How to advertise on airplanes? From boarding pass to onboard video, understand all forms in one article

When you take a plane, do you pay attention to the brand logo on the headrests, product advertisements on the small table, and promotional information on the back of your boarding pass? These forms of media that have intimate contact with passengers at altitudes of tens of thousands of meters are collectively referred to as airplane advertising. Unlike the "huge shock" of aircraft advertising, cabin advertising focuses on "close companionship" and communicates deeply with passengers during several hours of flight.

For brands that aim to reach high net worth individuals, airplane advertising is a strategic battlefield that cannot be ignored. But when faced with various forms such as boarding passes, headrests, small tables, and in-flight videos, beginners often ask: What are the types of airplane advertisements? How much is it? How to invest effectively?

This article will systematically review the mainstream forms, price references, and advertising strategies of airplane advertising, providing a complete introductory guide.

1、 Why choose airplane advertising? Four core values
1. Accurately reach high net worth individuals
Air passengers are mainly business people and high-income travelers, who have strong purchasing power and are the ideal target audience for high-end goods and services. According to industry statistics, the spending power of air passengers is 2 to 3 times that of the general population. For brands such as finance, automotive, luxury goods, and high-end tourism, this is a precise channel that no media can replace.

2. Long term and in-depth communication in enclosed spaces
The average flight time for domestic flights is 1.5 to 3 hours, while international flights are even longer. During this period, passengers are in a relatively bored and focused state, with poor mobile phone signal and advertisements in the cabin becoming the visual focus. This kind of "forced viewing" scene makes the advertising memory much higher than other outdoor media.

3. Multi touch, fully covered media matrix
From the boarding pass at check-in, to the bridge advertisement at boarding, to the headrests, small table boards, onboard videos after seating, and finally to the luggage rack at departure - airplane advertisements cover the entire journey of passengers from entering the airport to leaving, forming a complete brand reach loop.

4. Natural endorsement of brand image
The aviation scene is naturally associated with positive images such as "high-end", "safety", and "reliability". Brands appearing on airplanes have invisibly gained the airline's reputation endorsement, which can effectively enhance brand level and consumer trust.

2、 The Five Mainstream Forms of Aircraft Advertising
1. Boarding pass advertisement
Boarding pass is a proof that passengers must hold after checking in, and it has 100% access to all passengers. Advertisements are usually printed on the back of boarding passes, and passengers will check them multiple times during waiting, boarding, and flying, with extremely high exposure frequency.

The advantage of boarding pass advertising is that the cost is relatively controllable and it has the attribute of "official credentials" with high trust. Suitable for brands that require extensive exposure in tourism destinations, hotels, finance, retail, and other industries.

According to market trends, the advertising price for boarding passes for Eastern Airlines is approximately 150000 yuan per 10000 pieces, for Southern Airlines it is approximately 200000 yuan per 10000 pieces, and for Sichuan Airlines it is approximately 180000 yuan per 10000 pieces.

2. Headrest towel advertisement
Headrest covers are placed on the headrest area of each seat, with a distance of less than 30 centimeters from the passenger's head, making it one of the most prominent and impactful forms of advertising in the cabin. Passengers will repeatedly see it during several hours of flight, with extremely high memory.

Headrest advertisements are suitable for brands that require deep brand image building, such as automobiles, luxury goods, finance, and high-end consumer goods. It is recommended to advertise annually to form a long-term stable brand memory.

In terms of price, the advertising cost for narrow nose headrests for Eastern Airlines is about 250000 yuan per aircraft per year, for Southern Airlines it is about 300000 yuan per aircraft per year, and for Sichuan Airlines Airbus 320 series it is about 280000 yuan per aircraft per year.

3. Small table advertising
The small table board is an essential facility for passengers to dine, work, and rest. When in use, the line of sight is facing the advertising screen, making it one of the longest standing advertising spaces in the cabin.

Small table advertising is suitable for brands that need to display detailed information, such as travel product introductions, app download guides, promotional activities, etc. Passengers have ample time to read and can carry slightly more complex information.

Eastern Airlines' narrow body aircraft small table advertising costs about 200000 yuan per aircraft per year, Southern Airlines' costs about 250000 yuan per aircraft per year, and Sichuan Airlines' Airbus 320 series costs about 220000 yuan per aircraft per year.

