WASHINGTON – A man from the United States has traveled to over 100 countries, even far surpassing the miles covered by Apollo 11, which carried Neil Armstrong and his fellow astronauts to the moon.
Tom Stuker did all this due to his purchase worth $290,000 for a lifetime pass from United Airlines in 1990. The travel enthusiast from New Jersey said getting the pass is the “best investment of my life”.
The 69-year-old has flown more than 23 million miles. Compare it with Apollo 11 which traveled only 953,000 miles. Interestingly, Stuker’s mileage in 2019 alone covered more than six trips to the moon, the Post reported. For 2019, Stuker took 373 flights, covering 1.46m miles, and had he paid cash for the flights, it would have cost him $2.44m.
The frequent flier miles also provided him with luxurious experiences like swish hotel suites all over the world, weeks-long Crystal cruises, gourmet meals from Perth to Paris, and whatnot.
He has also once cashed $50,000 worth of Walmart gift cards in a single day and won a charity auction to appear in a Seinfeld episode by bidding 451,000 air miles.
During the decades-long travel, all is not rosy as he has witnessed four people die while flying.
“All heart attacks,” Stuker told the Post. “I’d met a couple of them, too. Just died right in their seats. The last guy was up in business with me, Chicago to Narita [Tokyo]. They covered him with a blanket and put the seat belt back on.
Stuker and his wife have been on “more than 120 honeymoons”, and Stuker seemed unbothered about environmental concerns, saying he was not adding to the footprint as the plane is going to fly whether he is on it or not.
As far as the travel tips are concerned, Stuker says he always picks seat 1B, and it’s an aisle seat which is surprising considering that we all prefer window seats.
Another interesting fact is that despite boarding thousands of flights, Stuker says he’s hardly ever missed one, and that’s due to the fact that he only travels with hand luggage.
The distinction has earned Stuker global recognition as in 2011, United decided to name a Boeing 747 after him when he hit the coveted 10-million miles mark; in 2019, he became the first passenger to fly 20 million miles with United.
If you also want to travel like Stuker, we are surely not delighted to tell you that United’s unlimited lifetime pass is no more available.
