Bid Miles For a Weekend With United's Retired 747s
This is so cool that had it been April 1, I would have assumed it were some sort of cruel April Fools' joke. But nope, this is May, so it's gotta be legit.
United just launched a mileage auction to spend a weekend with its retired 747-400s, at the Universal Asset Management (UAM) Aircraft Disassembly Center in Tupelo, Mississippi (TUP). That's where several of the carrier's former flagship planes have been sent to begin their next chapter, following a stint in the desert at Victorville (VCV).
This event was clearly put together by some serious Avgeeks — one highlight includes a Champagne toast in the first-class cabin of N118UA, the same plane I flew on United's final revenue 747 flight, from San Francisco (SFO) to Honolulu (HNL) on November 7, 2017.
During your visit to TUP, you'll score a private tour of the facility, which is also home to two other United 747s — N117UA and N121UA — along with a private dinner outside of United's former Queen of the Skies.
The trip will take place from June 1-3, 2018, with the 747 festivities all scheduled for Saturday, June 2. Round-trip domestic economy flights for two are included, along with two nights at a Marriott hotel in Memphis.
The auction ends at 1:00pm ET on May 24, so you have just more than a week to make your bid. As of this writing, the price is a cool 75,000 miles, but I imagine it'll climb far above that amount, considering the true "once in a lifetime" nature of this particular auction. Head to this page to cast your bid!
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| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
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