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You could soon redeem miles for flights to space — here's how

July 23, 2021
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3 min read
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You could soon redeem miles for flights to space — here's how
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If you're feeling left out of the billionaire space race and have 2 million Flying Club points lying around, you might soon have your own shot at floating in a small vessel 300,000 feet above Earth. Virgin Atlantic is offering Flying Club members a chance to redeem miles for space travel.

The catch, of course, is that commercial space travel isn't available yet. Instead of booking a seat outright like you would with an airline, you're entering a drawing to win a trip to space with Virgin Galactic once commercial flights launch.

The points won't be deducted from your account unless you win. So really, there's no harm in entering if you want to do this in the future and have the points ready to go.

The terms have a few important exceptions that are worth noting:



Only points earned on Virgin Atlantic Airways flights qualify for eligibility into the draw and may be used for Virgin Galactic flights.
Points cannot be merged or transferred from other member accounts.
Points earned through supplementary Silver Flying Club accounts and/or Family accounts may not be used towards the Virgin Galactic redemption.
A Virgin Galactic flight may only be booked for the Flying Club card holder who has earned the relevant points and not on behalf of or for another individual.

To enter for a chance to win a future flight to space, you'll need to ... call Virgin Atlantic at 0344 874 7747.

Related: Unlock incredible value with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

What's included

Two million points is a lot any way you slice it, but considering the flight is just two hours long, it's going to be tough to justify for many people.

Luckily, the grand prize goes beyond that. You get a three-day experience that includes flight preparation, along with a two-hour space flight with at least five minutes of weightlessness.

Related: Experience the next best thing to space travel with Zero-G and Blade

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Is it worth it?

If you're a space geek, this three-day experience culminating in a trip to space might well be worth 2 million points (assuming you win the drawing). Flying into space will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most people. The novelty of saying you were on one of the first commercial flights to space alone might be worth the splurge.

That being said, by redeeming 2 million points for a trip to space, you will give up a lot of other travel opportunities. For example, you can book a one-week trip to Necker Island for two for 1.5 million points.

Alternatively, you can save up your points for a round-trip business-class ticket from the West Coast to Japan for just 90,000 miles. If you're looking forward to a trip to the U.K., you can redeem as few as 20,000 miles for a round-trip ticket from the Northeast.

If you want the most bang for your buck, space travel isn't the most practical way to redeem your points. But if you want to put your points toward a fun experience, it pretty much tops them all.

Featured image by Virgin Galactic
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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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.