US man flies 37 million km with just an airline pass, visits over 100 countries
1 min read 26 Jun 2023, 09:55 AM ISTTom Stuker, a man from New Jersey, has flown more miles than any individual in history after buying a lifetime pass from United Airlines in 1990 for $290,000.
PremiumA US man's life changed completely after he purchased an airline pass over 30 years ago. Tom Stuker — a car dealership consultant from New Jersey has flown more miles than any individual in history since he purchased the pass from United Airlines.
The man has travelled in more than 100 countries and has flown more than Apollo 11 spacecraft in 33 years.
According to a report by The Post, Tom Stuker through serendipity bought a pass from United Airlines for $290,000 and since then he has flown more than 23 million miles (37 million kilometres). Apollo 11, which carried Neil Armstrong which carried Neil Armstrong and his fellow astronauts to the moon, clocked a mere 953,000 miles (1.5m km).
United Airlines advertised a lifetime pass in 1990, and Stuker quickly snagged the offer.
Now, 33 years later, Stuker frequently enjoys his 1B seat on the aircraft.
60-year-old New Jersey man's mileage in 2019 alone “covered more than six trips to the moon". In 2019, Stuker took 373 flights, covering 1.46 million miles. Had he paid in cash, it would cost him $2.44 million, the report added.
Further The Post reported that Stucker not just travelled the world through the pass, he also got to stay at lavish hotels, and enjoyed weeks-long Crystal cruises, and gourmet meals from "Perth to Paris".
Stuker also won a charity auction to appear in a Seinfeld episode by bidding 451,000 air miles, the report added.
Stucker has continued his dream of flying with his wife. They have been on “more than 120 honeymoons", according to the Post. He told The Post he once used miles to obtain so many gift cards that he was able to renovate his brother's home.
United has embraced Stuker as the airline has a Mercedes ready on the airport tarmac if Stuker needs to make a quick connection.
