Combining the thrill of commercial air travel with the hassle of making conversation with the New Kids On The Block, Southwest Airlines is offering fans the chance to win a trip aboard a plane that will be launched 30,000 feet in the air and fly them safely around 600 mph, all in exchange for sitting next to grown-man boy band New Kids On The Block. Dubbed the Official NKOTB Party Plane Experience—presumably to differentiate it from all those unofficial ones (Don’t be fooled!)—this “once-in-a-lifetime” or possibly a-few-times-if-you-live-near-Boston opportunity will see you flying a Southwest plane next to Donnie, Jordan, Joey, Sal, Mr. Weatherbee, and all the other New Kids, or within a reasonably close number of rows so that you can still party with them.1
If you’re not already sold on sitting in the seat of luxury on a Southwest Airlines plane—or given Southwest’s first-come policy, likely the middle seat of luxury—consider that the contest also takes fans first to Chicago’s fabulous Midway airport. (Chicago Midway: Well, At Least You’re Not At O’Hare. ©) After a one-night stay in one of Chicago’s fabulous, Midway-adjacent hotels2, from there you’ll jet off to Las Vegas—presumably on a plane with the New Kids, though possibly just on a plane with lots of kids.
Finally, Step 3: It’s just you and me, enjoying a double-occupancy room at the Planet Hollywood before attending a “NKOTB After Dark” concert, where things get a little “risqué” for these 45-year-old singers of songs about teenage girls. Alternately, you could go do literally anything else in Las Vegas.3
To enter, simply go to Facebook and let the world know that you’ve memorized a New Kids On The Block lyric and would like to trade that for a ride on an airplane.
1. Passengers must remain in their seats at all times.
2. Chicago residents get neither tickets to Midway nor a hotel stay, and must provide their own NKOTB Party Bus Or Train Experience in order to make their flight.
3. You cannot do anything else.