Jeff Bezos took part in world's top 3 'high risk' adventure activities. No.1 cost him $5.5 billion

Apart from Jeff Bezos, only a handful of billionaires, including Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and Elon Musk, have either funded or participated in such orbital ambitions. (Image credit: AFP)

A new January 2026 study on the world’s most expensive extreme activities has revealed that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is among the select few who have participated in the top three high‑risk adventures known to humankind — with the costliest one, a flight around the Earth, priced at an extraordinary $5.5 billion.

The research, conducted by Foresight Sports, examined more than 20 ultra‑luxury adventures favoured by the super‑rich, ranking them by price and analysing their risk levels, online popularity and participant lists.

No. 1: Flight around the earth — $5.5 billion

The study found that the most expensive and high‑risk activity on the planet is a custom spacecraft trip orbiting the Earth, costing $5.5 billion. The amount includes designing and building a one‑of‑a‑kind vehicle capable of completing the journey — meaning it cannot be booked like a regular commercial space ride.

Only a handful of billionaires, apart from Jeff Bezos, such as Richard Branson and Elon Musk, have either funded or participated in such orbital ambitions. The extreme cost and technological uncertainty place this adventure firmly in the “high risk” category.

No. 2: Trip to the International Space Station — $55 million

Bezos also features in the second‑costliest extreme activity — a journey to the International Space Station (ISS), priced at $55 million per seat.

This form of space tourism, popular among the ultra‑rich, remains extremely dangerous due to rocket launches and the challenges of surviving in a pressurised environment 250 miles above Earth. Other high‑profile participants include William Shatner and Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa.

No. 3: Blue Origin space flight — $28 million

The third most expensive activity is the Blue Origin suborbital flight, which costs $28 million per seat and lasts only a few minutes. Bezos himself founded Blue Origin and has taken part in these flights, which reached global attention when celebrities such as Katy Perry and William Shatner joined the missions.

While shorter and less dangerous than other forms of space travel, the flights still involve significant risk due to high‑velocity launch and descent.

Technology may make extreme adventures cheaper — but not soon

A spokesperson from Foresight Sports noted that while these experiences remain unattainable for most people, innovation may bring prices down. "Take Blue Origin, for example," they said. "They're working to reduce spaceflight costs from $55 million to under $1 million over the next decade. This is still super expensive, but it shows how technology and innovations can bring prices down.”