40 years ago, American Airlines introduced the “Golden Ticket”—a lifetime pass for unlimited first-class flights. For $2…
40 years ago, American Airlines introduced the “Golden Ticket”—a lifetime pass for unlimited first-class flights.
For $250,000, customers could purchase the AAirpass, granting them the privilege of flying first-class as often as they wanted, for life. For an additional $150,000, they could get the same pass for a companion.
In 1987, Steve Rothstein bought one of these “golden tickets.” Over the next 20 years, he took 10,000 flights, costing the airline $21 million. His travel record was extraordinary: 500 flights to England, 70 to Australia, and 120 to Japan. Sometimes, he booked tickets under fake names, such as “Bag Rothstein,” if he wasn’t sure who his companion would be. This behavior ultimately led to accusations of misuse, and in 2008, the airline revoked his pass.
By the time American Airlines discontinued the sale of these “golden tickets” in 2004, the price had risen to $3 million.
