Virgin Galactic Shares Jump After Opening Spaceflight Ticket Sales

Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. shares notched their second-biggest gain since trading began in 2019 after the space tourism company said it would open commercial ticket sales -- a significant milestone in the path toward consumer flights.

Customers can make an initial deposit of $150,000 when sales open to the general public Wednesday, Virgin Galactic said in a statement. Reservations will cost a total of $450,000 for a 90-minute spaceflight, which includes “several minutes of out-of-seat weightlessness,” the company said Tuesday.