Unlimited first-class travel is a luxury reserved only for a fortunate few–specifically, just 25 individuals worldwide who seized an offer from American Airlines in the late 1980s. The remarkable deal provided unlimited travel to any destination globally for life, with the option of adding a companion for a small additional fee.
The privilege of flying for life. In 1990, Tom Stuker, a car dealership consultant from New Jersey, made a life-changing investment. He bought a lifetime flight pass from United Airlines for $290,000. Since then, the 69-year-old retiree has flown more than 24 million miles, which roughly equates to circling the globe nearly a thousand times. According to aviation outlet Simple Flying, Stuker could be the world’s most frequent flyer.
United Airlines wasn’t the only airline to offer a “golden ticket.” For over a decade, American Airlines also provided AAirpasses for lifetime travel, available for about $250,000. For an additional $150,000, buyers could add a companion to enjoy the same travel privileges as them.
United Airlines’ 1B passenger. Stuker has been a United Airlines unlimited pass holder for 34 years. He has taken more than 12,000 flights and frequently shares his experiences on Instagram. He has slept, eaten, and lived on airplanes, often enjoying his favorite seat, 1B. According to The Guardian, he even went 12 days without sleeping in a bed, traveling from New Jersey to Dubai, San Francisco, and Bangkok, resting only in airport lounges. “It’s the best investment of my life,” Stuker has said in the past in reference to the flights and additional perks from the airline’s loyalty programs.
A professional passenger. As reported by The Washington Post, Stuker isn’t only maximizing his investment by visiting more than 120 countries but also turning a profit through airline rewards. These rewards can be redeemed for vouchers and discounts in department stores, hotels, restaurants, and even cruises.
Stuker shared that he once received enough gift cards to renovate his brother’s house for free, and on another occasion, he redeemed $50,000 in Walmart gift cards.
A way of getting cash. The pricing of the lifetime tickets was based on the users’ ages. The idea emerged as an urgent measure for airlines to generate a substantial amount of cash quickly during the financial crisis that affected some companies between the mid-1980s and the 1990s following the Airline Deregulation Act.
However, the strategy ultimately proved detrimental for the airlines. Passengers used lifetime tickets extensively, which led to millions of dollars in losses for the companies. Despite this, some airlines cleverly used the ticket holders as ambassadors to showcase their customer service. For instance, United Airlines named two planes after Stuker to celebrate his milestone of flying 20 million miles, accompanied by a promotional campaign.
The program wasn’t for everyone. In 1994, American Airlines discontinued its unlimited flights program. During the time it was available, only 28 individuals took advantage of it. Billionaire Mark Cuban was one of them. He recently shared that he still enjoys the perks during an interview on the Club Shay Shay podcast. In 1990, Cuban sold his startup MicroSolutions for $6 million. To celebrate with friends, he called American Airlines the next morning, still feeling the effects of a hangover, to purchase an AAirpass for about $125,000.
Though this was a significant investment, Stuker’s story shows that time can turn these kinds of purchases into valuable assets that yield profits. However, not everyone has managed to capitalize on this opportunity effectively.
An economic ruin for the airlines. Out of the 28 holders of an American Airlines unlimited flight pass, only 26 currently retain theirs. The airline revoked the privileges of those who abused the program. Steve Rothstein, an investment banker, and Jacques Vroom, a car salesman, each paid $250,000 for their lifetime tickets, but American Airlines canceled them in 2008. The airline accused them of fraud, claiming that they had sold flights to other people and misused their tickets. According to The Hustle, each of these unlimited tickets cost the company an average of $1 million a year in fees, taxes, and lost ticket sales.
While Rothstein often invited random people at airports to travel with him for companionship during flights–a practice that didn’t violate any rules at the time of purchase–these actions ultimately led the airline to take drastic measures. Rothstein took American Airlines to district court, but the damage was done: His dream of unlimited flying was over.
A year to travel: Currently, no airline offers these “golden tickets” for unlimited flights for life, but several companies have introduced one-year unlimited flight passes.
According to CNN, airlines, including Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Air Canada, and the low-cost European carrier Wizz Air, have launched new unlimited flight pass options. However, these passes come with a limited duration of one year and are designed for frequent travelers who wish to make the most of travel offers during specific periods. While they lack the charm of the iconic AAirpass and United Airlines’s lifetime tickets, they still provide an opportunity to experience the thrill of flying without limits, even if it’s only for a year.
Image | Ross Parmly
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