United Airlines Launches Media Network for Personalized, Seatback Advertisements

Flyers on United Airlines are soon going to get the same experience using United’s inflight entertainment that they gets at home—personalized advertisements.

United announced on Friday that it was launching its own media platform called Kinective Media that would place personalized ads in front of travelers using United’s app or seatback monitors inflight.

The carrier said that it already has partnership withs brands to fill ad spots, including with Norwegian Cruise Line, Macy’s, IHG, and Chase, which is the band that United uses for its co-branded credit cards. Other “premium brands” could come soon in retail, luxury, financial services, travel, and media.

The pitch for advertisers is that the media platform will get content in front of a traveler who is locked into an airline seat for 3.5 hours, the average length of a United flight, or using an essentially mandated app.  

Richard Nunn, CEO of MileagePlus, said that the move follows a “hige strategic shift” in the ad industry. 

“There has been a huge strategic shift within this high growth sector in the past five years where advertisers and brands have come together to determine how best to connect with consumers in a way that’s valuable, effective and personalized.”