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US Airways Offers Free Space Flight in Sweepstakes

US Airways—the world’s first airline to offer space flight as part of a frequent flyer award program—is now offering Dividend Miles members the chance to win a free sub-orbital space trip in a Sweepstakes. Additional prizes include other space-themed tours.

Under its marketing relationship with Space Adventures Ltd., US Airways will provide the Sweepstakes grand prize winner with a trip to an altitude of 62 miles or higher in a privately developed sub-orbital spacecraft, where he or she will experience weightlessness, see the Earth from space - and earn “astronaut wings”. Sub-orbital flights are expected to begin in 2004-2005.
The Sweepstakes will launch on May 1, 2002. To enter, Dividend Miles members first must register online at www.usairways.com/dm/spaceadventures.


Once registered, members will earn one Sweepstakes entry for each roundtrip flight on a qualifying business fare ticket with US Airways within North America (including the Caribbean), and two entries for each roundtrip qualifying business fare ticket between the U.S. and Europe. Travel must be completed by Sept. 30, 2002. Qualifying business fares include purchased First Class, Envoy Class and full fare Coach Class tickets.


Additional prizes in the Sweepstakes features other elements of US Airways’ and Space Adventures’ program:


- First prize is a trip to the Edge of Space, flying in a MiG-25 high-performance jet at more than twice the speed of sound (Mach 2.5) and at altitudes of 80,000 feet or higher where the winner will view the blackness of space and curvature of the Earth.

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- Second prize is a Zero-Gravity flight for two people who will float weightlessly just like the astronauts training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia.

- Third prize is a Space Shuttle launch tour, also for two people, to experience the thrill of a live countdown and launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, accompanied by an astronaut as host.


All of the space travel packages are also available for mileage accrual and redemption for Dividend Miles members under an exclusive marketing agreement between US Airways and Space Adventures Ltd., announced last month.


“This is a unique opportunity for our Dividend Miles members literally to win an out-of-this-world experience,” said B. Ben Baldanza, US Airways senior vice president of marketing and planning. “Our Sweepstakes offers prestigious and high-value prizes, with the sub-orbital flight alone worth nearly $100,000.”

All winners will be selected in a random drawing conducted on or about Oct.14, 2002. Only Dividend Miles members over 18 who are residents in the U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec) are eligible to enter. No purchase is necessary to enter or qualify for the Sweepstakes. Void where prohibited.

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