Man uses first-class plane ticket to eat free for an entire year
Published on Sep 30, 2025 at 6:00 AM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Sep 30, 2025 at 5:35 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
One frequent flyer has come up with the ultimate life hack by using a first-class plane ticket to eat free for an entire year.
The Chinese jetsetter managed to use the purchase of just one first-class ticket to gain access to an exclusive VIP lounge at Xi’an International Airport.
The man apparently pulled the stunt for almost a whole year.
Unfortunately, the airline did eventually catch on to his money-saving scheme.
EXPLORE SBX CARS – Supercar auctions starting soon powered by Supercar Blondie
Genius uses a first-class plane ticket to eat free for an entire year
This man managed to eat in a VIP airline lounge every day for free, without ever setting foot on an airplane.
He bought a first-class, fully refundable ticket with China Eastern Airlines, which allowed him access to an exclusive VIP lounge at Xi’an International Airport.
Instead of actually flying, he would use the ticket to check in, head straight to the airport lounge for dinner, and enjoy the complimentary food and drinks.
And he didn’t just do this once or twice, he did it every day for almost an entire year.
This is how he pulled it off (take notes).
Before his flight was due to leave, he would reschedule his ticket for the next day.
He repeated this process again and again.
He had more cost-saving tricks up his sleeve
After almost a whole year, the airline finally caught wind of the unnamed Chinese man’s money-saving scheme.
By that point, he’d racked up over 300 free meals in the airport lounge.
And he had even more tricks up his sleeve.
Airline staff confronted the man, but there wasn’t much they could do about it all, because he hadn’t technically broken any rules.
The cherry on top of the cake was that in the end, he simply cancelled the original ticket and got a full refund for the price of the first-class ticket.
This meant he’d wrangled hundreds of first-class meals at essentially no cost at all.
Daisy is a technology journalist, covering artificial intelligence, consumer tech, Apple news, cryptocurrency, digital business, and emerging technologies. Since joining the team in 2025, she has reported on everything from AI-powered startups and major iOS updates to viral tech hacks and the latest developments in the digital economy. Drawing on her background in automotive journalism and a degree in History and Journalism from Goldsmiths, University of London, Daisy specializes in breaking down complex technology stories into clear, engaging reporting for a global audience. Her work focuses on the products, platforms, and innovations that are transforming the way people work, communicate, and interact with technology. Daisy has gained first-hand access to some of the world's most talked-about technologies and innovators, including meeting Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot during its first European appearance in London. She has also discussed the future of space exploration with an astronaut, bringing unique insights and real-world perspectives to her coverage of emerging technology.
