Subway offers $20 gift cards to middle-seat passengers on Boeing 737 flights
The sandwich chain says it will hand out free vouchers on 27 January to travellers stuck in the middle seat, marking the end of an airline’s open seating policy.
Subway said it will give $20 gift cards to passengers seated in middle seats on Boeing 737 flights on 27 January, as a widely used open seating policy comes to an end.
In a statement, the company said the shift away from open seating could leave millions of travellers assigned to middle seats, a prospect it described as unpopular with flyers. The promotion, it said, is intended to soften the experience for those affected.
According to Subway, passengers sitting in middle seats on 737 aircraft on the day of the promotion will receive a $20 Subway gift card at no cost. The company did not specify how the gift cards will be distributed, but said the offer applies only on 27 January.
“Getting sandwiched in a middle seat no matter how early you check in is not something many travelers will love,” said Dave Skena, chief marketing officer of Subway North America. “So, on Tuesday, we’re going to turn a bad ‘sandwich’ into a great sandwich by reassigning 737 middle-seaters a $20 Subway gift card. It’s as easy as A-B-C, and the bag is free.”
For a lay reader, open seating policies allow passengers to choose any available seat when boarding, rather than being assigned one in advance. Their removal means more travellers will find themselves allocated specific seats, including the least popular option between two others.
The promotion plays on Subway’s long-running association with sandwiches, framing the middle seat as an unwanted “sandwich” experience and the gift card as compensation. The company said the vouchers will be provided free to recipients and did not mention any purchase requirements or conditions attached to their use.
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The campaign is a short, one-day promotion tied closely to the policy change, rather than an ongoing offer. Subway did not disclose how many gift cards it expects to distribute or the total cost of the initiative.
By linking a travel frustration to a light-hearted brand response, Subway is tapping into a moment likely to be noticed by frequent flyers. Whether the gesture is remembered beyond the day may depend on how many middle-seat passengers decide to trade their discomfort for lunch.
The Recap
- Subway will give 737 middle-seat passengers gift cards.
- Each recipient receives a $20 Subway gift card.
- Action occurs when open seating ends on 27 January.
