Unlimited lifetime first-class plane ticket rules explained as passenger travelled 24 million miles around world

The word unlimited is usually limited to all-you-can-eat buffets and refillable fizzy drinks, but back in the 80s when life was much simpler, American Airlines launched a pass which guaranteed first-class travel for life.

While it proved to be an absolute disaster for the company, pass owners suddenly had the freedom to travel whenever and wherever they wanted, with whoever they wanted, if they also purchased a $150,000 (£113,000) companion pass.

Travelling these days can cause a lot of stress, whether it's making sure you're at the airport on time, adhering to the strict baggage rules imposed by Ryanair or simply making sure that the country you're planning to visit isn't on the no-fly list.

But for those who got their hands on the AAirpass, paying the small fee of $250,000 (£180,000) to do so, travelling became one the simplest and most enjoyable things in the world, with the 'world's most frequent flyer' Tom Stuker certainly getting his money's worth, having travelled close to 25 million miles since picking up his ticket.

United

The 71-year-old reckons he saves over £1m a year by jetting off to countries around the globe, but there are also some pretty strict rules when it comes to making sure you can keep the money tree ticket and ensuring you don't annoy American Airlines any more than they probably already are.

Do American Airlines regret launching unlimited pass?

Bob Crandall, AA's chairman and CEO from 1985 to 1998, told the LA Times in 2012 the company 'thought originally it would be something that firms would buy for top employees'.

"It soon became apparent that the public was smarter than we were," he admitted.

What rules do AAirpass holders have to follow?

In 2007, AA moved to crackdown on some of the most frequent users of the pass, with Shark Tank's Mark Cuban avoiding punishment, despite allegedly using his ticket to once bump legendary basketball star Magic Johnson off a flight.

Tom Stuker shares his flying hacks online (Instagram/@ua1flyer)

Those who had made 'fraudulent use' of their passes had them revoked following a long legal battle, with AA claiming that their misuse included booking onto flights they never intended to take, inventing fake passengers on the companion ticket, or letting others use their AAirpass in exchange for cash.

Are there any American Airlines pass holders who still have unlimited flights?

But Struker is living proof that following the rules to the letter can have its benefits, as he is still able to enjoy first-class travel whenever he likes, and shares his journeys on his popular Instagram page.

Tragically, for those of you in the US, American Airlines soon realised their mistake and saw that pass owners were always going to squeeze as much juice out of the proverbial lemon, and they stopped selling them in 1994.