United Airlines ends Hemispheres inflight magazine after 32 years

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United Airlines ends Hemispheres inflight magazine after 32 years

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Airbus A380 | Airbus

By Sky Industry News

Aug 7, 2024

United Airlines has decided to discontinue its Hemispheres inflight magazine, marking the end of its 32-year run. This move follows similar actions by other major airlines such as Delta and American, which ceased their inflight magazines earlier in response to changing industry dynamics.

Hemispheres' website, hemispheresmag.com, now redirects to United's main site, signaling the winding down of its online presence. According to sources, much of the August issue was never published online. The site previously hosted archives of past issues but now features links to sample articles from the most recent issue.

The magazine had a notable impact during its tenure. With a median household income for readers at $154,800, Hemispheres targeted high-income passengers who were considered ideal advertising subjects. Ad prices ranged from $16,360 for a one-sixth page ad to $115,608 for a full-page takeover.

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Hemispheres was particularly known for its "Three Perfect Days" itinerary features for destinations served by United. Since 2009, the magazine was published by Ink.

United Airlines commented on the transition: "A digital experience allows us to make Hemispheres even better — we can reach a wider audience, offer more personalized content and tell richer stories. We’ve even hired additional United staff to help us bring this new vision to life. We’re excited about the future possibilities and look forward to sharing more details soon."

The shift towards digital reflects broader trends in inflight entertainment and advertising. As seen with SkyMall's decline, the rise of inflight internet and personal entertainment devices has reduced the captive audience for traditional print media. Additionally, costs associated with printing and fuel due to added weight have contributed to this strategic change.

United aims to develop a new media network focused on targeted digital ads despite current challenges with inconsistent inflight Wi-Fi performance and an underdeveloped ad platform managed by an ex-Comcast executive.