Space Travel: The Ultimate Destination
Booking Your Ticket to the Final Frontier
Space. It’s not just for astronauts and billionaires. We might be only a decade away from boldly going on a space journey for $20,000 or less.
Before we consider the pros and cons of space tourism, a preview of the earthbound travel news in this edition of the monthly newsletter:
What’s NEW on the Terry Anzur YouTube channel.
Real ID turns out to be no big deal.
Will US Customs search your phone?
What NOT to do with your boarding pass.
But first…
Just Taking Up Space
It was almost impossible to avoid the saturation coverage of Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-31 flight to the edge of space on April 14 with six women on board. Here’s the Blue Origin PR video, in case you missed it.
In terms of technology, it was old news. Humans have been reaching the boundary of earth’s atmosphere since 1961, when missions by cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and astronaut Alan Shepard marked the start of the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviets launched the first woman into orbit in 1963.
So, why all the fuss in 2025? Clad in their designer bodysuits, the women vowing to “take up space” briefly experienced weightlessness on a journey lasting less than 11 minutes. Never mind the predictable botox jokes or the dismay at the spending priorities of the ultra-rich. The NS-31 mission did accomplish exactly one thing: defining the difference in what it means to be an astronaut, a working crew member or a new category of space traveler: the passenger just along for the ride.
Space for the Rest of Us
In the 1980s, NASA launched the Teacher in Space program to show that there’s a place in space for regular working folks. It ended in tragedy when teacher Christa McAuliffe was among the crew members killed in the 1986 Challenger Disaster. The accident also scuttled the Journalist in Space program, much to my own disappointment. But remember that both the journalist and the teacher were meant to be seen working in space, not taking a vacation thrill ride.
It’s different now. Going to space no longer involves “The Right Stuff” that military test pilots are made of. You don’t even have to be a scientist conducting an experiment. You can just be there to squeal with delight, take the selfie and go home talking pompously about how the experience has changed your life. Like every tourist excursion, ever.
At the moment, you need a great deal of money or fame to make a reservation. An early spot on Blue Origin was auctioned off for 28 million bucks. Or be a celebrity like William Shatner, the actor who played Captain Kirk on Star Trek. He was the second 90-year-old to make the trip! Age alone is not a barrier for space tourists in reasonably good health.
The Space Race is On
The new space race between Bezos and Elon Musk — two of the world’s richest men — has already led to breakthroughs like reusable rockets that don’t have to be ditched in the ocean. Thinking that Musk’s version of AI might have the inside scoop, I asked Grok when costs might come down to the point where tickets might be affordable to average well-off travelers. The answer astonished me:
For the "average well-off traveler" (e.g., top 10-20% income bracket), suborbital space travel could become affordable by 2035-2040, with tickets in the $20,000-$50,000 range. Orbital travel might hit this affordability threshold by 2045-2050, with costs around $100,000-$300,000.
Grok went on to say that the price will be comparable to buying a luxury car or a first-class vacation package. And in 15 years, a “middle class” family could take a suborbital joyride for as little as $5,000 per person.
A big unknown is how government regulation might affect the experience in terms of any special training required. But the countdown is on to the day when the pre-flight briefing won’t be much different from those airline safety videos that most passengers ignore. Fasten your seatbelt, follow the crew’s instructions and enjoy the ride.
It’s a hard no for me. In 1986 I was eager to do my TV News thing in space, the ultimate live report. But if I had that kind of money now, I’d spend it on something more down-to-earth like supersonic transatlantic flights or an ultra-luxury stay in a dream destination. Ask me again when it’s possible to take a trip to the moon or Mars. It’s not so far-fetched when Elon Musk is talking about a real Starfleet Academy. And if anyone can figure out how to invent the transporter from Star Trek, I’m all in. Beam me up, Scotty!
NEW on my YouTube Channel
Before Melania Trump, there was another world-famous model from Slovenia. I met the fabulous Bernarda Mavrot on my most recent trip and made this video about her modeling school in Ljubljana. And she’s still slaying in front of the camera! Find out what she thinks of the First Lady.
Another world famous Slovenian is NBA basketball star Luka Dončič of the LA Lakers. Not only is he an ambassador of Slovenian tourism, he renovated a basketball court in the neighborhood where he fell in love with the game as a kid.
Plus, the Ultimate Guide to Slovenian Wine Tasting with your personal sommelier. It’s the perfect evening if you’re planning a short visit to Ljubljana and don’t have time to visit all of the wine regions. But look out, Slovenian wine is dangerous! Meaning that it’s easy to drink too much of it without realizing.
New videos coming soon. Please subscribe on YouTube so you don’t miss them.
In Travel News This Month
Update on Travel Requirements: Despite all the noise about the REAL ID requirement for US domestic flights that went into effect May 7, TSA reported very few problems. Most states have been issuing drivers’ licenses with the star in the corner for several years now. Agents told USA Today they had time to do extra checks on the relatively small number of people who showed up without Real ID or another acceptable document like a passport.
You still have to be mindful of the other new requirements that I reported in the January newsletter. The United Kingdom now requires an ETA travel permit, but the Europeon Union still hasn’t announced a date for the ETIAS document that will be required of visitors from outside the EU. Keep checking if you have travel plans, as they are threatening to launch it towards the end of this year after numerous delays.
Can US Customs Search Your Phone? This is just one of the scary headlines that caught my eye recently as US immigration tightens up on border enforcement. It turns out that it’s extremely rare for border agents to do this. CBP says it happens to less than 00.01% of travelers. It is, however, perfectly legal. You must allow access to any of your electronic devices if asked.
Time-Saving Tip: My advice to frequent international travelers from the US is to sign up for Global Entry and use the mobile app that allows you to get approved while you’re walking from the plane to the border control. The app is FREE to download to your phone, once you go through the process of being approved for the Global Entry program. There never seem to be enough Global Entry kiosks at the big airports and some of them may be broken. But with the app you skip the lines completely. An agent will call out your name and say, “Welcome home!”
What NOT to do with your boarding pass: Thanks to KTLA’s Rich on Tech for another flying tip: Never rely on a screenshot of the QR code on your boarding pass. That’s because you might miss out on changes to your flight information. And don’t rely on the info that’s on your paper boarding pass, either. You don’t want to be the traveler strolling up late to the wrong gate because your flight information was frozen in time. Best to download the airline’s app or at least keep checking the info boards in the terminal.
Stranger Danger: And, while this may seem obvious, please don’t post pictures of your boarding pass on social media. It contains personal information about you and your flight.
That’s it until next month, when I’ll get some first-hand experience with the air traffic control situation in Newark’s airport. Wish me luck, thanks for subscribing to this FREE monthly newsletter and don’t be a stranger!