Plaza Premium Group (PPG) has launched a global campaign called ‘The Starting Line,’ positioning its airport hospitality portfolio as the starting point for travelers heading to this summer’s international sporting events.
The campaign spans PPG’s lounges, hotels, dining outlets and passenger services across multiple continents, with activations timed around major football tournaments taking place this summer.
“We don’t own the game, but we own the moment before it,” said Mei Mei Song, chief transformation officer at Plaza Premium Group. “The Starting Line is about elevating that in-between airport moment into something energising, memorable and an essential part of the sporting journey.”
Plaza Premium Lounges are being rebranded as pre-game environments, with dedicated fan zones, large-format screens and stadium-themed décor rolled out at select locations. In Brazil, lounges at São Paulo (GRU) and Rio de Janeiro (GIG) feature football-themed installations. Lounges in Canada, the Middle East and Africa are incorporating national flags and stadium styling, with staff wearing team jerseys on match days.
US activations at Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Orlando (MCO) will include trivia games and a Score to Win hover soccer challenge on featured match days, with prizes for participants. Food and beverage offerings across regions have also been adapted, with market-specific menus including boteco-inspired bites in Brazil and regional favorites such as poutine and sliders in Canada.
PPG’s airport hotel brand, Aerotel, is offering live match screenings at properties including Aerotel Shanghai Pudong and Aerotel London Heathrow, with additional locations to be confirmed. Aerotel Madrid will also show selected matches during guests’ stays.
Dining outlets in Southeast Asia – including Flight Club locations in Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Kota Kinabalu (BKI) and Bali (DPS) – are shifting to a ‘watch and dine’ format with group platters, bundled drinks and football-themed décor.
PPG’s Allways Meet & Assist and Fast Track passenger services are also being incorporated into the campaign, with the company describing its airport greeters as acting as “team captains” for travelers. The service is available at over 500 airports globally, including DFW, MCO and Toronto Pearson (YYZ), with a newly expanded presence at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ).
PPG has also introduced a new brand mascot described as representing the “modern sports-loving wanderer.”
Lounge passes for the campaign are available in two tiers: a Global Pass and an Americas & Canada Pass, with the company stating savings of up to 50% compared to walk-in rates.
In related news, Plaza Premium Group launches Bites & Plates at Helsinki Airport
