Imagine Mars as a Destination in Your Favorite Frequent Flyer Program.
#1
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
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Imagine Mars as a Destination in Your Favorite Frequent Flyer Program.
With all of the news and attention surrounding Spirit and Opportunity, the two rovers that have recently landed on Mars as part of a program to explore Mars by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States, I as a frequent flyer could not help but think about the bonanza that a minimum of 70,000,000 miles (approximately 35,000,000 miles each way) could bring to a frequent flyer program.
Once that brief thought entered my mind, other thoughts followed:
This light-hearted yet thought-provoking thread is meant to purposely be different from the typical MilesBuzz! thread and is meant to encourage creative discussion pertaining to some of the listed items above. I believe that this topic is so fertile with ideas that there are a plethora of points that have yet to be discussed that I hope other FlyerTalk members will initiate into this thread.
For example, one thought that just occurred to me is that, unlike the distance between two locations on Earth, the distance between Earth and Mars is not static. Does that mean that the amount of miles earned for a one-way trip between Earth and Mars would remain at the minimum all the time, or would it perhaps be as dynamic as the changing distance between Earth and Mars?
Another thought: could you imagine sitting in coach class for seven months on your way to Mars, especially considering the current coach class product of some airlines? Or, if you could upgrade, what would the premium cabin be like, and how many miles would one have to redeem to score an upgrade?
Yet another thought: Why stop at Mars, or even within our own solar system, for discussion pertaining to interplanetary travel?
Please use your imagination. Unlike other topics, the sky is definitely not the limit here.
Once that brief thought entered my mind, other thoughts followed:
- Will ordinary travelers consider interplanetary travel in addition to trans-continental and trans-oceanic travel as part of their itineraries one day in the future?
- If so, would interplanetary travel ever be included in a frequent flyer program — if frequent flyer programs exist in the future?
- If frequent flyer programs do exist in the distant future, would they be similar to the current ones today, or does anyone envision what they could be like in the distant future?
- What might a round-trip to Mars cost — both peak and off-peak and both coach and first class?
- How many months would the journey take?
This light-hearted yet thought-provoking thread is meant to purposely be different from the typical MilesBuzz! thread and is meant to encourage creative discussion pertaining to some of the listed items above. I believe that this topic is so fertile with ideas that there are a plethora of points that have yet to be discussed that I hope other FlyerTalk members will initiate into this thread.
For example, one thought that just occurred to me is that, unlike the distance between two locations on Earth, the distance between Earth and Mars is not static. Does that mean that the amount of miles earned for a one-way trip between Earth and Mars would remain at the minimum all the time, or would it perhaps be as dynamic as the changing distance between Earth and Mars?
Another thought: could you imagine sitting in coach class for seven months on your way to Mars, especially considering the current coach class product of some airlines? Or, if you could upgrade, what would the premium cabin be like, and how many miles would one have to redeem to score an upgrade?
Yet another thought: Why stop at Mars, or even within our own solar system, for discussion pertaining to interplanetary travel?
Please use your imagination. Unlike other topics, the sky is definitely not the limit here.
#3
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: DAL
Posts: 3,393
There would be space stations that would be placed in between Earth and Mars at 10 degrees each from the centre. The stations would be like rest stops or maybe even supply stations with fuel and food stock houses.
-this is what happens when you watch too much Star Trek-
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UA's redemtion system - the 99 cents store.
-this is what happens when you watch too much Star Trek-
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UA's redemtion system - the 99 cents store.
#4
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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Which year would your miles and status miles/credits count against?
How would you possibly use up the miles other than for another trip to Mars?
Can you get a discounted around mars airpass if you purchase long haul to mars?
What new name will be needed for the status level with this many miles? Will they devalue other status levels so that only mars travel earns status?
How would fly 2 get 1 free work given the time frames?
How will they ensure dont run out of booze for a flight this long?
#5
Join Date: Jul 2002
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ual744777sta:
There would be space stations that would be placed in between Earth and Mars at 10 degrees each from the centre. The stations would be like rest stops or maybe even supply stations with fuel and food stock houses.</font>
There would be space stations that would be placed in between Earth and Mars at 10 degrees each from the centre. The stations would be like rest stops or maybe even supply stations with fuel and food stock houses.</font>
#6
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by sowalsky:
How exactly would that work? The space station would go into an orbit around the sun, the moon, earth, or Mars.</font>
How exactly would that work? The space station would go into an orbit around the sun, the moon, earth, or Mars.</font>
#7
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Akita, Japan
Programs: UA, Hilton
Posts: 459
I wonder if the craft would have exit rows...or emergency exits at all, for that matter.
What would you get for getting bumped -- a free ticket to the planet of your choice?
Incidentally, you really can earn miles for space flight. See http://www.usair.com/dividendmiles/e...iles/space.htm for the details. (Not to take away from the light-heartedness of the thread...)
What would you get for getting bumped -- a free ticket to the planet of your choice?
Incidentally, you really can earn miles for space flight. See http://www.usair.com/dividendmiles/e...iles/space.htm for the details. (Not to take away from the light-heartedness of the thread...)
#8
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Canarsie:
For example, one thought that just occurred to me is that, unlike the distance between two locations on Earth, the distance between Earth and Mars is not static. Does that mean that the amount of miles earned for a one-way trip between Earth and Mars would remain at the minimum all the time, or would it perhaps be as dynamic as the changing distance between Earth and Mars?</font>
For example, one thought that just occurred to me is that, unlike the distance between two locations on Earth, the distance between Earth and Mars is not static. Does that mean that the amount of miles earned for a one-way trip between Earth and Mars would remain at the minimum all the time, or would it perhaps be as dynamic as the changing distance between Earth and Mars?</font>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Kiwi Flyer:
Which year would your miles and status miles/credits count against</font>
Which year would your miles and status miles/credits count against</font>
My question: would Maracaibo be willing to give up its MAR airport code?
#9
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Akita, Japan
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Efrem:
My question: would Maracaibo be willing to give up its MAR airport code? </font>
My question: would Maracaibo be willing to give up its MAR airport code? </font>
#10
Join Date: May 2003
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I reserved a flight to the moon on Pan Am and I didn't even get a lousy T-shirt.
#12
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No imagination needed....CO will simply treat this as another international destination, thereby making no standard awards available and requiring you to play the Mars HoKeY lottery for an upgrade.
#13
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MileKing:
No imagination needed....CO will simply treat this as another international destination, thereby making no standard awards available and requiring you to play the Mars HoKeY lottery for an upgrade.</font>
No imagination needed....CO will simply treat this as another international destination, thereby making no standard awards available and requiring you to play the Mars HoKeY lottery for an upgrade.</font>
#14
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Canarsie:
Would interplanetary travel ever be included in a frequent flyer program — if frequent flyer programs exist in the future?</font>
Would interplanetary travel ever be included in a frequent flyer program — if frequent flyer programs exist in the future?</font>
I'd like to think I'd be able to burn a few million miles* on a Clipper Class ticket on the Orion Shuttle to the Hilton hotel on the space station.
* - Considering how many miles I'd earn flying there.
[This message has been edited by SEA_Tigger (edited Jan 27, 2004).]
#15
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Canarsie:
I as a frequent flyer could not help but think about the bonanza that a minimum of 70,000,000 miles (approximately 35,000,000 miles each way) could bring to a frequent flyer program.
</font>
I as a frequent flyer could not help but think about the bonanza that a minimum of 70,000,000 miles (approximately 35,000,000 miles each way) could bring to a frequent flyer program.
</font>