Advance Aviation2023-10-12T16:14:04+00:00

A Full-Service Airport Marketing Partner

Advance Aviation is a full-service airport marketing partner focused on decreasing leakage while increasing enplanements and passenger retention across the country. Our vast airport industry knowledge and full-scale marketing services enable us to help our airport partners with their challenges and goals. We focus on increasing community engagement for those who could and should fly local helping increase enplanements and load factors which are vital for attracting new service.

First and foremost our approach is anchored by a proven digital strategy and layered with creative concepting, traditional media buying/planning, and strategic strategy development.

or call 800-554-8800

Helping airports communicate the right message at the right time

As the aviation industry continues to navigate numerous challenges, creative messaging remains especially important. Our goal is to provide marketing support, creative resources, and ideas to help you reach your target audience with the most relevant message in a creative way.

Aviation Experts

We’re passionate about the aviation industry. We work exclusively with small and mid-size airports to increase community commitment to fly local with marketing strategies tailored to each one.

Resourceful Company

We’re backed by Advance Local, one of the largest media companies in the US, with headquarters in One World Trade Center, and media groups in every region of the country.

Roots in Storytelling

We’ve been telling people stories for over 190 years. We understand that marketing campaigns are more than impressions, they’re about making connections.

100+ current/past clients across the country

How We Help You Increase Enplanements

Digital Marketing Tactics

We know how to specifically reach travelers within you’re catchment and target geos with proven digital marketing techniques to ensure no marketing dollars are wasted in the process.  We focus on both outbound campaigns and inbound tourism focused campaigns.

Award-Winning Creative

We create strategic airport landing pages, videos, logos, display/social ads, and more! Our talented creative team has been recognized with 26 prestigious International Creative Awards (5 within the aviation industry) as well as 57 New York State Creative Awards (3 within the aviation industry) over the years.

Experienced Experts

Our team of airport marketing experts has worked on close to 100 airports across the country together. Success to us means success for our airport partners which means increased commitment to fly local, increased load factors, and increased passenger retention.

Our Aviation Team

Christina Cole

With 23 years of media and marketing experience, Christina leads the team at Advance Aviation, whose sole focus is helping small and mid-sized airports across the country increase enplanements, decrease leakage, and increase community commitment to fly local.  Christina and her team bring their airport partners leading technology and expertise in the digital marketing field through proven consistent digital-centric strategies.

Kayleigh Tarbet

Kayleigh has been working in the industry for over 12 years. Her specialties include aviation creative strategy, graphic design, photography and videography, video production, web design, and social media marketing. With Kayleigh’s strong knowledge of digital marketing and eagerness to stay up to date on industry best practices, she has become an expert on increasing conversions using landing pages and specializes within the aviation industry.  Kayleigh enjoys helping our airport clients reach their goals by developing creative strategies driven by industry trends and data.

Steve Hodgens

With nearly 40 years of media experience, Steve is uniquely experienced in helping our airport partners organize a complete strategic marketing plan that encompasses everything from a solid digital-first strategy to traditional media working side by side with Christina and a key member of the Advance Aviation Team.

Gerard Carroll

Gerard has worked in media sales for over 30 years with a heavy background in digital.  Gerard is a sales manager, a goal-oriented proven leader and administrator with a successful track record of achieving goals, problem solving, and customer satisfaction.  He is a key part of our Advance Aviation Team, attending and guest speaking along with Christina at Air Service Development Conferences across the country focusing on the aviation industry’s best practices and trends to help impact our airport partners challenges and goals.

Sam Eaton

Sam monitors advertising campaign performance from beginning to end, with an emphasis on using the reporting available to interpret and work with sales staff to quickly optimize campaigns. He also works directly within the airport industry as a key member of our Advance Aviation Team, helping us gather essential data that is necessary for a successful digital campaign resolving questions as they arise, and helping our airport partners reach their goals.

Amina Mecca

Amina has over a decade of experience working in the industry and is an integral member of the Advance Aviation team. Her strengths range from project management, client retention, new business development, and SaaS offerings. On a daily basis, you can find her building life-long relationships, leading teams, and discovering and implementing data-driven strategies.

