Let me put it to you this way: I’ve known Tom Stuker for many years and when I see him misquoted by a perfidious columnist for The Washington Post, it does not sit well with me. Beyond the sensational headlines chronicling his extraordinary quantity of flying, is the quality of a man who works hard, loves his family, and chooses to pepper life with a pinch of humor and a heap of loyalty.
Tom Stuker Cuts A Deal With United Airlines
When he was offered the chance to buy a lifetime United flight pass in 1990 for $290,000, the decision was hardly a no-brainer. Labor relations had warmed since the contentious pilots’ strike of 1985, but the future of United was up in the air. Few could have dreamed that United would outlive PanAm and TWA and the purchase price over 30 years ago amounted to nearly $700,000 in 2023 inflation-adjusted dollars.
Yes, there were tax breaks (you can write off business expenses) and yes, Stuker credits this investment as one of the shrewdest he has ever made, but it was no sure thing during the Recession of 1990. So the idea that he “has played United like three-card monte, and there’s been nothing they can do to stop him,” is simply not true (WaPo claim). There’s no con here: just a shrewd man who lived in New Jersey, traveled to Australia often in the course of his consulting work, and came to a meeting of the minds with United during a time in which United was desperate for cash.
“I saw an opportunity and I took it,” Stuker told me, “But it only became clear years later that was a smart buy.”
I am sure I am not the only one that wishes he had bought Apple, Facebook, or Tesla stock when it was low. Or Bitcoin in its infancy. Sometimes a financial decision that may be innocuous at the moment can change your life forever.
That was the case with Stuker. He is one of the outliers (not the only one) who bought a pass from United and got his money’s worth: many bought it and have not used like he has. That’s not three-card monte: that’s a game of poker sitting across the table from United that could have gone either way.
The Man. The Legend.
I have flown with Stuker to Cape Town twice and also to Honolulu…we have become friends over the years due to our shared love of travel. The first time we met was on United’s final 747-400 flight to Hawaii, where we just shook hands. The next meeting was totally by chance at the Newark Polaris Lounge, United’s posh waiting area for international business class travelers. We hit it off there and have been friends ever since.
I’ve studied Stuker as he travels and several things have stood out, some of which I outlined long before the latest round of viral interest in this intriguing man.
First, he truly cares about his United family. It seems so trite but it is actually the opposite. As I walked with him through the lounge to the gate and onboard the aircraft, the folks at United know who he is. They know that in him is a powerful brand ambassador and even more importantly, they know him as a flyer that believed in their airline at a critical juncture and forever demonstrated his loyalty to United.
Stuker would not want me to share this, but I will do so anyway: he has financially supported United employees with profound generosity. There is no lip service with Tom. He truly takes an interest in every employee he comes across, which is one reason he books all his reservations by phone and has developed friendships with so many United employees over the years.
> Read More: How United’s Most Frequent Flyer Stays Healthy Between Flights
Second, he loves his family. Many may wonder why someone would possibly fly so much. Some pity him – so much time away from his “real” family, so much time on an airplane, even if in business class. But—as I can personally attest—travel is not his vanity project or an escape from his family, but a means to spend time with them and treat them to incredible experiences around the globe. As his wife says, they have not enjoyed just one honeymoon, but over 100. He’s highly productive on flights, which allows him to spend more quality time with those he loves when at home.
A word on how he earns miles. Contrary to The Washington Post report, he doesn’t earn endless miles each year, which encourages more flying. Rather, like an anniversary bonus there is a deposit of miles posted to his account once per calendar year. He earns no redeemable miles when he flies (though he does continue to build lifetime flight miles). So why fly? He still consults. He still takes his family along. He still loves to explore the world.
And to be clear, he does not sell or barter his miles: if he did, United would revoke his pass. Stuker is quite generous with his miles, though. He has used his miles to support Bailey’s Day, an Australian charity and foundation aimed at helping to cure children’s cancer.
Even 23 million miles later, there is a smile on his face as he boards each flight. What a great hobby…what a better alternative to watching sports on TV or scrolling through social media. This recognition has not gone to his head. Stuker is a humble and kind man, sensitive and conscientious.
