Using email marketing to grow revenue

Struggling to convert passengers into repeat customers? Your airport’s email marketing might be missing the mark. Here’s how to fix it. 

Why email marketing still matters

In an era of crowded channels and ever-shifting algorithms, email remains the most direct, cost effective, and conversion-rich tools in your digital arsenal. With nearly 1 in 5 companies reporting an ROI of 7000% or more, it’s clear: email is still the heavyweight champion of ecommerce communication. 

But success today isn’t about mass mailouts. It’s about hyper-targeted, behaviour-driven campaigns powered by automation, segmentation, and real-time data. Marketers using segmentation now credit targeted emails with 58% of their revenue. The takeaway? Generic bulk emails aren’t just outdated—they’re costing you revenue, trust, and loyalty. 

In this post, we’ll unpack the proven strategies behind high-performing email campaigns, from personalisation and segmentation to automation and omnichannel integration, to help your airport drive bookings, loyalty, and ultimately, grow revenue. 

Personalisation using segmentation

Today’s customers expect relevant, timely, and tailored content in every message, and they reward the brands that deliver it. 

Recent studies show that personalised emails drive up to 6x higher transaction rates, and emails with personalised subject lines achieve an average open rate of 35.7%. What’s more, 51% of marketers report that advanced, AI-supported personalisation outperforms traditional methods, delivering a 13% boost in click-through rates. 

Despite this, many businesses are still lagging in adopting predictive, AI-driven personalisation and behavioural triggers. There’s no reason your airport should be one of them. 

Rezcomm Marketplace closes this gap. By unifying all your airport’s customer data in one place, it enables real-time segmentation, predictive targeting, and personalised automation at scale. From simple demographics to advanced behavioural insights, you can craft campaigns that feel genuinely one-to-one, even when reaching thousands. 

Here are just some of the segmentation options available: 

Customer profile characteristics – Segment by age, gender, location, or any other demographic markers. 

Customer value (current and predicted) – Use predictive analytics to identify high-value passengers and reward loyalty. 

Behavioural data and triggers – Trigger emails based on real-time actions like booking patterns, browsing behaviour, or cart abandonment. Hit send when intent is at its peak. 

AI-powered recommendations – Leverage machine learning to recommend relevant services (such as parking, lounges, or upgrades) based on past behaviour and preferences. 

By combining these segmentation strategies with dynamic content, automated journeys, and real-time performance data, you can create highly personal experiences that not only increase engagement but also grow bookings and long-term customer value. 

Killer subject lines: how to drive opens

Email marketing success starts in the inbox. Before a thoughtfully crafted campaign can convert, it needs to be opened, and that all hinges on your subject line. 

The best-performing subject lines are short, timely, and relevant. They speak directly to the customer’s interests, create urgency or curiosity, and reflect your brand’s tone—be it warm and conversational or sleek and professional. 

This is also where A/B testing becomes your secret weapon. Platforms like Rezcomm’s Marketing module make it easy to trial multiple subject lines, analyse performance in real time, and automatically serve the version that gets results. 

And to show you how it’s done, here are 3, click-worthy subject line ideas for airport marketers: 

1. “Still need parking? Spaces are going fast…” 
   Drives urgency and solves a common pre-travel stressor. 
2. “Departing soon? Make the most of your time at the airport”
   Helpful, timely, and aligned with passenger needs. 
3. “Don’t forget to check this off your travel list…” 
   Triggers curiosity and action before the flight. 

Pair these with compelling preview text and dynamic personalisation to supercharge your open rates. 

Types of marketing emails

Once your subject line earns the open, it’s the job of the email content itself to deliver value, spark action, and guide the customer along their journey with your airport.
But one email rarely does the job alone. The most effective airport marketers use automated sequences, triggered by customer behaviours and events, to send the right message at the right time. 

From welcome emails to re-engagement flows, here are the core email types that deliver results when mapped to your customer lifecycle, and how platforms like Rezcomm Marketplace can help you build intelligent, revenue-focused workflows. 

1. Welcome and onboarding emails 

First impressions count. Triggered instantly after a sign-up, booking, or Wi-Fi opt-in, these emails introduce your airport, set expectations, and kick-start the customer journey.  

Use them to:
• Confirm subscription preferences (crucial for data compliance)
• Share how-to guides, booking benefits or app links
• Highlight exclusive perks (e.g. pre-booking discounts or lounge access)

2. Product and service recommendations

Smart segmentation and AI-powered engines enable you to send 1:1-style emails at scale. From car park upgrades to VIP concierge, these emails anticipate needs based on a customer’s previous behaviours, bookings, or persona group. 

