He spent 250 thousand but has flown for 21 million dollars!

In 1987, Steve Rothstein made a bet that few would understand at the time: he paid 250,000 dollars for a special pass that would allow him to fly free for life with American Airlines!

In addition, he disbursed 150,000 dollars more for a second pass for companions.

If we are talking about this more than 40 years later, it is because there are still those who, until recently, continued to 'take advantage' of the offer. If you travel in first class and that money meant nothing to you, this was a bargain. The AAirpass, as this wild idea was called, was a ruin for the company. In 1994, the company dared to cancel the program that was initially acquired by 60 people, but at that time there were still 28 people using it. Rothstein among them.

Steven Rothstein was 21 years old when he bought the pass, a few years after its launch, and has been traveling for 21 years, with his travels costing 21 million dollars. He made 10,000 flights, with many days having 2 consecutive flights. A total of 30 million miles, about 45 million kilometers.

Steve booked more than 10,000 flights! Sometimes he would fly to another state just for lunch and return the same day. Sometimes he took homeless people to reunite with their families. Other times he booked a seat for a non-existent companion... or simply did not show up for the flight.

For years, he became the most eccentric and generous passenger in commercial aviation, but also the most costly: the company lost more than 21 million dollars because of his pass. In 2008, American Airlines decided to file a lawsuit to cancel his ticket, claiming misuse of the service.

But the United States of America has a clear rule: a contract is a contract, and it cannot be canceled.

Steve sued the company. And he won. The golden ticket is still his today.

Currently, there are fewer than 20 people on planet Earth who have unlimited lifetime passes.

Today, Steve Rothstein represents something more than a frequent traveler. He is the living symbol of a commitment fulfilled... and how sometimes a small clause can open all the doors of the world!