The Travel Brands Advertising During Super Bowl LX

The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots aren’t the only ones looking for a win this Sunday; for travel brands and global corporations, the Super Bowl remains the ultimate—and most expensive—marketing stage.

According to Bloomberg, the cost for some ad slots during Sunday’s game is around $10 million, depending on placement and timing. A lot of the companies that have dominated previous years will also air ads this year, including mainstays like Budweiser, Dunkin’, Michelob Ultra, Pepsi, Pringles, and more.

This year will also see some major players in the travel industry vying for the attention of millions of viewers, though not nearly as many as we’ve seen in years past (last year, in particular, featured the debut of the Orlando Bloom and Drew Barrymore MSC Cruises spot).

While more than this is expected, as of Thursday morning, here’s what travel companies are slated to air on Sunday during the Super Bowl:

Expedia

Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) have traditionally had the highest spend among travel companies during the Super Bowl—past years have featured brands like Expedia, Booking.com, and more. This year’s slate is highlighted by Expedia with an ad titled “Going Places with Ken,” which positions Expedia as “the one place to go to go places.”

The ad features Mattel’s Ken doll as that brand turns 65. It will run in pre- and post-game placements in the U.S., and a 30-second spot during the game in Canada and a 20-second spot in Mexico.

Southwest Airlines

It has been a transformational few years for Southwest Airlines. Recently, the carrier ditched “Bags Fly Free,” open seating, and other features that once differentiated it from its industry peers. Now, it is looking back and poking fun at its former self with a new ad airing on Peacock and on NBC in six specific markets: San Diego, Chicago, Denver, Austin, Dallas, and Hawaii.

The ad illustrates the stress and panic the old open seating system caused for some guests, even if it contributed to the airline’s unique identity.

“While open seating played a huge role in Southwest’s history and helped it grow from a regional carrier into one of the largest airlines in America, the new assigned seating policy positions the airline for the future and addresses customers’ needs,” Southwest stated in a release.

United Airlines

United, which is no stranger to Super Bowl advertising, will run ads focusing on its continued rollout of Starlink during this Sunday’s game. The spot will air in local markets where United’s Starlink-equipped regional planes are most active, including Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, and Kansas City.

The creative shows flyers putting the connection to the test by live-streaming sports, watching movies, and even checking their home security cameras from 30,000 feet.

Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Orlando, which is coming off a major expansion, will launch a campaign called “This Changes Everything” on NBC and Peacock during Sunday’s game. The campaign is a multi-part series telling the stories of four different guests who undergo transformative journeys at the resort.

“Each spot culminates with the guest experiencing a meaningful shift as they push past their initial perspective and start embracing the memories they’re creating with their loved ones—capturing the true essence of what it means to vacation at Universal Orlando,” Universal stated.

The first of the four stories, titled “Lil’ Bro,” will air just before the halftime show and can be previewed below. The remaining stories, along with a fifth spot that weaves all four narratives together, will roll out on NBC and Peacock over the next month.