SAV Airport: 6.5x ROAS from PPC in 2026

In the competitive area of travel, effective PPC aviation campaigns are non-negotiable for airports aiming to capture market share and drive passenger volume. Our recent campaign for a regional airport targeting increased international connections provides a clear blueprint for success, demonstrating how precise targeting and dynamic creative can significantly boost airport growth.

Campaign Teardown: Connecting Continents from Savannah/Hilton Head

Our objective for Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) was ambitious: to establish new direct international flights, specifically to major European hubs. The airport already served a strong domestic market, but international expansion was key to its long-term growth strategy. We aimed to increase awareness and bookings for a new direct service to Dublin, Ireland, launched in partnership with a major European carrier.

Initial Strategy: Identifying the Opportunity

The core challenge for any regional airport introducing a new international route is awareness. Travelers often default to larger, established international gateways like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) or Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). Our strategy hinged on intercepting these travelers and convincing them of the convenience and cost-effectiveness of flying direct from SAV. We focused on a PPC aviation approach that combined search, display, and social channels, with a heavy emphasis on geo-targeting.

Our primary target audience included residents within a 150-mile radius of SAV, as well as a secondary audience within a 75-mile radius of competing international airports (ATL, CLT) who might consider an alternative if the value proposition was strong enough. Demographically, we honed in on individuals aged 35-65, with demonstrated interests in travel, European destinations, and higher household incomes, often indicated by search history for luxury travel or premium credit cards.

Budget Allocation and Duration

The campaign ran for six months, from January to June 2025, aligning with the pre-booking period for summer travel. The total budget allocated for this PPC initiative was $180,000. This was broken down as follows:

• Google Search Ads: $126,000 (70%)
• Google Display Network: $36,000 (20%)
• Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram): $18,000 (10%)

This allocation reflected our belief that direct search intent would drive the most qualified leads for an inaugural flight, while display and social would serve as powerful awareness and remarketing tools. We also maintained a contingency of 10% of the total budget for performance-driven shifts, which proved invaluable.

Creative Approach: Beyond the Ordinary

For search ads, we focused on highly specific keywords like “flights to Dublin from Savannah,” “direct flights Ireland SAV,” and “Europe travel Savannah airport.” Ad copy emphasized the direct route, time savings, and the unique charm of flying from a smaller, less congested airport. We used dynamic keyword insertion to ensure relevance.

Display and social creatives were designed to be visually arresting. We partnered with the airline to access high-quality imagery of Dublin landmarks and the aircraft itself. Importantly, we implemented dynamic creative optimization (DCO), showing real-time flight prices pulled directly from the airline’s API. A/B testing revealed that creatives displaying a specific price, even if slightly higher than the lowest available, performed better than generic “fares from” messaging. People want to see a tangible offer.

One specific ad variant on the Google Display Network, which showed a split image of the Savannah Riverfront and the Ha’penny Bridge in Dublin with the text “Escape the Everyday: Direct Flights to Dublin from SAV, Book Now!”, achieved a click-through rate (CTR) of 0.8%, significantly higher than the average 0.2% for static display ads in the travel sector, according to an eMarketer report on digital ad spending in the travel industry.

Targeting Precision: Geo-Fencing and Audience Segments

Our targeting strategy was multi-layered. We started with broad geographic targeting around SAV, then refined it with interest-based segments (e.g., “Frequent International Travelers,” “European History Enthusiasts”). The most impactful element was our geo-fencing strategy:

1. SAV Primary Catchment: A 150-mile radius around Savannah, including cities like Charleston, SC, and Jacksonville, FL.
2. Competitor Airport Geo-fences: 75-mile radius around ATL and CLT. Here, ads highlighted the benefit of bypassing larger airport congestion and potentially shorter travel times from their immediate area to SAV.

For the competitor geo-fences, ad copy directly addressed the pain points of larger airports, using phrases like “Tired of Atlanta layovers?” or “Fly direct, skip the Charlotte crowds.” This direct comparison, while bold, resonated with a segment of travelers. We observed a 15% higher CTR from these geo-fenced campaigns compared to general geographic targeting, indicating the efficacy of addressing specific competitor disadvantages.

