United becomes first official domestic airline partner of Visit California

Visit California has officially launched its first-ever official domestic airline partnership, joining forces with United Airlines to elevate the Golden State’s profile as The Ultimate Playground. This multi-year collaboration designates United as Visit California’s official domestic airline partner, marking a strategic milestone for the organization and creating new opportunities to inspire high-value travelers to explore California’s diverse experiences. The campaign debuted on April 7 and runs through May 31, 2025, with each partner contributing $250,000 to a robust, integrated media program. The investment is designed to build awareness, generate intent and drive travel by aligning with a trusted airline that offers direct service to 17 California airports from more than 200 U.S. cities.

The campaign uses a full-funnel strategy that blends traditional and digital media placements, including TV spots on ESPN, HGTV and Food Network, streaming platforms like Hulu and Peacock, programmatic video, digital display and paid social placements on Facebook and Instagram. These placements are designed to meet the target audience where they are, primarily U.S. leisure travelers with household incomes over $125,000 who have flown domestically in the past year, along with loyal United Airlines customers. Certain markets, such as Atlanta and Minneapolis, were excluded due to competitive airline considerations. All campaign traffic drives to a custom-built landing page on United.com, where travelers can explore inspirational California destinations content while seamlessly booking flights. The landing page acts as a curated entry point into the California experience, guiding consumers from consideration to commitment.

To ensure trade alignment, messaging and campaign assets are also being shared with Visit California’s domestic database of more than 4,400 travel advisors. This initiative not only expands Visit California’s presence in the domestic travel space but also sets a new standard for future airline partnerships. It opens the door for further integration through destination-specific programming, trade initiatives and international opportunities. This campaign reflects the power of partnership and reinforces California’s position as one of the most exciting and accessible destinations in the country.