Pride in December: An exclusive look at United’s first-ever all-LGBTQ+ flight
There's a saying that goes, it's about the people, not the place.
The love — and joy — we felt was real, as my colleague Chris Dong and I were onboard United Airlines' inaugural Pride flight, fully staffed by LGBTQ+-identifying employees, from the pilots and gate attendants to ground operations crew.
It was an orchestrated effort that came together beautifully, just three days after World AIDS Day.
It was a bright Saturday morning at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), where festivities awaited customers at Gate C121. There was a terrific spread of brunch offerings — even better than what you'd find at a lounge — and plenty of coffee and even mimosas for the ultimate pre-departure celebration.
The event was put on by United's LGBTQ+ business resource group, Equal, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first recorded case of AIDS and raise awareness for World AIDS Day and those who still live with the disease.
As you're walking through United's Terminal C, you'll find a piece of the AIDS Quilt — and I highly recommend pausing to read some of these heartfelt stories.
At the gate, we heard from Newark deputy mayor Rahaman Muhammad and United's line stations business senior manager and Equal president Kevin Keado, rounded out by an epic performance by Tony-nominated actress Jenn Colella from the Broadway show "Come From Away."
The flight was short and sweet, and in under two hours, we arrived in Chicago. We proudly wore our red ribbons to commemorate those affected by and lost to the AIDS crisis.
But perhaps the best part of it all was the rainbow water cannon salute put on by O'Hare's fire department as we pulled up to the gate.
As we were deplaning, employees from O'Hare were cheering us on the other side.
So, it really was about the people and not the place (or the airline) — and celebrating Pride beyond the month of June. We're looking forward to this flight becoming an annual tradition, and we can only hope that there will be a drag show onboard next time.
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| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
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- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
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- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
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Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
- Top rated mobile app