• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, August 5, 2013

While the U.S. airport advertising market is still dominated by Clear Channel Airports and JCDecaux, newcomer Titan Air is challenging the incumbents with its own fledgling network of airport affiliates. This week, Titan announced a five-year deal with Charlotte Douglas International Airport, its biggest airport partner yet.
 
As part of the deal, Titan will refurbish and expand the Charlotte airport’s advertising inventory, including the addition of new digital displays that will carry advertising, as well as information and entertainment content. Titan predicts the makeover will double the ad revenue generated by the airport every year.
 
Charlotte Douglas handled 41.2 million passengers in 2012, including 20 million departing passengers, making it the country’s eighth-busiest airport, after San Francisco International in seventh place. It’s also the second most-congested airport in the U.S. -- a dubious honor, although it makes it attractive to advertisers seeking captive audiences with long dwell times.
 
The Charlotte Douglas deal marks a big win for Titan, whose network previously consisted of smaller regional airports. In August 2012, Titan announced the signing of a five-year contract for the exclusive right to sell advertising in Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y., which handles about 1 million passengers a year, followed in October 2012 by a five-year deal with John Wayne Airport, located in Orange County, CA, which handles around 9 million passengers per year.
 
Titan’s larger rival Clear Channel Airports has ad agreements with about 145 airports across the U.S. (Some through a partnership with JCDecaux). JCDecaux has agreements with 26 U.S. airports, including JFK, LAX and Miami International .