The unique airport event transformed Terminal 2 into a live celebration of spontaneous travel with an unforgettable grand prize reveal
Oakland, Calif. – September 17, 2026: Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK) and iHeartRadio today surprised one lucky pair of Bay Area travelers with an unforgettable trip to Las Vegas during the highly anticipated “OAK Suitcase Party,” a live event held inside of OAK’s Terminal 2 baggage claim.
After a two-week promotional campaign during which over 2,000 hopeful travelers applied to win, 25 contest finalists and their chosen guests arrived at OAK with suitcases packed and ready for an immediate weekend getaway. During a live on-air reveal hosted by Sana G and co-host G-Biz from 106.1 KMEL/iHeartRadio, sisters Jasmine and Talisha Carter of Oakland were named as the grand prize winners and immediately departed to Las Vegas to attend the iHeartRadio Music Festival.
“This unique event captured everything we love about travel: excitement, spontaneity, and the promise of unforgettable experiences,” said Justin Berton, Director of Communications at the Port of Oakland. “Everyone knows OAK is the easiest, most convenient way to fly in and out of the Bay Area, and after today they’ll also know our travelers have the most fun, too.”
“Shout out to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport for an amazing event! Our listeners were overjoyed to be a part of this one-of-a-kind travel experience to our iHeartRadioMusic Festival in Las Vegas. Please download the free iHeartRadio music app and listen to 106.1 KMEL.” said Sana G, host of 106.1 KMEL/iHeart Radio’s “The Sana G Morning Show.”
The event transformed OAK’s Terminal 2 baggage claim into a celebration of travel, featuring music, food and beverages, photo opportunities, airport-themed experiences, and live broadcasts from iHeartRadio personalities. Contestants, guests, airport visitors, and employees joined in the excitement as the winning pair learned that they would be heading to Las Vegas just moments later.
While only one pair earned the grand prize trip to Las Vegas, all finalists left with a surprise. Every non-winning attendee received tickets to see Oakland artist Kehlani in concert, while two additional lucky pairs were selected for bonus travel prizes. One pair received two Southwest Airlines roundtrip tickets, and another received two Frontier Airlines vouchers valued at $100 each.
The OAK Suitcase Party highlighted the airport’s ongoing efforts to create innovative experiences that strengthen its connection with travelers and the local community. The campaign also provided an opportunity to showcase recent improvements throughout the airport, including newly modernized restrooms in Terminal 1 and new dining and retail offerings in Terminal 2, such as Trader Vic’s and Plum Market.
The grand prize included roundtrip airfare from OAK and an exclusive weekend in Las Vegas to attend the iHeartRadio Music Festival, featuring performances from BTS, Cardi B, Snoop Dogg, Muse, Ciara, and more.