British Airways has announced the launch of its first performance marketing program in the United States, appointing global affiliate network buy.at as the sole partner.

Working in collaboration with digital media agency, Neo@Ogilvy, the expansion of British Airways’ online offering in the US market echoes their global growth plans, with previous program launches in the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific.

The partnership with buy.at in the US was a natural progression of the existing relationship with sister network, Affiliate Window, who has managed the British Airways program in the UK since 2009.

Tactical campaigns that have been successful in other markets will be communicated to the US team to ensure parity and buy.at will look to mirror this success by developing an understanding of British Airways’ core strategy.

This will include a consultative and measured approach to the performance channel with a focus on steady, incremental and natural program growth without cannibalizing existing marketing activities.

Elizabeth Chung, manager global online partnerships, said: “The joint venture between British Airways and American Airlines creates great opportunities for the existing program.

“This combined network provides the perfect time to start our North American Affiliate Program. Following the success of our other regional affiliates, the massive online market in the US will be an essential inclusion to the global program.”

With the transatlantic business venture of British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia nearly a year old, consumers can now gain access to a worldwide network of over 400 destinations, presenting publishers with a wealth of new promotional opportunities.

Alex Forsch, head of account management for buy.at US comments: “We are pleased that British Airways has chosen to work with buy.at exclusively in the US.

“Through close collaboration with the client and agency, our goal is to further build brand awareness for British Airways, as well as to introduce BA Vacations – the airline’s newly launched vacation program including full service offerings around hotel bookings, car rentals and attractions. Our affiliate education and recruitment efforts are centred on identifying key, quality publishers that will drive incremental value to the program on a long term basis.

“Ideal publishers include strong content sites, price comparison and meta search engines as well as social networking sites with a focus on geo-targeted promotions around major BA gateways in the US.”

British Airways’ US affiliate proposition currently operates as a private program, in an effort to precisely manage and measure the value of affiliates working across the campaign.

British Airways aims to open the program publicly to more affiliates and expand their online offering into other channels to further drive revenue generation.