The Unusual Airport Vending Machines From The '50s You Never See Today

When walking through a modern-day airport, you'll come across a plethora of vending machines selling items aimed at travelers embarking on their sky-high journeys. Some sell charging adapters and SIM cards for cell phones, while others provide snacks and drinks. Sounds pretty status quo, doesn't it? Now, take a moment and step back in time to the Golden Age of airplane travel. The 1950s era that introduced rock and roll to the airwaves, along with the post-war economic boom, also had quite an unusual (albeit helpful and reassuring) airport vending machine that you'd never see in today's airports.

Throughout the 1950s — and in some airports well into the 1960s and 1970s — many major North American airports featured vending machines that sold last-minute pre-flight life insurance. Yes, really. Travelers could buy a chocolate bar at one vending machine, then purchase a life insurance policy right at the departure gate before boarding. With these machines, passengers could walk into an airport terminal, insert a small amount of cash, and receive instant coverage in the event of a fatal airplane crash during their journey. Policies typically cost 25 cents per $7,500 of coverage, with maximum payouts of up to $300,000 per person.

Keep in mind that during the 1950s, air travel was still relatively new to the general public. Flying was often viewed as glamorous but also nerve-racking, leaving many travelers uneasy before boarding a plane. As air travel became more popular, insurance companies quickly recognized a lucrative opportunity: offering fast, convenient life insurance policies to anxious passengers moments before takeoff. For many travelers, purchasing a policy before a flight became just another part of the airport experience.

Traveling by plane is statistically one of the safest ways to travel, according to USA Facts; however, that doesn't mean you should skimp out on buying travel insurance. Regardless of whether or not you think you need travel insurance, if you run into an issue while abroad, it makes for a great safety net. The eye-watering cost of overseas travel insurance today is a far cry from the inexpensive pre-flight policies travelers could once buy at the airport. Looking back, those old prices almost seem unbelievable by today's standards. Considered a convenient, quick, and easy process for peace of mind while cruising 30,000 feet in the sky, the vending machine kiosks are much like cheap prices: a thing of the past.

Insurance kiosks faded away not only because travelers had access to more modern insurance options, but also because the public increasingly recognized that flying was very much safe. However, there were gruesome reasons why some would take out pre-flight insurance policies. In 1955, on an ill-fated United Airlines Flight 629 destined for Anchorage from Denver, fliers' worst fear came true for 44 people. Pilots dreaded the thought that their flights could be ultimately sabotaged for insurance fraud, and a man named John Gilbert Graham proved this. Graham purchased life insurance for his mother on Flight 629 and, unbeknownst to her, loaded her suitcase with 25 sticks of dynamite, which he made sure detonated 20 minutes after takeoff. 

Throughout the '50s and '60s, many other "get rich" flight insurance schemes emerged, but if you're nervous about flying after reading this — don't be. Here's what an expert recommends to feel safe in the air.