How Influencer Marketing Is Revolutionizing The Airline Industry

Luxury airlines across the globe have embraced influencer marketing as a pivotal strategy to boost visibility and brand awareness. Using social media, these airlines now account for 45% of the hospitality industry's share of voice on Instagram. They also stand as the second fastest-growing industry in terms of Instagram presence, primarily due to their strategic partnerships with influencers. These collaborations enhance brand recognition and keep the industry at the forefront of contemporary marketing trends. Below, we highlight how luxury airlines harness influencer marketing to optimize their advertising campaigns and increase their exposure year over year.

Luxury Hospitality Industry Share of Voice on Instagram 

The Luxury Airline Industry’s Remarkable 71% Year-Over-Year Growth in Visibility

Luxury airlines have consistently increased their Instagram presence year over year, with 2024 poised to outpace 2023 considerably. From January to June 2024, the luxury airline industry generated 30% more monthly visibility on Instagram compared to the same period in 2023. January stands out as a highly profitable month, with posts showcasing the first-class flying experience of various airlines.

In addition to diverse content themes, airlines have capitalized on their relationships with footballers and teams. Since 2022, Lefty data has highlighted footballers as top partners for the airline and hospitality sectors. These collaborations thrive due to athletes' extensive social media followings and loyal fan bases.

Specifically, Emirates and Qatar Airways capitalized on their partnerships with the Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain football teams, respectively. PSG highlighted the start of their training year in Qatar, while Real Madrid shared content about their participation in the 2024 Supercopa de España.

Additionally, luxury airlines like Emirates heavily invest in athletes and athletics, often sponsoring various teams and tournaments. Emirates' affiliations with clubs like Real Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal, and S.L. Benfica accounted for 63% of its Earned Media Value (EMV), underscoring the importance of this relationship. Additionally, Emirates supports global events such as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and major tennis tournaments, aligning its brand with international sports culture.

Content Creators Are Key to Generating Hype For Airlines 

In 2023, influencers became the leading voices in discussions about airline companies, with 131 accounts comprising over half of the sector's top 10 profiles. Generally, influencers outperformed their travel-specific counterparts, averaging $88K Earned Media Value (EMV) per post compared to $52K. This trend can be attributed to general content creators achieving higher overall engagement rates. They tend to cover diverse topics, so audiences are particularly captivated when they share trip experiences. For instance, influencer Ollie Burton's Instagram post about his first-class flight with British Airways achieved one of the highest engagement rates for the airline between 2023 and 2024, reaching an impressive 21.6%.

Nevertheless, despite their dominance, influencers generated the lowest visibility in terms of average EMV per post. Celebrity and media profiles generated an average of $120K EMV per post; however, celebrities/influencers were used more frequently than media profiles, contributing 18% and 10% to the total EMV, respectively. In contrast, business profiles achieved the highest visibility, averaging $239K EMV per post. They were also the most engaged with airline companies, averaging 23 posts per profile annually—far surpassing celebrities and influencers, who averaged only four posts per profile. This high visibility is partly attributed to the inclusion of football clubs, which significantly bolsters the business category. In 2023, business profiles primarily driven by sports and football accounts contributed 67% to the total visibility in the global airlines market despite representing only 13% of the top 10 profiles.

Despite the prominence of business profiles in visibility and engagement, airlines have begun recognizing the power of influencers and celebrities. Although their average EMV per post might be lower, social media personalities wield considerable clout and can significantly impact consumer behavior. For example, Air France's partnership with Brazilian actress Marina Ruy Barbosa generated $534K in EMV from one post on Instagram. This single post contributed 6% to Air France's total visibility from 2023 to 2024.

Airlines Top Type of Profiles Activated By Visibility – Instagram

Top Airlines Shaping the Industry

In 2023, the luxury airline market achieved an EMV of $361M, marking a 71% increase in visibility compared to the previous year ($211M EMV). Among 26 airline companies, Emirates led the way with the highest EMV of $123M and was the most mentioned brand, featuring in 3,183 posts by 1,136 influencers.

