Facebook allows airlines into dynamic adverts for travel programme

Delta Airlines and Cathay Pacific among carriers involved in test phase. Continue reading →

Airlines have been included in Facebook’s dynamic adverts for travel for the first time.

Delta Airlines and Cathay Pacific are taking part in a test phase of the tool, which is also available on Facebook-owned photo-sharing site Instagram.

Using the Dynamic Ads for Travel (DAT) programme, travel firms can advertise based on a user’s previous browsing history, perhaps offering them a flight when they have only booked a hotel or extras they might want on a trip they’ve booked already.

It works across multiple devices and uses location settings to work out where potential customers are and what time they want to travel.

The tool was first introduced for use by hotels and intermediaries last year.

Facebook says the testing phase within airlines has led to a 16x increase in booking volume for Cathay as a result of the targeted ads, which reduced the cost-per-acquisition by 15%.

Cathay’s assistant marketing manager, Lisa Leung, has said that DATs are giving it better “ad efficiency and cost reductions” compared to “its other partners”.

Delta CMO Tim Mapes added: “The new ad supports Delta’s strategy to deliver greater personalisation, allowing us to automatically target the right customer with highly relevant messaging based on each person’s itinerary and interests.”