When/Why Did Airline Sponsors/Mentions End?

[TimK2003]

Nearly every game show in the 60s-80s had at least one airline "providing" the air travel to a destination mentioned in a prize, whether it was one of the major domestic airlines, or a foreign airline.

Airlines were also mentioned occasionally for travel arrangements for bringing contestants to the show or for bringing celebrities and staff to and from the shows as well.

Once we got into the 21st century, the airline mentions for trips were quickly disappearing from most shows.  Even shows like TPIR just mention generic "round-trip coach airfare" to destinations now.

So what really killed off actual airlines providing the air travel for specific mention on the show?  Was consolidation of airlines the last few decades a factor?  The fact that trips don't necessarily begin in LA or NYC anymore and that might determine what airline they use for the prize winner?

[Jimmy Owen]

About the same time as cars were courtesy of "Jack Schmidt Chevrolet" rather than Chevrolet.

[nowhammies10]

Jack Schmidt Chevrolet, building a better way to see Califor-nye-eh!

[Clay Zambo]

So what really killed off actual airlines providing the air travel for specific mention on the show?  Was consolidation of airlines the last few decades a factor?  The fact that trips don't necessarily begin in LA or NYC anymore and that might determine what airline they use for the prize winner?

That, and the fact that sometimes air travel ISN'T included in the prize.

[MSTieScott]

Maybe I'm not watching the right programming, but I'm having a difficult time remembering any semi-recent television commercials -- even fully edited, 30-second ads in between segments of programming -- for an airline. Perhaps television advertising simply hasn't been a part of any airline's marketing strategy for the past several years.

[Dbacksfan12]

I believe I’ve seen ads for Southwest.  But they’re the only one that comes to mind.

[nowhammies10]

I've seen ads for WestJet up this side of the border recently, and I think Air Canada as well. Other than that, I'm with you guys.

[chris319]

When LMAD or TPIR award a trip nowadays, does the trip include air transportation AND hotel accomodations? It used to.

[nowhammies10]

When LMAD or TPIR award a trip nowadays, does the trip include air transportation AND hotel accomodations? It used to.

Usually, yes, but the standard copy since at least when Rod was still with us goes something like "you and a guest will fly round-trip coach from Los Angeles to <destination>, for a 6-night stay at <hotel>."

[Jimmy Owen]

Lately, Price has been offering a stay on Mackinaw Island, but a plane ride to Grand Rapids.  You have to travel by rental car to the ferry, grab the ferry ride to the hotel.  It's about a three or four hour trip by car from Grand Rapids to Mackinaw..

[BrandonFG]

Lately, Price has been offering a stay on Mackinaw Island, but a plane ride to Grand Rapids.  You have to travel by rental car to the ferry, grab the ferry ride to the hotel.  It's about a three or four hour trip by car from Grand Rapids to Mackinaw..

Not to threadjack, but you just reminded me of something. A couple times last year TPiR offered a trip to Virginia Beach. The last time I flew to LA and back I had a layover (two layovers on the return flight). Assuming my airport didn't add a nonstop flight in the last three years, if a winner flies from LAX I wonder if they'd still have a layover? Not exactly something I'd want if I won a trip on a game show.

[MSTieScott]

When LMAD or TPIR award a trip nowadays, does the trip include air transportation AND hotel accomodations? It used to.

Unless the hotel or experience or cruise departure port is in Los Angeles, transportation is part of the prize. Although a while back, the shows figured out that for destinations that are really close to Los Angeles (for example, Santa Barbara or Palm Springs), a chauffeured limousine is less expensive than a flight and sounds fancy when the announcer says it.

Assuming my airport didn't add a nonstop flight in the last three years, if a winner flies from LAX I wonder if they'd still have a layover? Not exactly something I'd want if I won a trip on a game show.

Quite probably. I'd imagine that a trip from Los Angeles to, say, Rome would require a layover someplace, so that would also be on the table if the flight was to a smaller domestic airport.

[chris319]

for destinations that are really close to Los Angeles (for example, Santa Barbara or Palm Springs), a chauffeured limousine is less expensive than a flight and sounds fancy when the announcer says it.

It could be worse. "Chauffeured Limousine" sounds more glamorous than "Uber".

For Santa Barbara or San Diego they could do Amtrak. I've done Amtrak to San Jose via Santa Barbara. It's as slow as molasses but still a nice trip.

[Kniwt]

FWIW, British shows still seem to be full of airline mentions, but it's almost always low-budget or package-tour companies.

(at 26:45)

[trainman]

Quite probably. I'd imagine that a trip from Los Angeles to, say, Rome would require a layover someplace, so that would also be on the table if the flight was to a smaller domestic airport.

I think Rome is actually one of the few major European cities that doesn't have nonstop service from LAX. (The longtime financial woes of Alitalia, which culminated in them going out of business entirely in 2021, appear to have been a culprit.)

In addition to Southwest, as mentioned earlier in this thread, I've recently seen Delta TV commercials... thanks to their sponsorship of the Olympics.