Examples include: 
• “Flying with toddlers? Park closer to the terminal.”
• “Treat yourself before take-off—book a relaxing massage today.”

3. Re-engagement emails

If a customer hasn’t interacted in a while, don’t let them drift. Re-engagement emails can rekindle interest and nudge lapsed users back into your airport’s sales funnel with a relevant offer or reminder. 

Try:
• “We’ve missed you. Here’s 15% off your next flight booking.”
• “Got travel FOMO? Your tailored offers are waiting.” 

4. Feedback & reviews

Customer feedback isn’t just about gathering opinions. Smart airports use it as a strategic asset. It offers direct insight into what your passengers love, what they need, and where your services can improve. 

One way to integrate feedback into the customer journey is by triggering a short survey upon return to the airport or after a service like parking, lounge access, or an appointment booking. These moments are rich with insight, and timing matters. 

Leverage customer feedback to drive smarter email marketing: 

• Use positive reviews and ratings as dynamic content within email campaigns
• Automatically trigger “We’ve made changes based on your feedback” emails to show you’re listening.
• Reward engaged feedback-givers with exclusive offers, loyalty points, or early access to new services, reinforcing that their voice drives real change.
• Consider incentivising surveys with a chance to win a prize, small discount, or airport perk.

5. Behavioural & event-triggered emails: leveraging automation 

These are the powerhouse of modern email marketing. Behavioural-triggered or event-triggered emails respond to what your customer is doing right now, from browsing parking to abandoning a cart, making your airport marketing feel less like marketing and more like helpful timing. 

Whether someone books Fast Track but skips the lounge or starts to pre-order food at the airport without checking out, behavioural-triggered emails enable you to step in with the right message at the right moment. 

Examples include: 

• A reminder to complete a booking after cart abandonment.
• A prompt to rebook a regular service, like parking or a meeting room at the airport.
• A follow-up email after browsing but no purchase—offering suggestions or support.

Advanced automation takes this even further… 

Using platforms like Rezcomm, airports can build workflows that trigger personalised, time-sensitive offers based on real-time customer actions. Think: “Near Gate 14? Refuel with 20% off your next coffee at [insert cafe name]—offer valid for the next 30 minutes.” These smart, timely emails, turn dwell time into conversion opportunities and enhance the passenger experience right when it matters most. 

And the impact goes far beyond one-off sales. 

When behavioural-triggered emails are powered by real-time data and AI, they keep your customers feeling known, valued, and engaged, boosting retention, increasing repeat bookings, and growing lifetime value. Ultimately, they transform your email strategy from reactive to proactive. 

Optimising timing and engagement

Timing can make or break an email campaign but if you search for ‘the best time to send marketing emails,’ you’ll always get conflicting results. The ‘average’ best time to send an email largely depends on the industry you’re in and where your customers are located. 

It’s also wise to remember that averages are only a starting point. The smartest approach is behaviour-based timing, i.e. sending emails when your customers historically engage. Rezcomm empowers airports to do just that, combining real-time behavioural insights with region-specific benchmarks to deliver emails at the perfect moment for each customer. 

Designing emails in a mobile-first world

We’ll keep this short and sweet. If you’re not designing mobile-first emails, chances are they’re not converting. Make it a priority to design responsive emails that adapt seamlessly to the screen your customer is viewing. For quick wins, explore our blog on 5 ways to make your emails mobile-friendly in minutes. 

Email and your omnichannel marketing strategy

While email shines in so many ways, for best results, it’s crucial to integrate it as part of a broader omnichannel strategy that combines your website, mobile app, SMS, social media, and all the significant ways you engage with customers throughout their journeys. Unifying and leveraging data across channels supports airports in delivering timely messages and a joined-up experience that drive engagement and revenue. For deeper insights, check out our blog on Challenges in Delivering Great Omnichannel Experiences. 

Data analytics and optimisation – Leveraging insights for revenue growth

No matter your industry, data is your most powerful asset. Airports using Rezcomm’s CRM and advanced analytics tools can unlock detailed passenger insights, behaviour patterns, demographics, and preferences that inform smarter, hyper-targeted campaigns. By continuously analysing campaign performance and customer responses, airports can optimise messaging, timing, and offers to maximise engagement and revenue. Data-driven decision-making turns email from a broadcast tool into a personalised revenue engine that grows with every send. 

Ready to create personalised, revenue-driving email campaigns for your airport? Discover how Rezcomm can transform your marketing with a free demo tailored to your airport.