SeatBoost 101

SeatBoost is a third-party platform that lets guests bid on cabin upgrades in the 24-hour period before their flight departure.

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Important notes:

• SeatBoost is a separate bidding platform from Plusgrade.

• Bidding opens 24 hours before departure and closes 90 minutes before departure.

• Bidding can occur in parallel with check-in but it does not rely on checking in.

• We do not control the experience for SeatBoost, although it is configurable.

Related resources

• Marketing language guidelines

• Experience and flow screenshots

• Video walkthrough

Naming conventions

Correct: SeatBoost

Incorrect:

• Seat Boost
• Seat boost
• Seatboost
• SeatBoost app
• SeatBoost website
• SeatBoost platform

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Do’s and don’ts

Do:

• Use positioning for “treating yourself”

• Highlight the “live” or “real-time” nature of the auction

• Use “bid,” “bidding,” and “place a bid”

• Use “win” when contextualized by “bid” in close proximity

Don’t:  

• Refer to SeatBoost by name

• Refer to SeatBoost by name in any marketing materials (e.g. ENS emails)

• Use Plusgrade language (“offer,” “place an offer”)

• Describe as a “deal,” “bargain,” or “discount”

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Positioning

Approved positioning elements:

• Comfort, especially extra leg and elbow room

• Treating yourself

• Saving time at the airport (use cautiously ⚠️)
  
  • Use this positioning early in the 24 hours before departure so that guests can plan ahead to make use of time-saving benefits, like priority screening, boarding, and baggage.

• Scarcity (only as a supporting message)
  
  • Scarcity is not substantial enough on its own to warrant a purchase, especially since guests can upgrade at any point before or during their travel day.

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Positioning samples

• "Last chance to treat yourself with an upgrade to Premium or Business."

• "Treat yourself with a last-minute upgrade to Premium or Business."

• "Bid on a last-minute upgrade to Premium or Business."

• "Treat yourself to a spacious seat and priority boarding."

• "Bid on a last-minute cabin upgrade so you can stretch out and relax all the way to your destination."

• "Relax with additional space and an enhanced inflight menu."

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Accepted language

• Last-minute upgrade

• Last-minute bid

• It’s not too late (⚠️ use with caution)

• Live

• Real-time

• Win (paired with “bid”)

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Why do we pair “win” with “bid” in the same module?

“Win” is the most common way to express coming out on top in an auction: you “win” the auction. However, “winning” is also associated with contests and other free-to-enter promotions that we’d like to avoid.

We use “bid” to set appropriate expectations for spending money in the auction. We also mention our live auction when there’s enough space to do so. This disambiguates “win” for users.

What does this mean for content?

1. Pair “win” with “bid” in the header when there’s enough room in the UI

1. E.G. “Bid to win...”

2. If the UI doesn’t have enough space for both, then you can offload the context of bidding to the body content or an accompanying CTA button.

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Descriptions for SeatBoost

Short Descriptions

Enjoy additional space with an enhanced inflight menu.

Bid on last-minute seat upgrades to Premium or Business.

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Medium Descriptions

Enjoy priority screening and boarding, a spacious seat, and an enhanced inflight menu. Place a bid to win an upgrade.

Start bidding to win a cabin upgrade with additional space and an enhanced inflight menu.

Place a bid for your chance to win an upgrade with additional space and an enhanced inflight menu.

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Long Description

Win a last-minute cabin upgrade with additional space and an enhanced inflight menu. Place your bid in our live auction to win your upgrade.

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Language to avoid

Avoid edgy, aggressive, and competitive language: Don’t lay it on too thick with “winning” verbiage. This is an airline with a "friendly, charming, and approachable” persona (brand guidelines, p. 20). It should not sound like an ad for Gatorade or an online casino.  

Don't fixate on bidding: the real benefits are a) cabin comfort, and b) priority treatment (for time savings and peace of mind). Bidding is just a task that guests need to complete to get that benefit. Furthermore, playing up the excitement of bidding also comes dangerously close to sounding like online gambling, which would contradict the “responsible” aspect of the brand’s tone (brand guidelines, p.24).

Avoid Plusgrade terminology. Plusgrade is a similar bidding feature which is accessible up to 73 hours before departure, whereas SeatBoost bidding begins 24 hours before departure. It uses a different vocabulary for a similar concept, including:

• “offer”

• “make an offer”

• “place an offer”

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Language and UI samples

Note: "Bid” must accompany “win” somewhere in the header, body, or button content, even if you don’t see it here.

• "Place a bid to win a last-minute upgrade"

• "Win a cabin upgrade by bidding on..."

• "Win an upgrade to Premium or Business"

• "Bid in our live auction to win an upgrade"

• "Enter our live auction to win an upgrade"

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