Testimonials

“We have developed a great partnership with Advance Aviation. Their dedication to a targeted digital strategy development in the communities we serve has helped improve the commitment to fly local, decrease leakage, and increase passenger retention. We appreciate their attention to detail and professionalism, and ensuring each community feels confident in the strategy and with the Advance Aviation Team. Our partnership has resulted in growth and we feel lucky to have them in our corner.”

Daniel Belmont • Director of Market Development

“Advance Aviation is the most complete marketing firm in the airport industry. Not only do Christina, Kayleigh, and their team provide high-quality creative material and targeted ad placement, they also help tell the story of your community to the airlines. Advance Aviation is leading a paradigm shift in what it means to be a complete aviation marketing partner.”

Brian Grefe • Airport Director

“The relationship that BGM has forged with Advance Aviation has been beneficial on many levels. Being in a very technical industry that has many factors affecting the outcome of passenger and community perspective can be difficult to navigate. However, working with Advance Aviation has made marketing easier as they have a solid comprehension of the complex factors and barriers that small airports face. They also know how to navigate the various budgetary constraints that marketing on a multi-platform and multiple media markets presents. They utilize digital media and understand how to present it to the correct audience. Their ability to acknowledge what it takes to be a positive member of the community and partner with various organizations has been yet another way they help BGM meet our short term goals. Their talented staff is attentive, creative, and responsive to any changes or improvements that need to be made throughout the various campaigns. They know how to be a good partner and put their client’s needs first.”

Mark Heefner • BGM Commissioner of Aviation

Airport Growth Success Stories

Greater Binghamton Airport

Goal:

In our 5th year with Greater Binghamton Airport, we’re up for the challenge of continuing to increase commitment from the community to fly local while promoting the airports service to DTW on Delta. We’re also creating brand awareness and impacting early bookings for BGM’s new ULCC service with Avelo Airlines to MCO which began November 16th.

Strategy:

Advance Aviation took the lead in developing strategy, creative messaging and a targeted distribution plan to drive results for BGM. The targeted, multi-platform strategy communicated the “Fly Bing!” message seamlessly across mediums, emphasizing the ease and convenience of flying with BGM. A traditional and digital media mix was utilized to align with air traveler behaviors leading to consistent “Book Now” conversions on a custom landing page.

Results:

Pre-pandemic, enplanements increased 15% with a significant reduction in leakage from competitive airports. Load factors were in the high 90’s at the beginning of 2020. Post-pandemic, we are focused on getting back to these numbers and committed to successful service with Avelo which began November 16th.

Online Display Ads

Campaign Landing Page

Campaign Video

Airport in the Northeast

Goal: In recent years, the northeast airport was struggling with maintaining capacity with monthly average settling in at 60%.  The airport was looking to increase capacity by 10-15%.

Advance Aviation developed a local strategy to regain the local air travelers bypassing this airport for a larger area airport.

Within two years, the average monthly capacity increased to over 90%.

Airport in the Southwest

Goal: Capacity had been stagnant since the onboarding of a new carrier – this southeast regional airport needed to see significant growth in the coming years to maintain their flight schedule and hopefully add a new carrier.

A multi-tiered marketing program made this airport visible to local potential travelers all along their path to booking – from inspiration, to research, to action and conversion.

In their first year with Advance Aviation, the airport saw 43% year-over-year growth in capacity.  Afterwards, they were on pace to see another 41% year-over-year growth in capacity. This steady growth has attracted the attention of new carriers and flights for their airport.

Airport in the Midwest

Goal: An airport in the midwest was experiencing significant leakage from two of their local competitors.  With a new flight scheduled, the airport wanted to shore up their local air traveler base while promoting their new flight.

A cohesive marketing campaign communicated unique value propositions for flying local – such as free parking, short drive home and stress-free boarding.

The airport gained about 5 new enplanements per flight (10%) for the new flight.  And overall, the airport successfully re-captured about 36% of the leakage they were experiencing from their two primary local competitors.

Let’s Discuss Your Marketing

We have a proven strategy to help you increase enplanements

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or call 800-554-8800