BBC Homepage
  • Skip to content
  • Accessibility Help
  • Your account
  • Notifications
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • More menu
More menu
Search BBC
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
Close menu
BBC News
Menu
  • Home
  • InDepth
  • Israel-Gaza war
  • War in Ukraine
  • Climate
  • UK
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Culture
More
  • Tech
  • Science
  • Health
  • Family & Education
  • In Pictures
  • Newsbeat
  • BBC Verify
  • Disability
  • BBC Trending

Can't afford a holiday trip home? This man wants to help

  • Published
    2 December 2016
Share page
About sharing
Want to go home for the holidays but can't afford to? Perhaps I can help you outImage source, Twitter/Peter Shankman
BBC Trending
What's popular and why

An American entrepreneur is offering to donate his frequent flyer points to strangers who can't afford to visit their families this Christmas.

For the second year running, author and corporate speaker Peter Shankman has launched his air miles donation offer on image-sharing site Imgur, external, where his post has already been viewed more than 800,000 times.

The businessman spends a large part of his life in the air, racks up a lot of air miles along the way and usually gives them to family and friends to use.

"This year, I flew more than I ever have before, and am probably going to close the year out with about 350,000 actual flown miles," he wrote.

"The last thing I want to do when I'm not travelling, is travel," Shankman told BBC Trending. "I'd rather be at home with my three-year-old. Also, I feel that if you've had any modicum of success, you have a responsibility to send the elevator back down."

Peter ShankmanImage source, Peter Shankman
Image caption,

Peter Shankman wants to send strangers home for the holidays

Shankman is soliciting stories from people hoping to fly home for the holidays - but he's leaving the final decision up to users.

"People post their stories on Imgur and everyone else on the site votes them up or down. The highest voted stories win - no way would I choose the winners - way too difficult!" he says.

The highest rated posts on Friday at 17:00 Eastern Time (22:00 GMT) will win the flights.

line

Follow BBC Trending on Facebook

Join the conversation on this and other stories here, external.

line

Shankman recalls some of the stories from his previous giveaway: "I've put together a lot of military families, plus a few people who have had dying parents. That always stands out for me. I'm very lucky I can do this."

As well as donating his own air miles, the businessman has also been encouraging others who travel a lot to donate their unneeded miles points to a charity with a similar mission, external.

Shankman himself has no intention whatsoever of setting foot on a plane this festive season.

"I'm not flying anywhere," he says. "Except maybe flying my daughter on the swings at the playground a block from my apartment - that's the best holiday I can think of."

Next story: 'Pizzagate': The fake story that shows how conspiracy theories spread

a picture of pizzaImage source, Getty Images

Thousands of people are spreading a false rumour about a Washington pizza restaurant and a child sex ring. But why? READ MORE

You can follow BBC Trending on Twitter @BBCtrending, external, and find us on Facebook, external. All our stories are at bbc.com/trending.

Top stories

  • Live. 

    Israeli security cabinet approves Gaza City takeover as UK's Starmer calls escalation 'wrong'

    • 10356 viewing10k viewing
  • Courts service 'covered up' IT bug that caused evidence to go missing

    • Published
      5 hours ago
  • Boy, 4, dies after being hit by bus as he walked out of hospital

    • Published
      28 minutes ago

More to explore

  • Cacio e pepe: Good Food pasta recipe sparks fury in Italy

    pasta in a bowl with cheese and pepper
  • Big Mags: The paedophile-hunting granny who built a heroin empire

    Mags Haney outside her home in the Raploch talking to two police officers. The photo from the mid 1990s shows Haney with short bleached blond hair and big earrings. She is wearing a pink cardigan and and orange t-shirt. A number of locals are standing around watching the scene
  • Faisal Islam: Why has the Bank of England cut rates?

    Andrew Bailey, Bank of England governor, looks straight at the camera. he's wearing glasses and a dark suit.
  • India's immigration raids send ripples through slums and skyscrapers alike

    A woman stands in a slum in Delhi
  • Watch: See where China plans to put its controversial mega-embassy

    A composite image of Damian Grammaticas and the proposed China embassy
  • Weekly quiz: Which baby names took top spot?

    A stock photo shows a baby looking directly at the camera while pouting as they prop their head up on an outdoor chair with bokeh depth of field behind.
  • Who is most likely to challenge Liverpool this season?

    • Attribution
      Sport
    Liverpool celebrate with Premier League trophy
  • Why Trump-Putin talks unlikely to bring rapid end to Ukraine war

    A composite image of Donald Trump on the left and Vladimir Putin on the right. Both men are wearing suits.
  • Summer Essential: Your family’s guide to the summer, delivered to your inbox every Tuesday

    concentric circles ranging from orange to yellow to represent the sun, with a blue sky background
loading elsewhere stories

Most read

  1. 1

    Boy, 4, dies after being hit by bus as he walked out of hospital

  2. 2

    MP mistakes charity rowers for 'illegal migrants'

  3. 3

    Mushroom murderer tried to kill husband with pasta, cookies and curry, court was told

  4. 4

    Britons booking 'later, closer, shorter' UK breaks

  5. 5

    Courts service 'covered up' IT bug that caused evidence to go missing

  6. 6

    Is Perrier as pure as it claims? The bottled water scandal gripping France

  7. 7

    Cacio e pepe: Good Food pasta recipe sparks fury in Italy

  8. 8

    Big Mags: The paedophile-hunting granny who built a heroin empire

  9. 9

    Suspected people smuggling arrest after BBC probe

  10. 10

    A walk-in fishermen's clinic saved Tom from sepsis - and could transform the NHS

BBC News Services

  • On your mobile
  • On smart speakers
  • Get news alerts
  • Contact BBC News

Destination X

  • Your latest reality TV obsession has landed on iPlayer

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    Destination X
  • Rob Brydon welcomes you to Destination X

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    Destination X
  • Get on board and play along at home

    • Attribution
      Game
    Destination X Game
  • Where the X are they off to next?

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    Destination X
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • Terms of Use
  • About the BBC
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • Accessibility Help
  • Parental Guidance
  • Contact the BBC
  • Make an editorial complaint
  • BBC emails for you

Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.