per traveler, based on average flight time,” United said.
The airline is within the midst of a large upgrade of its narrow-body cabins, including its in-flight entertainment system with recent screens and other features, though supply chain problems have delayed among the aircraft revamps.