I’ve watched him on several flights carefully plan out upcoming holidays with his family. Yes, he is travel-obsessed, but he is not self-obsessed. Time is the currency of love and one way Stuker shows love is by showing his family the world.
Third, Stuker is a charmer. The Washington Post story really twisted his words in encouraging travelers to lie to the purser (chief flight attendant) by saying, “I remember you! You gave us such great service last time. I wanted to thank you again!” in order to receive great service onboard. In the case of Stuker, chances are he has indeed seen that flight attendant but what I have witnessed is not lying to flight attendants but a certain folksy charm that is both sincere and well-received.
For example, one-time Stuker sneezed in front of a flight attendant on one of our flights to Cape Town. He profusely apologized, stating, “Please forgive me. I’m allergic to great service. You’ll have to step away!” This put such a smile on the flight attendant’s face. It was really a cute moment and that sort of charm is quintessential to Stuker’s personality.
Stuker told me, “I don’t compliment flight attendants to get free stuff. I do it to make them feel appreciated.”
And I cannot help but to offer one more correction. No, Stuker never said that when someone dies (he has seen four people die in-flight over the years), someone is thinking about who is going to eat the unfinished ice cream sundae of the deceased. Death is a sobering moment and a reminder that life is passing: all the more reason to enjoy this beautiful world with family and friends.
Real Travel Tips
The Washington Post story took some liberties in concocting four questionable travel tips, so allow me to offer—from the lips of Stuker—five real travel tips:
- “Treat gate agents and flight attendants with kindness. It’s not their fault that your flight is delayed, but they will take the brunt of blame from passengers who do not know better.”
- “Bring a backup set of headphones and your charging cord so that you don’t have to be the idiot who watches a movie or takes a call on his phone without headphones.”
- “Upgrades are cleared just before boarding, often leaving some of the best seats open in economy open. If you are unhappy with your seat, wait for the upgrades to clear and then ask a gate agent to swap your seat.”
- “Avoid checking bags when possible. Think about it. How often do you come back with clothes that you never wore that you took just in case? Pack lighter and avoid unnecessary stress.”
- “Sign up for an airline co-branded credit card. The United card includes free checked baggage, priority boarding, and club passes. That easily offsets the annual fee if you take a couple of flights per year. That’s how you get free stuff, not by lying to the flight attendant.”
CONCLUSION
If you ever run into Stuker when you are traveling—and if you travel enough on United Airlines, you certainly will—say hello. He’s an approachable man who is always up for a chat. Chances are, you’ll walk away with a big smile on your face. Yes, he’s an obsessive flyer, but he’s channeled his healthy addiction into a lifestyle of productivity and success on many levels. As Stuker says, “I’m just a guy who flies a lot on United. The real heroes are the ones who keep United going. They are heroes. They are family.”
all images taken by author
I like to say, “until you’ve been interviewed and see your purported quotes in print, you’ll never know how often journalists misquote.”
Never consent to speak to a journalist you don’t know personally, or who doesn’t come recommended by someone you personally trust who has worked with them before.
Very True. “I’ve been there, done that” when I was quoted many years ago for a local newspaper business section. That was back in the days when people read newspapers. My quotes were taken out of context and the results were not materially significant, except to me. But it taught me the life lesson that you summed up well.
Don’t worry for a second about this. Reilly has been a hack for over 25 years. Just another piece of evidence
Exactly the reason to stick to Podcast or live interviews anymore. Print articles often distort or interpret things differently. With broadcast interviews YOU control the narrative.
Great post, Matthew. He is a fascinating character. I read the article last week and can say that, yes, I was a bit perplexed by those quotes about the dead passenger or lying to the flight attendant. It seemed not in the character of the man who I had read about before.
I would absolutely love his (and your) tips for staying productive on flights. What do you bring,; what do you do/not do? How does this change for flight duration and direction? You guys must have it down to a science. Spill…
Appreciate your perspective and insight.
Always enjoyed your articles and writing.
Can you clarify what you mean by Stucker getting a miles deposited in his account once a year as an anniversary bonus? How do they calculate that since he does not earn miles with his flight pass?
