United Airlines has revealed its series of six ads for Super Bowl LVIII and I must admit that I quite like them. The message is simple and effective: no change fees on United. That’s a big deal. That said, it will be a bit tough right now to actually do what the ads encourage you to do.
United Airlines Unveils Clever Super Bowl LVIII Ads
Last week I previewed the upcoming Super Bowl ads from United Airlines, narrated by Emmy-award-winning actor Kyle Chandler. These ads will be geared toward specific markets and have a sort of religious quality to them that seems to accurately depict how many diehard fans do indeed think about their teams.
Fans are told to “believe” in their team and buy airline tickets for next year’s Super Bowl game in New Orleans…knowing there are no change fees.
Specific 30-second ads were made for the following markets:
- Chiefs fans in Kansas City (TV)
- Browns fans in Cleveland (TV)
- Texans fans in Houston (TV)
- Bears fans in Chicago (social media)
- Broncos fans in Denver (social media)
There is also a general video that will air in other markets:
and a longer cut:
United told Live And Let’s Fly that its passengers have saved over $2 billion since it became the first legacy carrier to jettison change fees “permanently” during the pandemic. In fact, more than 10 million customers have changed their flights without paying:
- 3.6 million people switched the time of day of their flight
- 1.8 million people extended their trip
- 1.5 million people chose to fly to or from a different airport
- 300,000 people changed from a domestic flight to an international one, or vice-versa
During this time, the number of folks who have made these changes in the United app has doubled.
I think it’s important to emphasize the lack of change fees on United. Indeed, it’s something that has saved me thousands of dollars and fundamentally changed how I book tickets (which I will outline in a future post).
On the other hand, even if you wanted to buy tickets to New Orleans to attend Super Bowl LIX next year, tickets are only sold 11 months in advance so it isn’t even possible right now. And while tickets are flexible, they are only valid for one year from date of issue, so if you book 11 months in advance for next February then cancel that trip, you’ll only have about a month to use the value of the ticket.
Therefore, I think the takeaway from these ads is that United does not have change fees, not that you really should buy tickets to New Orleans anytime soon.
CONCLUSION
United has debuted its Super Bowl LVIII ads, focusing its message on reminding us that it does not charge change fees if your plans change.
While not the inspirational animated ads of the past (see here), I do quite like these ads. I realize that a lack of change fees does not separate United from its peers at Alaska, American, Delta, or Southwest, but it does present a clear message that you will not pay change fees at United unless you buy a basic economy fare. That’s worth remembering…
What do you think about the United ads?
> Read More: My 10 Favorite Airline Commercials
image: United Airlines
Mine would have been scripted as follows:
“I know you’re watching while other teams battle for glory. But it could be worse. You could have paid for First on United to go to Las Vegas in style to watch the same, only to discover that your meal on board is a microwave cheeseburger with soggy fries and a strange pairing of a muffin for desert. So sit back, enjoy, and be grateful for a good meal at home. And remember, United has no change fees and no matter what flight you end up choosing the meal is lousy and the flight attendants hate you.”
@Stuart … +1 . Meals ? Ha-Ha .
I guess “Ever” means unless you buy a Basic Economy flight, which the majority of occasional travelers buy since its cheapest. And unless they pause the commercial and read the fine print they won’t know that from this ad.
Talk about disingenuous ads. You should be condemning this type ad, not celebrating it.
No wonder they killed Kyle off in the first episode of “Mayor of Kingtown”.
Yeah. It is a bit strange to be exalting this ad when United doesn’t even allow changes to a very common ticket they sell, basic economy.
I guess there’s no change fee if you lose all your money when you’re not allowed to change your flight but only in a very dark humor kind of way
@MaxPower … good one ; very dark humour , indeed .
Something made just for Chiefs fans on their Super Bowl day but nothing just for 49ers fans. What a slap in the face to its loyal hub customers and employees.
All I have to say is LIES, LIES, LIES.
I get this is your site Matt and you control the content and you love you some United Airlines. However I would think you would at the very least tell the truth by making sure your readers understand this commercial only applies to some United passengers not all United passengers. Passengers booking basic economy fares still have to pay change fees.
in fairness… they don’t because they aren’t allowed to change their flight 😉 They just lose all their money if they need to change (a small detail United casually omits)
I don’t get it…I even mentioned that in my story.
Just my two cents. You did mention it in a small mention in the conclusion but most of the article was about how great United is with no change fees when the reality is they sell a LOT of basic economy tickets where no change whatsoever is allowed and you just lose your money. Lucky on OMAAT even called out the fine print in the ad itself where “No fees to your flight. Ever” has a small print at the bottom saying except basic economy and only applies to flights within the US/Mexico/Caribbean.
I mean, just seems like the ad is a blatant lie when you use the word “EVER” when your own “except” down below says it isn’t true across the largest international carrier in the US or on their commonly purchased ticket.
Maybe just me, but the real focus of the article seems like it should be the ridiculously false advertising of United. It isn’t “ever”. it isn’t even within the US.
Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy an article about a clever ad as much as the next guy, but just seems like the blatant lies should be called out. It just isn’t true… Especially when they seem to be focusing the ads in areas where Southwest is a big competitor to United.
I agree 100% with MaxPower. Matthew: you’re just wrong. Your blog post is way too positive about this blatantly false advertising, and your tiny tiny comment at the end about basic economy doesn’t do justice to the blog post. The fee difference between basic economy and main cabin is between $40 to $200 each way, so in reality you’re paying $80 to $400 per round-trip or open-jaw itinerary for the right to change a ticket. Emphasizing no change fees on the Super Bowl is complete garbage and I would not hesitate to file a complaint with the FTC for false advertising after the ad runs.
So while these run “around” the superbowl, they are just local ads and in truth, since you can’t actually do what they are pushing, could be seen as “false” or “bait and switch”. Working in the field, these are nice, but aren’t image changers, UA just trying to soften their image and be more like DL verse coming up with their own voice. Copying a competitor strength is never a good idea. UA needs to find their own persona.
Again, nice but nothing to write home about or make me change loyalty.
How did they make one for KC but not their own hub of San Francisco??
And Rhapsody in Blue is back!
I have to wonder if it was Kirby himself or one of his cronies who came up with this one. I’m not sure how clever lying publicly is in the internet age – in a superbowl commercial no less – but that’s just me. Personally, I hope lots of people sue United for false advertising in this commercial so that airlines will return to having fact-based ads.