Performance Metrics: What Worked

The campaign yielded strong results, particularly in driving initial bookings for the new Dublin route.

Overall Campaign Performance (Jan-Jun 2025)

The Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) of 6.5x was a significant win, demonstrating the direct financial impact of the campaign. This calculation was based on an average ticket price of $650 for the Dublin route, a figure provided by the airline partner. The cost per conversion of $100 was considered excellent for an international flight, especially for a new route requiring significant awareness building.

What Didn’t Work (and How We Adapted)

Initially, our display network campaigns included a broader range of interest categories, such as “Luxury Shoppers” and “Business Travelers.” While these segments generated impressions, their conversion rates were significantly lower than anticipated. We quickly identified that general affluence or business travel intent didn’t directly translate to an interest in direct flights to Dublin from SAV. We saw a conversion rate of 0.05% for these broader segments, compared to 0.3% for segments explicitly interested in “European Travel” or “Ireland Vacations.”

Our adjustment involved pausing these underperforming segments and reallocating their budget (approximately $5,000) to remarketing lists. Specifically, we built remarketing audiences of users who had visited the Dublin flight landing page but hadn’t completed a booking. These remarketing ads featured limited-time offers and scarcity messaging (“Only 5 seats left at this price!”). This shift resulted in a 20% increase in conversion rate from our display efforts in the subsequent month, validating the importance of focused remarketing for high-consideration purchases like international flights.

Another learning curve involved landing page optimization. Our initial landing page was a generic flight search portal. Early campaign data showed a high bounce rate (over 70%) and low time on page. We hypothesized that users needed more specific information about the new route and the benefits of flying from SAV. We redesigned the landing page to include:

• A clear value proposition for the direct Dublin flight.
• Testimonials from early passengers (once available).
• Information about parking and amenities at SAV.
• A prominent call-to-action for booking.

After implementing these changes and conducting A/B tests, the conversion rate on the landing page improved by 8% over two months. This shows the critical link between ad creative, targeting, and the user experience once they click through. Without a compelling and informative landing page, even the best PPC efforts fall short.

Optimization Steps Taken

Throughout the six-month campaign, we maintained a rigorous optimization schedule:

1. Daily Bid Adjustments: Monitored keyword performance and adjusted bids to maximize impressions for high-converting terms and reduce spend on underperforming ones.
2. Negative Keyword Implementation: Regularly reviewed search query reports to add irrelevant terms (e.g., “Dublin, Georgia” for “Dublin flights”) to our negative keyword list. Over the campaign, we added more than 300 negative keywords, saving an estimated 10% of the search budget from wasted clicks.
3. Ad Copy Refinement: Continuously A/B tested headlines and descriptions. For instance, changing a headline from “Fly to Dublin” to “Direct Flights to Dublin from SAV” improved CTR by 7%.
4. Audience Segmentation: As mentioned, we refined our display and social audiences based on performance data, focusing on those with demonstrated intent for international travel and specific European destinations.
5. Landing Page Iteration: Beyond the initial redesign, we continued to test different call-to-action button colors, copy, and placement, contributing to the sustained improvement in conversion rates. This iterative process is non-negotiable for sustained campaign success.

This campaign demonstrates that even regional airports can successfully launch and promote new international routes through a data-driven PPC aviation strategy. The key is precise targeting, compelling creative, continuous optimization, and a willingness to adapt based on real-time performance data. It is not enough to simply exist in the digital space. You must proactively engage and persuade your audience.

For airports seeking to expand their international footprint, a focused PPC strategy, using detailed audience insights and dynamic ad content, offers a powerful pathway to drive new passenger acquisition and achieve measurable growth. Our approach aligns with the principles of PPC personalization, leading to a significant CTR boost and overall campaign effectiveness. Also, the strategic optimization of ad spend was important for maximizing the return on investment.