It’s a flat amount.
Thank you Matthew, nice article. Many people interested in points and miles have heard and read about Tom many times. The linked article has given him wider notoriety, even my sister’s family asked me if I’ve ever met him. I never understood that he purchased a lifetime United flight pass over 30 years ago and that pass does NOT include usual RDM earning.
Does the pass include (complimentary) first class or business class seats? Did he initially pay for international upgrades? Please give us an approximation of the number of “flat amount” RDM he receives (5 figures, low or high 6 figures, 7 figures) and if that’s a stated part of the lifetime pass or a courtesy to him. Years ago, before he earned lifetime status, did he get complimentary upgrades and if so, on what basis? Did he earn lifetime ELITE status based on BIS miles (when that was the criterion)?
Thank you.
Not sure of this case, interested as well. But I imagine it’s similar to the pass that AA sold years ago. A client of mine (now deceased) in Dallas had one and it was purchased for First Class travel. He actually purchased one for his wife as well but when he passed away hers was taken away.
@Curious, I’ll see if Tom wants to respond to these questions directly here.
Thank you.
@Curious
Would you mind flying 10 million miles first and then asking these questions ? I don’t think Tom owes anyone an explanation.
I get this “comment” is almost a year old, but @dickking’s reply is so gauche I had to write a response in defense of the initial question..
Not only is @Curious is just asking reasonable questions, but they’re not demanding them nor is he insisting Tom does owe anyone an explanation. These aren’t nuclear trade secrets here, and this is a comment section, after all – I’m curious as to these answers as well.
What’s your problem?
Great questions….for those of us who are familiar with the mileage game, and how it has changed over the past 30 years were left with a lot of questions after reading the Post’s article about Mr. Stuker.
Journalists are the enemy of the people.
Hate to break this to you, but I’d suggest you read up more on history – there would be no democracy without journalists. Just because some of them write shitty hit-pieces doesn’t mean their profession isn’t admirable.
Using the initial $690,000 and the quoted 23,000,000 miles that comes to 1.26 cents per mile. ORD-NRT in International First (when it was available) would be less than $80.
@Happyport “The miles maestro once cashed $50,000 worth of Walmart gift cards in a single day.”,(WP article) so a very large flat amount.
Opps $290,000. $690,000 would be close to the inflation adjusted number of $674,803.60 -> 2.94 cents per mile or about $185 for that trip.
Out of curiosity; does the annual deposit of miles adjust with United mileage inflation? 🙂
Matthew, Glad you stepped up and offered corrections. I don’t always agree with what you say on your site, but I do always think you’re a good guy trying to do right by your family, faith, and friends.
Appreciate that. Thank you!
My first post. I’ve been following this blog for a few months and am amazed. Best travel blog I’ve ever seen. As for the Washington Post I cancelled them decades ago even though I live in suburban DC. Not only are they an agenda in search of news their stories are the most inaccurate I’ve ever seen in any publication.
Matthew.. great article.
I ran across Tom and his wonderful wife in Polaris SYD-SFO a few years back.. sat in same row (1).. truly friendly folks!
He seems to have lost weight recently.
Being the person that has flown the most on united is not something to be proud of.
Nice article Matthew, although I’d question his retroactive description of the purchase as ‘smart’. It was an insane gamble that paid off. No smart investor would have taken that risk. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging the role of luck, but we don’t need to dress it up as smart foresight.
Thanks for setting the record straight. The problem with travel reporters is that with a few exceptions (Scott McCartney formerly WSJ) they have no experience and no idea how the real world operates. So they typically call the airline PR department and take quote verbatim without digging, or worse (as WashPo) injecting inane commentary.
Off topic but I hope none of the flights you’ve taken recently have been filled with Avgas from shell. Shell is still trading with Russia after all. Do you think they should be banned from operating in the usa?
Your continued defense of India’s support for Russia is disgusting. Give it a rest.
What a great post Matthew. in stark contrast from the WaPo garbage ( as expected), very much needed balance.
I just ran into Tom at the SFO Polaris lounge. He couldn’t have been any nicer.