In 1987, a guy purchased a lifetime first-class ticket on American Airlines for $250,000. His name was Steven Rothstein, and he used the ticket often. He would travel anywhere he chose, including Paris for breakfast, London for lunch, and New York for supper.

He took over 10,000 flights, costing the company over $21 million. In 2008, they canceled his ticket.

Back in 1981, American Airlines was facing financial difficulties and was unable to borrow from banks due to high interest rates. A new CEO came up with the notion of selling lifetime first-class tickets, known as “AAirpass,” for $250,000 apiece. This would quickly generate revenue for the airline.

One ticket even permitted you to invite a companion for an additional $150,000, bringing the total to $400,000. If you account for inflation, that would be around $1.2 million today.

The airline expected individuals to use the tickets ordinarily, but they did not anticipate certain buyers to use them frequently. For these “super travelers,” it was an excellent deal.