Man who bought airline's lifetime pass has saved £1,900,000 and travelled more than 20 million miles
Wouldn't it be nice to be a seasoned traveller?
Much of my bucket list is to travel as much as possible to visit new environments, experience different cultures and, most importantly, eat a lot of food.
Yet it seems that one man - who has flown over 23 million miles - is currently living my dream.
Not jealous at all...
Advert
Tom Stuker, from New Jersey, US, believes he is the 'world's most frequent flyer' after purchasing a lifetime pass with United Airlines in 1990.
The 69-year-old spent a whopping $290,000 (£227,000) on the package, but has claimed to have saved a mega $2.44 million (£1.9 million) along the way.
Back in 2019, Stuker became the first ever United passenger to fly 20 million miles after hopping on 373 flights in that year alone.
Perhaps I am less jealous now - that sounds a bit too much.
He has since revealed some of his own tips to give others the inside track of making the most out of their travels.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Stuker claims he always pretends to know the first flight attendant he meets on board the plane.
Apparently, this person will usually be the head attendant and thus guarantee you a better chance at some VIP treatment.
He explained: "I always say, 'I remember you! You gave us such great service last time. I wanted to thank you again'."
When it comes to whereabouts you're sitting, if you can't book a particular seat, Stuker recommends checking the seat map app when boarding the flight.
If a booked seat suddenly becomes free, he insists the cabin crew 'won't care' if you take it.
Stuker also shared some of his plane pet peeves - namely people who take phone calls without using headphones.
If a fellow flyer takes a long business call on speaker, Stuker delivers a disdainful response: "Hey, next time you're going to have all of us to your business meeting, bring doughnuts."
When it comes to luggage, Stuker has one rule - no checking bags.
Stuker only flies with cabin baggage, which he believes saves time.
Although he undoubtedly enjoys flying, he has also seen the bad side of travelling too - namely witnessing passengers experience heart attacks on flights.
Stuker said: "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. What else could they do? I guarantee somebody in business was thinking, 'Hey, if he's not gonna eat his chocolate sundae, would you mind…?'"
Summing up his years of travelling, Stuker said: "At the end of the day, it's not about the places I go, it's about the people I meet."
Topics: US News, Plane Etiquette, Travel
Anish Vij