Move over George Clooney ...

So you thought it was only in the movies that people were rewarded for spending their whole lives on a plane, like George Clooney in Up In The Air?

But now a real life American man has just completed 10 million miles at 40,000 feet and will be honoured with his name being painted on the side of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet.

Car sales consultant Tom Stuker, from Bloomingdale, Illinois, became the first United Airlines frequent flyer to hit the 10 million mark over the weekend when he was flying somewhere between Los Angeles and Chicago.

Champagne was popped during the flight, and when he landed at Chicago, United Airlines chief executive Jeff Smisek and other executives welcomed him with the first titanium Mileage Plus membership card, MSNBC reported.

Since joining United's Mileage Plus program in 1982, Mr Stuker has flown 5,962 flights, including travels to all 50 US states, 200 round trips to Australia and nearly 30 round trips to Asia, the airline says. And on three separate occasions he has spent five consecutive days in the air, living on airline meals. 

“I love the solace and peacefulness at 40,000 feet," he said. "That's where I do my best creative work writing my training materials.”