This is the world’s most frequent flier who paid $510,000 for a lifetime companion pass: “It’s the people I’ve met along the way”
Tom Stuker purchased a ‘lifetime’ United Airlines pass in 1990 and he’s made good use of it, traveling the about the same as 50 trips to the moon and back.
Tom Stuker made what he considers ‘the best investment of his life’ in 1990 when he purchased a ‘lifetime’ United Airlines companion pass. He’s made good use of it, traveling around the world, visiting 100 countries and racking up over 24 million miles, the equivalent of about 50 trips to the moon and back.
The car dealership consultant who has spent as many as 300 days a year traveling was offered the pass for $290,000 by the airline. He ended up paying $510,000 in order to get a companion pass and with it has been able to treat his wife to 120 honeymoons.
He was awarded the title of the number one flyer in the world in 2009 by United after the movie ‘Up in the Air’ with George Clooney came out. At that time he had only flown 10 million miles.
Tips for those who want to be frequent fliers
With over three decades of travel experience, the now 70-year-old has picked up some tips for the rest of us who want to take to the skies. He shared the following with the ABC station in Dallas, Texas:
- Fly early
- Always have a Plan B
- Join a frequent flyer program
He told The Washington Post that he once spent 12 days in a row without sleeping in a bed, going constantly back and forth between Newark, San Francisco, Bangkok and Dubai, with his only ground time in the airport lounge. The reason was to rack up frequent flyer miles which Stuker has used to “live like a sultan,” enjoying splendid hotel suites, gourmet meals and weeks-long cruises.
It’s not just the miles or destinations, but the people he’s met along the way
When he was asked what are the best parts of life as the world’s most frequent flyer, he responded, “It’s has nothing to do with the Taj Mahal or the Eiffel Tower, but it’s the people I’ve met along the way. The people I’ve sat next to and have become lifelong friends with.”
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