Airport Advertising

Choosing to advertise in an airport has a lot of advantages. First of all, you have a notoriously captive audience. Air travelers often have long layovers while they wait for connecting flights, ensuring that your ad will be viewed by a large number of people. Air travelers also have longer dwell times, allowing you to design more complex advertisements that incorporate elements like animations, QR codes or other media.

What is Airport Advertising?

Whether they’re waiting at baggage claim or passing through security, travelers come into contact with dozens of advertisements and are generally considered to be a receptive audience. Travelers expect to see ads in the airport, and tend to view companies that advertise there as more reliable and prestigious.

Airport advertising presents several different display options. Banners span airport walls, offering a high degree of visibility. Digital screens at baggage claim present a smaller, more affordable advertising option. Because airport travelers are essentially a captive audience, they have more time to look at your media content and interact with it. Airport ads are a great place to feature animated content or interactive social media content, as viewers have lots of free time that they’re looking to fill.

Because airport ads are highly place-based, effective content will often focus on the interests and concerns of frequent flyers. Providing city-specific information or references, for example, will make your ad stand out as flyers walk through the concourse.

Types of Airport Advertising

Depending on your advertising budget, you can choose from a few different options. Airport shuttles offer ad space both inside and outside their vehicles, giving you a smaller and more affordable canvas to work with. Large interactive digital billboards inside the airport tend to be more attention-grabbing, and will receive much higher exposure. Digital video screens that either stand alone within the concourse walkway or line the walls are great for animated media, and since they sit at eye-level they’re a great option if you want to incorporate a QR code.

Depending on the location and whether or not the display is digital or static, you may be able to score a great deal on an airport ad if you’re willing to work with a smaller market. Lower-traffic airports can still offer a high degree of visibility at a lower cost. Consider your marketing needs and determine which pricing option works best for you.

Advantages of Airport Advertising

Business travelers tend to be more affluent, and content that reflects luxury goods and services often performs well in airports. Airports provide several different advertising opportunities, meaning there is an avenue for nearly every marketing budget. If you are looking to get your foot in the door, a smaller ad campaign can spread your brand’s message for a fraction of the cost of bigger and splashier OOH ad campaigns. A simple and impactful ad placed near the ticketing line at a major airport can receive millions of views over a four week period.

Airport Advertising Costs

When it comes to airport advertising costs, it’s all about three things: location, location, location. Different hubs attract higher or lower traffic patterns, and the cost will largely reflect the number of people likely to see your ad. Advertising in a big city like Los Angeles will cost more than advertising in a smaller airport in Burlington Vermont. Depending on your target audience, you may not necessarily need to invest in a high-volume market. A lot of advertising campaigns perform exceptionally well in smaller airports, and they save a significant amount of money.

Within the airport itself, you will find a range of pricing options depending on which area you want to target. High-visibility areas like gates tend to cost more, while lower-visibility areas like baggage claims tend to offer a greater bargain.

On average, airport advertising costs run around $828 for a four week campaign. Your total cost will vary depending on whether you choose to run multiple ads, the locations you choose, and whether you create your design in-house or decide to partner with a design agency.