Southwest Airlines kicked off its new Lets Play Getaway sweepstakes in a pretty dramatic fashion.
The deal is, every day through Aug. 13 the Dallas-based air carrier will be giving away a Nintendo Switch as well as a digital copy of Super Mario Maker 2. That’s certainly a sweet enough promotion, but if you happened to be a passenger on Southwest flight 2246 Wednesday from Dallas to San Diego, you actually already scored both of those freebies.
The carrier decided to gift those to every passenger on the flight, partly to make a splash but also because of the flight’s destination. It’s the city where the biggest pop culture celebration in the world, San Diego Comic-Con, kicked off on Thursday as part of its 50th anniversary year in 2019.
When those passengers arrived, Mario himself was also waiting as part of a continuation of the giveaway. Nintendo’s most famous character was on hand for photos to continue the celebration of everyone on the flight scoring a free Switch and game.
Definitely not a bad start to a trip for those flyers headed to SDCC, like Funimation social media manager Nicholas Friedman who was onboard that Southwest flight:
They just gave every person on board a free Nintendo Switch and Super Mario Maker 2!!! #SouthwestxNintendo pic.twitter.com/BUPY3IdTOS
— Nicholas Friedman (@NMFreed) July 17, 2019
“Together, Southwest and Nintendo continue to elevate the ways in which we connect to our customers’ passions, bringing families together over shared memories that will last,” said Brandy King, Southwest’s Director of Communication & Outreach who oversees the airline’s Brand Partnerships and Entertainment Public Relations initiatives. “We’re excited to celebrate this summer by introducing our Customers to a great travel companion sure to keep them entertained, while on a flight, on the road, or at home: Nintendo Switch.”
To enter the giveaway and be eligible for a Switch and game, visit Southwest.com/Nintendo. The promo runs through 11:59 p.m. ET on August 13.
In related news, Nintendo fans at SDCC are encouraged to stop by the Nintendo Gaming Lounge at the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina, directly adjacent to the San Diego Convention Center. There, you can play the Southwest Super Sky Challenge Super Mario Maker 2 course. Additionally, you can enter for a chance to win a $500 Southwest gift card, a Nintendo Switch and a digital version of Super Mario Maker 2.
One more fun treat: If you already own a Switch and Super Mario Maker 2, you can play a custom air travel-inspired course specially designed for Southwest by using the Course ID 39C-LQR-WLF in the Course World mode.
