Skip to content

Which Travel Companies Played April Fools' Jokes This Year?

April 01, 2017
2 min read
April Fools' Day, Close up word made from wooden letters on the table
Which Travel Companies Played April Fools' Jokes This Year?
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

It's April 1 all day today, and in recent years travel companies have gotten in on the act of launching April Fools' pranks, some with more success than others. Here's a roundup of the best and worst this year...

WestJet said it was rebranding itself as Canada Air, emphasizing the friendliness of its home nation while poking at its big brother Air Canada with the hashtag #MostCanadian:

Emirates claimed to be launching a triple-decker aircraft with its own swimming pool, games room and more:

Emirates takes it to the next level!

Richard Branson fronted Virgin Atlantic's contribution to the day of pranks. announcing the airline's new "flapenergy" technology and the resulting airplane with flappable wings named the Dreambird 1417:

Qatar Airways had a little fun playing off its new QSuites with YouSuite:

And how about Travelodge's new "Whiff and Wake" service that wafts the smell of bacon directly from your hotel room's alarm clock?

Mmmmm, Travelodge bacon...

Meanwhile, the efforts of some travel companies didn't quite make the grade. Southwest claimed to have created an in-flight matchmaking app called Bucklr:

We don't know what tattoos have to do with travel insurance, but that didn't stop Australian company Travel Insurance Direct from promoting its new "tattoo spell checker" app...

The tattoo was supposed to say "Jack"...

We're also not sure about the Lyft Mono, a wearable hailing device, nor about the guy randomly dancing around while wearing it:

Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

Finally, it's not clear Etihad completely understands how this April Fools' thing works:

Cherry blossom tree in the desert. Get it? Get it...?

Did you catch our own April Fools' story this morning? Check it out here: New Uber Service Ditches Cars & Drivers for Piggyback Rides. And of course, make sure you're following our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts, where TPG himself had a little fun today as well:

Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto

TPG featured card

4 / 5
Go to review
Rewards rate
1XChoose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee
2XEarn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
Intro offer
Open Intro bonus
50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status + $300 of Bilt Cash
Annual fee
$495
Regular APR
26.74 - 34.74% variable
Recommended credit
Open Credit score description
Good Credit, Excellent Credit

Pros

  • Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
  • Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
  • $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
  • $200 Bilt Cash annually
  • Priority Pass membership
  • No foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • Moderate annual fee
  • Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
  • Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
  • Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
  • 2X points on everyday spend
  • $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
  • $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
  • Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
  • Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
  • Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.