4. On board video advertisements
The in-flight entertainment system plays movies, TV dramas, variety shows, and inserts video advertisements before or during the flight. Passengers watching in a relaxed state have a high acceptance rate.

On board video advertising is suitable for FMCG, Internet products, film promotion and other brands that need dynamic display. Suggest selecting advertising based on the demographic characteristics of the target route.

The video advertisement on board China Eastern Airlines costs about 150000 yuan per flight per month, covering all flights on that route. Southern Airlines costs about 180000 yuan per month per route, while Sichuan Airlines costs about 150000 yuan per month per route.

5. Luggage rack advertisement
The luggage rack is located above the seat, and passengers will have close contact when placing their luggage. The advertising area is large and the visual impact is strong. Can be combined with headrests and small table boards to create an immersive brand space.

Luggage rack advertising is suitable for scenarios that require extensive exposure, such as brand image display and new product releases. Southern Airlines' narrow body aircraft luggage rack advertising costs approximately 350000 yuan per aircraft per year, while Eastern Airlines' advertising costs approximately 320000 yuan per aircraft per year.

3、 Real procurement case reference
Case 1: Sichuan Bank's Aviation Media Placement
Sichuan Bank purchases aviation media resources for Sichuan Airlines' "Chuanhang" themed flights, with a budget of 1.8 million yuan and a cooperation period of one year. The advertising content includes the colorful painting of the "Sichuan Bank Number" on the exterior of the aircraft, headrests inside the cabin, small table boards, luggage rack advertisements, in-flight video advertisements, and boarding pass advertisements. This is a comprehensive case study of "air+ground" and "internal+external" advertising, demonstrating the value of combined advertising in aviation media.

Case 2: China UnionPay Eastern Airlines Launch
China UnionPay purchases media resources in the cabin of Eastern Airlines, including headrests, small table boards, boarding passes, etc., with a total budget of 2 million yuan, covering the main domestic routes of Eastern Airlines. This is a typical case of financial brands using aviation media to enhance brand awareness.

Case 3: The deployment of Southern Airlines by the Xinjiang Department of Culture and Tourism
The Xinjiang Department of Culture and Tourism has purchased in-flight video advertisements for the Urumqi departure route of China Southern Airlines, with a budget of 980000 yuan and a 6-month advertising period, to promote tourism in Xinjiang. This is a successful practice of government agencies using aviation media to accurately reach tourists.

4、 Five step practical process for airplane advertising placement
Step 1: Clarify goals and audience
Before contacting any supplier, ask yourself three questions. What is the core goal, brand exposure, new product promotion, or local traffic attraction. Who is the target audience, business people, leisure travelers, or international travelers. Where is the core market, whether it covers the whole country or focuses on specific routes.

For example, if the goal is to promote Chengdu tourism, flights operating on Chengdu routes should be selected. If the target is a high-end car brand, business routes should be the main choice.

Step 2: Choose the appropriate airline and route
Select airlines and routes based on the target market. China Southern Airlines has the widest route network, covering major cities both domestically and internationally. China Eastern Airlines has Shanghai as its hub and covers the East China region. Air China, with Beijing as its hub, covers North China and international routes. Sichuan Airlines, with Chengdu as its hub, covers the southwestern region. International routes have higher prices than domestic routes, while business routes have higher prices than tourist routes.

Step 3: Determine the media mix
Do not rely solely on a single form, it is recommended to adopt a combination advertising strategy. The basic combination includes boarding passes and headrests, achieving wide coverage and high frequency reach. The standard combination includes a boarding pass, headrest, and small table board, achieving all-round accessibility. The flagship combination includes boarding passes, headrests, small table boards, luggage racks, and in-flight videos, creating an immersive brand space.

Step 4: Creative Design and Compliance Review
The creativity of cabin advertising has its unique requirements. The information on headrests and small table boards should be concise, with prominent brand logos suitable for core slogans within 7 words. Boarding passes can carry a bit more information, but the printing effect needs to be considered. It is advisable to watch videos on board for 15 to 30 seconds, with the first 3 seconds being enough to capture people, and silent viewing is also understandable. All advertising content must be reviewed by the airline to ensure compliance with aviation safety regulations and brand image requirements, and the design cycle typically takes 2 to 4 weeks.

Step 5: Collaborate through professional channels
Aircraft advertising resources are exclusively operated by airlines, such as Sichuan Airlines Cultural Media Advertising Co., Ltd., which has the sole operating rights to all media resources of Sichuan Airlines. It is recommended to cooperate through official authorized channels or professional agency companies.

