Travel to the Moon: Can You Book the Ultimate Trip in 2026?
No: in October 2026 you cannot buy a ticket to the Moon, and the first private lunar tourism plans have been cancelled or never flew. What did change is that people are back near the Moon: Artemis II flew four astronauts around it from 1 to 11 April 2026, the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.
| Milestone | Status |
|---|---|
| Space Adventures orbital tourism | Seven tourists on eight flights to the ISS, 2001 to 2009 |
| Golden Spike Company lunar tickets | Startup active 2010 to 2013, never flew |
| dearMoon (SpaceX Starship) | Cancelled on 1 June 2024 |
| Artemis II | Crewed lunar flyby, 1 to 11 April 2026 |
| Artemis III | Planned for late 2027, Earth-orbit test of lunar landers |
| Artemis IV | Targeted for early 2028, first planned crewed landing since 1972 |
Why was the Moon ever sold as a travel destination?
Space is the final frontier, and the Moon is the obvious ultimate destination: stand in a crater, look up and see Earth hanging above you like a bright blue marble. Our first version of this article was written when the UK-based Golden Spike Company said it would sell lunar tickets at around $1.5 billion for a two-person mission. The company was a startup that was active from 2010 to 2013, and no tickets were ever flown.
Orbital tourism did happen. Space Adventures, a company that works with Russia, sent seven wealthy tourists on eight flights to the International Space Station on Soyuz between 2001 and 2009, beginning with Dennis Tito. See Space Adventures for its current offers.
What happened to the private Moon trips?
The best-known plan was dearMoon, a mission to fly Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa and a group of artists around the Moon on SpaceX’s Starship. The project was cancelled on 1 June 2024, so no commercial lunar tourism ticket exists today.
The mission that did fly was government-led. Artemis II sent Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen and Reid Wiseman around the Moon in the Orion capsule Integrity. They reached a maximum distance of 252,756 miles (406,771 km) from Earth, breaking the record set by Apollo 13. These were astronauts, not tourists.
When could people actually land on the Moon?
NASA plans Artemis III for late 2027 as a test of lunar landers in Earth orbit, using SpaceX’s Starship HLS and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon. Artemis IV is targeted for early 2028 as the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in December 1972. Schedules in spaceflight slip, so treat both dates as targets.
What would a Moon itinerary include?
Money is not the issue for this list, so here is the trip we would plan if tickets existed.
What to see
- Earth from space, seen from one side of the Moon only.
- Sunrises and sunsets, which are more intense on the lunar surface.
- The far side of the Moon, the part not visible from Earth.
- Luna 2, the first man-made object to reach the Moon in 1959, whose exact location is reportedly unknown.
- Tranquility Base, the site of the first human landing in 1969.
What to do
- Freefall (often wrongly called “zero gravity”) and space acrobatics.
- Take pictures. Bring extra memory cards.
- Go on a spacewalk. It needs extra training and fitness qualifications.
- Collect rocks, since the Moon is one giant rock.
- Bring your own martini, because there is nothing to drink there.
What to watch out for
There are no hospitals or emergency medical facilities on the Moon, no breathable atmosphere and freezing temperatures. Solar storms, meteor impacts and explosive decompression are real risks. Space remains inherently dangerous even though technology makes it safer than in the 1970s.
For a look at the history of space tourists, see the photo gallery of space tourism pioneers.
Keep reading
- 55 things every man should do: the ultimate bucket list: more once-in-a-lifetime goals
- The Alux travel category: trips you can book today
FAQ
Can you book a trip to the Moon in 2026?
No. No company sells tickets to the Moon, and the best-known private plan, dearMoon, was cancelled on 1 June 2024.
Has anyone gone to the Moon recently?
Artemis II flew a crew of four around the Moon from 1 to 11 April 2026, the first crewed lunar flight since Apollo 17 in 1972. It did not land.
When will humans land on the Moon again?
NASA’s Artemis IV is targeted for early 2028 as the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972.
How much would a Moon trip cost?
The Golden Spike Company once quoted around $1.5 billion for a two-person mission, but that startup never flew and there is no real price today.
Who has traveled to space as a tourist?
Space Adventures arranged seven tourists on eight Soyuz flights to the International Space Station from 2001 to 2009, starting with Dennis Tito.
Last updated: October 2026.
