Nutley Resident Hits a Million-Mile Record

There’s frequent fliers. And then there’s Tom Stuker.

United Airlines announced earlier this month that Stuker became its first customer ever to travel 1 million miles in a calendar year, a milestone reached during a Dec. 6 flight from London to Chicago. The distance is equivalent to circling the globe 40 times, or two round-trips to the moon -- with miles to spare.

Overall, Stuker, who has homes in Nutley and suburban Chicago, has flown 13 million miles, one of the highest totals among commercial aviation travelers, the airline said in a statement.  Last year United honored Stuker after he became the first person to travel 10 million miles on United.

In an interview with The New York Times, Stuker said much of his travel is related to his job as an automotive sales consultant, as well as trips he takes with his wife to vacation destinations.

Stuker also told the paper he plans on making a go for the global record for travel, which is held by a British man who’s racked up more than 15 million miles in the air.

“I’m only 59 years old and, God willing, I’m going to be passing him in a couple of years. He knows who I am,” Stuker said.

Stuker stars in a reality show, “Car Lot Rescue,” which is slated to appear on Spike in February.