Tianci Media is a professional airport advertising placement company that maintains deep cooperation with mainstream domestic airlines and has rich aviation media resources and placement experience. Provide one-stop full process services from requirement analysis, media composition, creative design to execution monitoring.

5、 Comparison between airplane advertising and other aviation media
The difference between airplane advertising and airport advertising
From the perspective of audience status, passengers in airplane advertisements stay for long periods of time and have a relaxed mindset, while passengers in airport advertisements pass by in a hurry and have an anxious mindset. From the perspective of reach time, airplane advertisements can last for several hours, while airport advertisements only last for seconds to minutes. From the perspective of coverage, airplane advertisements move with the airplane, while airport advertisements are fixed points. From a price perspective, the annual advertising fee for airplanes ranges from tens of thousands to millions, while the monthly advertising fee for airports ranges from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. Airplane advertising is suitable for brands that require deep communication, while airport advertising is suitable for brands that require extensive exposure. The two can be combined to achieve a three-dimensional attack of "terminal exposure and deep communication in the cabin".

The difference between airplane advertising and fuselage advertising
From the perspective of the audience, airplane advertisements only cover passengers in the cabin, while fuselage advertisements cover the global ground population and passengers in the cabin. From the perspective of reach, airplane advertising is close range, long-term reach, while fuselage advertising is long-range, instant reach. From a price perspective, aircraft advertising costs hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, while aircraft advertising costs millions of dollars per year. From the perspective of advertising cycle, aircraft advertising is flexible and can be delivered monthly, while aircraft advertising usually requires annual delivery. From the perspective of creative space, airplane advertisements can carry detailed information, while fuselage advertisements can only have minimalist visual effects. Aircraft advertising is suitable for top brands to build their image, while cabin advertising is suitable for more brands to engage in deep communication.

6、 Common Misconceptions and Avoiding Pits Guide
Misconception 1: Only focus on price, ignore the value of the route
For the same media, the prices of international flights are much higher than domestic flights, and the prices of business routes are higher than those of tourist routes. Before signing the contract, it is necessary to confirm the specific routes and flight frequencies to be deployed.

Misconception 2: The advertising cycle is too short, and the effect cannot be accumulated
Advertisements inside the cabin require time to accumulate. After 1 to 2 months of investment, if a passenger leaves an impression and immediately publishes it, the effect will be halved. It is recommended to advertise at least quarterly, and media such as headrests and small table boards are recommended to advertise annually.

Misconception 3: Creative use of ground advertising
The cabin environment is unique, and creativity needs to consider passengers' reading distance, lighting conditions, and viewing time. The complex text and detailed images of ground advertising may be completely unclear in the cabin.

Misconception 4: Ignoring Combination Effects
The power of a single media is limited. The combination of boarding pass, headrest, and small table board has a much greater effect than the sum of the three individually placed items. The case of Sichuan Bank is a successful practice of combination advertising.

Misconception 5: Collaborating with unqualified intermediaries
Be sure to verify the qualifications of the agent and ensure that they have official authorization from the airline. Sichuan Airlines Culture Media Advertising Co., Ltd. is the only enterprise under Sichuan Airlines that has the official exclusive advertising operation rights.

7、Conclusion
Airplane advertising is the golden medium for brands to reach high net worth individuals. From the "first touch" of the boarding pass to the "full companionship" of the pillowcase, from the "deep communication" on the small table board to the "dynamic display" of the onboard video, each form has its unique value and applicable scenarios.

For brands with different budgets, the following suggestions can be considered. The budget is in the range of 300000 to 500000 yuan, and you can choose a combination of a single airline's boarding pass and headrest, which will be launched for 3 to 6 months for regional market testing. The budget is in the range of 500000 to 1 million yuan, and standard combinations can be selected, including boarding passes, headrests, and small table boards, covering major domestic routes and being deployed for more than six months. With a budget of over 1 million yuan, you can choose a flagship combination, along with luggage racks and in-flight videos, covering the core airline network and forming a comprehensive brand matrix.

Tianci Media is a professional airport advertising placement company that has been deeply involved in aviation media for many years and maintains deep cooperation with mainstream domestic airlines. From demand analysis, media mix, creative design to execution monitoring, we provide one-stop full process services to help you meet high net worth individuals accurately at a height of tens of thousands of meters with the most reasonable budget.