11.15 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

Emirates woos US with free tickets, trips to Dubai on ‘The Ellen Show’

‘Hello Dubai’ says Ellen DeGeneres, handing free Emirates tickets to audience. (Twitter/Emirates)

Published
By Bindu Rai

Emirates continues to woo America, flying on the coattails of Hollywood’s star power.

This time, the Gulf carrier took off for The Ellen DeGeneres Show and won a fan following as it handed out free roundtrip tickets to Dubai to every member of the audience.

The two-time Academy Awards host, actor and talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres took to social media to share the news, tweeting: “My whole audience got a trip to Dubai, thanks to Emirates. Seriously.”

While Jennifer Anniston’s celebrity status stole the spotlight as she wooed first and business class flyers in a tongue-in-cheek dig at US legacy airlines, appearing as America’s sweetheart in a bathrobe hunting for an on-board shower, the move on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ will certainly hit home with the masses.

The five-minute 43-second video sees show host DeGeneres rope in two audience members to play a game, ‘Hello and Dubai’ that “kicks off Emirates’ Big Take-Off campaign,” she says.

The winner of the game walked away with a seven-night stay in Dubai and Cape Town, South Africa, along with $2,000 or Dh7,345 as spending money.  

DeGeneres further admitted on her show that she herself had flown this same route, calling it an “amazing experience” several times in the clip, before introducing the airline’s pilot, Ashley, to the unsuspecting audience.

A bonus game was further explained, with the winner of the previous round picking a random number that revealed free return tickets for audience members.

The campaign features three main elements, beginning with an integration with a top entertainment talk show, a social media sweepstakes to open up the chance for consumers to experience an all-expenses-paid Big Takeoff of their own and a companion fare sale, offering travel for two at special discounted rates.

In a statement, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations (The Americas), Rob Gurney, said: “The Big Takeoff is a strategic campaign for Emirates this summer travel season, which is based on an insight that Americans do not take advantage of all of their vacation days.

“It’s been demonstrated that after a vacation, you’re better at your job, happier, well-rested, and more culturally-inspired.

“As a global connector of people, places, passions and cultures and with service to over 150 destinations across six continents, Emirates can offer access to experiences and destinations for virtually every traveller.”

The airline added it’s for this reason they were extending the campaign beyond national broadcast integration and opening up the opportunity to those residing in the US through a social media-based sweepstake, The Big Takeoff, and special companion fares.

According to the airline, in September, the talk show will further feature a Big Takeoff journey. No further details have been revealed at this time.

Two for the price of one fares

In a nifty marketing move, DeGeneres backed up the Emirates campaign to cinch the deal with statistics revealing 41 per cent of Americans don’t take vacation, or that the average American leaves eight vacation days unused.

The Big Take-Off campaign launches the airline’s latest fare deal in the US, offering a holiday for two at special fares starting at $999.

The airline is giving flyers the chance to ‘take off with a friend or family member by booking two round-trip economy class tickets from 10 US gateways to exotic destinations including the Middle East, Far East, Africa and India’.

Special fares for two people traveling together include $999 for Milan, $1,249 for Dubai, $1,399 for the Middle East, $1,569 for India, among others.

The deal requires tickets to be booked by May 26 for travel through April 10, 2017 and must originate in the US.

Separately, two grand winners will bag a five-day trip to Dubai, which will include a stay at the beachfront One&Only Royal Mirage Hotel and enjoy a private Sundowner Dune Dinner Safari and City Tour with Arabian Adventures.

The winners’ office will also get the ‘Emirates treatment at work’, which the airline states will include a day of regionally inspired cuisine prepared by a personal chef, an after-work bartender mixing drinks, and a private screening of a film from its inflight entertainment system.