Google and Virgin America have teamed up in a clever Chromebook promotion that will benefit both brands. The airline sent out an email this morning that offers a free Chromebook test drive, “From July 1 to September 30 . . . on select flights from San Francisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, Boston, and Chicago, exclusively on Virgin America.”

This helps give users hands-on access to Google’s PC alternative (an iPad with a keyboard) and it helps Virgin further brand itself as the coolest of domestic carriers (with WiFi on every flight). I suspect this will prompt a few flyers to switch from a dreary airline like United (I’m a United frequent flyer) to a more fun and progressive airline like Virgin (with plugs under every seat).

Virgin has been more experimental and social in its marketing vs. other carriers. It was also the source of the inaugural offer launching the new Loopt “u-Deals” program.

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Google: Chrome | Google: Chrome OS | Google: Mobile

About The Author: Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land. He writes a personal blog Screenwerk, about SoLoMo issues and connecting the dots between online and offline. He also posts at Internet2Go, which is focused on the mobile Internet. Follow him @gsterling. See more articles by Greg Sterling

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