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TODAY IN THE SKY
United Airlines

Want to visit a 747 boneyard? How many United miles do you have ... ?

Have more United frequent-flier miles than you know what to do with? Are you a big fan of the Boeing 747 jumbo jet?

If you answered “yes,” then this United Airlines promotion might be for you. The carrier is auctioning off a chance to travel to an aviation scrapyard for a final toast onboard its last 747, which is awaiting “disassembly” there.

United flew its last passenger flight on the 747 in November, retiring the model with a splashy farewell flight from San Francisco to Honolulu.                                         

For United’s MileagePlus members who want one last look at the jet – affectionately nicknamed the “Queen of the Skies” in aviation circles – there's now the opportunity to bid for that experience, which includes a trip for two to Memphis from June 1 through June 3.

The highlight for most would likely be the June 2 visit to nearby Tupelo, Miss., where United has three of its final Boeing 747s at the Universal Asset Management (UAM) Aircraft Disassembly Center.

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The visit will include a champagne toast in the first-class cabin of the carrier’s last 747 to fly paying passengers and will be followed by a complementary outdoor dinner under the belly of the plane. The winners also get a tour of the UAM facility.

United’s MileagePlus members have until May 24 to bid for one of the five “Dinner with the Queen” packages. Of those five, two are open to bids by all MileagePlus members. Another two will be open only to elite-level members while the fifth is set aside for United’s branded credit card holders. Each package is for two guests.

Bads must be entered via United’s MileagePlus Exclusives website, though it won’t come cheap. As of midday Wednesday, the minimum bid for a package was 157,000 United miles.

"Through MileagePlus Exclusives, we aim to offer our members access to unique experiences that money can't buy, and there's no better example of that then getting up close with the 747 in a setting not typically experienced by the public," Luc Bondar, United’s MileagePlus chief, said in a statement. "We're thrilled to be able to offer this uniquely United chance of a lifetime to aviation and engineering enthusiasts."

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A United Airlines Boeing 747 takes off for Hong Kong from San Francisco International Airport on Oct. 23, 2016.
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