The man who bought a lifetime plane pass in the 1990s and has traveled 23 million miles since

(ABC) -- Nobody knows what it is like to go around the world as much as the Tom Stuker, the World's Most Frequent Flier.

Stuker has flown 23 million miles on a $290,000 lifetime pass that he bought from United Airlines in 1990.

"When the movie Up in the Air came out, I was interviewed everywhere in the world that I was actually anointed. I was anointed to be the number one flier in the world," Stuker told ABC News.

Back then, Stuker had only racked up 10 million miles, now he's got 23 million.

"I think I'll probably hit 24 by the end of the year. Pretty close to my 70th birthday."

The World's Most Frequent Flier first fell in love with travelling in the 1980s, after a work trip to Australia. In 1990, he bought a United Airlines lifetime pass costing $290,000. In reality, however, Stuker says he paid $510,000 because he bought a companion pass, which allowed his wife to travel with him.

"Because I bought a companion pass, I would ask 'do you want Chinese food?' I would take you to Hong Kong and we'd have a nice dinner."

Stuker has been on the road for as many as 300 days a year. He has picked up some travel tips for the rest of us along the way. 1) fly early.

"Get your butt out of bed and take the first flight out of town. Take a look at those early flights. Yes, it's 6:30 a.m. Yes, you got to get up at three. But you're going on vacation, lay down at the beach and take a nap."

2) always have a plan B for your travel plans, and 3) join a frequent flier program.

"It has nothing to do with the Taj Mahal or the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum in Rome or the pyramids. I've seen all these things, but it's the people I've met along the way. The people I've sat next to and have become lifelong friends with."

Stuker says he has been able to take his wife on dozens of honeymoons. He says wherever she decides she wants to go is his new favorite place to touchdown.