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Family Accidentally Books Virgin's Special New York Pride Party Flight, Has Time of Their Lives

July 02, 2019
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3 min read
Virgin Atlatnic Pride Flight 2019
Family Accidentally Books Virgin's Special New York Pride Party Flight, Has Time of Their Lives
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June 28 saw WorldPride head to New York City to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. TPG had their own special float in the parade which was, of course aviation themed. The TPG Boeing 747 "Equality Airlines" featured TPG staff and readers from around the world raising money for the Rainbow Road charity.

To celebrate this special occasion, Virgin Atlantic organised a special one-off flight from London Heathrow (LHR) to New York (JFK) that was packed with as much LGTBQ+ pride as you could fit in one aircraft. Think DJs, drag queens, non-stop celebrations, drag bingo, special cocktails, inflight giveaways, costumes, surprise celebrations and a welcoming committee in New York.

Understandably, since this was the most fabulous way to travel across the pond for WorldPride, the flight was absolutely packed with LGBTQ+ party goers and supporters and sold out in less than 24 hours. Virgin Atlantic invited TPG on this special flight and Contributor Eric Rosen had a fabulous time.

But there were four passengers who had little idea exactly what they had booked - the family of four from the UK with mom Kerry, dad Sean and two small sons, Calum and Cody. The family was unaware of the full extent of the party until they boarded this flying nightclub. Kerry told The Daily Mail that after booking what they thought was a normal flight, Virgin Atlantic contacted them to simply advise them it was 'a special Pride flight'. They were given the option of moving to another day, but that did not work for their travel plans, so they decided to brave the Pride Flight.

The result? They absolutely loved it.

Image by Kerry Powell

Adorable footage of the family has emerged showing them certainly standing out amongst the alternative crowd dancing on their seats to Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way'. The family reported that they had a "fantastic day. It was brilliant, the kids enjoyed it and the eight hours flew by."

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Photo by PA
Photo by Kerry Powell/PA.

The flight was crewed entirely by LGBTQ+ pilots and crew, showing the diversity of Virgin Atlantic's workforce. The flight was such a success that Virgin's famous founder, Sir Richard Branson, immediately announced it would return next year.

In retrospect, the family lucked out. How could kids not be fully entertained on a flight like this? Flying is probably now ruined for them forever since nothing could compare to this flight ... at least until it hits the skies again next year. Just be quick with the booking as next year's flight will also likely sell out within hours.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.