Emirates and Qatar Airways dominated market visibility, collectively accounting for 63% of the share of voice, much of which was driven by their football partnerships. Emirates held a 34% share, while Qatar Airways commanded 29%. Among the leading airlines, All Nippon Airways and Cathay Pacific from Asia saw the fastest growth in visibility in 2023, with EMV increases of 410% and 257%, respectively. This surge is primarily due to heightened engagement from a larger audience and an increase in posts mentioning these brands. Their success can be attributed to posts extending beyond flight experiences, including travelers' vacations in Asia and their cultural and sightseeing adventures. 

Moreover, tourism in the Asia Pacific region has soared post-COVID-19 after lockdowns restricting foreign travel were lifted. The Pacific Asia Travel Association predicts that by 2026, "international visitor arrivals to Asia will reach 762 million. Notably, Japan and the Maldives have experienced remarkable growth in travel, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 155% and 148%, respectively."

Sky-High Influence: How Airline Content Captivates Audiences

Audiences Engaging With Airline Content On Instagram

When analyzing Instagram viewership and engagement for airlines, men comprise 78% of the audience, compared to 22% of women. Gen Z and Millennial men are particularly significant consumers, highlighting the value of collaborations with athletes and sports teams.

Viewers from India stand out as the top nationality engaging with airline-related content. Airlines like Emirates capitalize on this by partnering with the International Cricket Council and collaborating with high-profile cricket players like Rohit Sharma. Additionally, Emirates leverages collaborations with prominent Indian content creators such as YouTuber Gaurav Chaudhary to further increase its exposure to the Indian market.

Key Airline Partnerships From 2023-2024: Emirates, Qatar Airways and British Airways

Emirates

In 2023, Emirates' social media strategy focused heavily on partnerships with athletes and sports teams. Football clubs sponsored by Emirates were particularly impactful, contributing 63% of the airline's EMV that year. The most lucrative collaboration was with Real Madrid, which featured 70 in-feed posts about the airline throughout 2023.

Emirates' second most lucrative sports collaboration is their global partnership with cricketers and the ICC. This alliance contributed 6% of the airline's total EMV in 2023, showcasing their proficiency in engaging with sports that resonate with a worldwide audience.

Emirates has also captured the American market by becoming an official partner of the NBA in 2024, generating $1.5 million in EMV on social media. As the partnership evolves, we can anticipate greater engagement and interest in the airline from American audiences.

Qatar Airways

Like Emirates, Qatar Airways has discovered the perfect synergy by partnering with athletes and sports teams and sponsoring sporting events. The success of these collaborations is clear, with football teams PSG and Inter Milan and the FIFA World Cup contributing to 42% of the airline's social media visibility in 2023.

Additionally, Qatar Airways has partnered with The Royal Challengers Bangalore, one of the most popular cricket teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). This collaboration contributed to 16% of the airline's visibility in 2023, second only to its partnerships with football teams.

Expanding its reach to other sports associations, Qatar Airways stands out as one of the few airlines to collaborate with Formula 1, having sponsored three Grand Prix events in the past year. The sport's popularity has surged recently, with ESPN reporting a 50% increase in F1 viewership from 2018 to 2023.

British Airways

British Airways (BA) has broadened its sports sponsorships beyond football, instead focusing on tennis. The airline has partnered with British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade's 1977 Wimbledon victory. Raducanu serves as an official ambassador for BA, contributing 13% to the company’s EMV in 2023.

What’s Next For Airline Influencer Collaborations

The future of social media partnerships looks promising as the airline industry continues to leverage strategic collaborations to boost visibility and engagement. The rise in brand recognition for airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways, and British Airways highlights the effectiveness of these relationships in driving growth. With a focus on influencer marketing, airlines are enhancing their brand awareness and keeping pace with evolving marketing trends. The success of partnerships with athletes, sports teams, and content creators underscores the importance of aligning with influencers who resonate with broad audiences. Brands investing in influencer marketing campaigns will likely see sustained success, captivated audiences, enhanced brand presence, and achieve remarkable growth.

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