Virgin Atlantic Rolls Out Space Miles

Virgin Atlantic is giving its frequent flyer members an out of this world experience, offering the chance to redeem miles for a trip to outer space.

Under the offer, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members must earn 2 million frequent flyer miles on Virgin Atlantic flights to redeem the trip with Virgin Galatic.

The three-day trip, which includes "g' acclimatization" and a flight in the White Knight, will blast off from the U.S. at the Virgin Galactic Spaceport. The first space flight is expected to take off in 2008, the company said.

For consumers who do not belong to Virgin's frequent flyer program, the trip to outer space comes with a hefty price tag—$200,000—but Virgin Galatic expects prices to drop over time.

Virgin Atlantic announced the program last month to give frequent flyers time to save their miles for the space flight. About 30 of Virgin's Flying Club members have enough miles to travel to space, according to the company.

Virgin Group established Virgin Galactic to offer space tourism to consumers. The company will operate privately built spaceships, giving consumers access to affordable sub-orbital space tourism. Billionaire Sir Richard Branson is the chairman of Virgin Group and Virgin Galatic.