United Sweeps Awards Cubs, Sox Fans Crosstown Flights

United Airlines is whipping up baseball fever in hometown Chicago with a one-way flight for Cubs and White Sox fans.

United plays go-between with Cubs and Sox fans

United’s discount carrier Ted will fly 156 sweeps winners from O’Hare Airport on Chicago’s northwest side (Cubs’ turf) to Midway Airport on the city’s South Side (White Sox territory) to watch the cross-town rivals’ June 26 game.

The Crosstown Classic sweeps seeded metallic MVP “most valuable passenger” airline tickets with foil-wrapped baseball cards distributed in two Chicago newspapers over the weekend. Rock radio station WXRT gives away some tickets to members of its VIP Club, and top-level members of United’s Mileage Plus frequent-flier program get an invite to come aboard.

The 90-minute flight—the 20-mile drive between the airports takes 45 to 90 minutes, depending on traffic— a few circular passes over the city, with games awarding autographed Cubs and Sox merchandise and a seat next to Hall of Famer’s Billy Williams and Minnie Minoso during the flight.

Ted has regular flights from both O’Hare and Midway (as of May), but this is the first time the two-year-old airline has flown between to the two airports.

Ted also cheers the baseball rivalry with wrapped buses and CTA trains whose half-and-half design touts the Cubs while heading north, and the Sox while heading south. The wraps, headlined “Ted’s a Northsider” and “Ted’s a Southsider,” tout fares from O’Hare and Midway, respectively. Arc Worldwide’s Frankel division, Chicago, handles for longtime client United.

“United is a sponsor of both baseball clubs, so when Ted started flying out of Midway, the light bulb went off” at Frankel, said Creative Director Martin Wodarz. “We thought, ‘How can we play up this cross-town connection?'”

At the same time, Ted will sponsor the city’s Taste of Chicago Festival, with cooking demos by United Executive Chef Gerry Gulli, street team giveaways and a Ted’s Taste of Fun tent. United will feature a Taste of Chicago menu in First and Business classes on some flights, with foods from famous Chicago restaurants that sample their fare at the 11-day Taste of Chicago event.

Ted last blitzed Chicago with its 2003 launch, dubbed Say Hello to Ted, with street teams, concerts and funky premiums like freeze pops and fans. The effort was a 2004 PRO Award finalist for Frankel (December 2004 PROMO).