Grief never happens in a convenient booking window. When my own husband suddenly died while I was hundreds of miles away, in 2010, I remember a blur of travel logistics. It didn’t even occur to us to call the airlines and ask for a bereavement fare. But this is what bereavement discount flights are built for: the sometimes-bewildering days leading up to or following a family member’s death.
What are bereavement flights?
Bereavement flights offer special fares, typically to immediate family members of a person who is near death or deceased. The fares are typically less expensive than a regular flight and have more flexible booking options. In the last decade or so, more and more airlines have eliminated bereavement fares. But some airlines still offer them, though their policies may differ from each other.
Airlines offering bereavement fares
Five North American carriers offer bereavement fares. Keep in mind that travelers must meet an airline’s criteria to qualify for one of these fares, and the fares may come with restrictions on flexibility, travel times, and destinations.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines offers a bereavement discount of 10% for those immediate family members of a deceased person who need to travel within 7 days. They will discount the lowest-available fare for your trip, and all the flights need to happen within this window.
Like most airlines, Alaska offers the fare to immediate family members, which it defines as a spouse or domestic partner, child, parent, siblings or half-siblings, grandchild, grandparents, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew, and in-laws.
Cousins and other in-law relatives don’t qualify for the rate. Travelers older than 18 must belong to the airline’s Mileage Plan (but you can join easily and for free). Bereavement fares can’t be combined with other discounts like military fares.
Keep in mind that you won’t be able to book a bereavement fare online; rather, you’ll need to call the Alaska Airlines reservations line.
Air Canada
Air Canada offers flexibility for bereavement travelers, reducing fares for people who begin their travel within 10 days of booking, and extending for as long as 60 days. This flexibility is good for people who need to stay longer to take care of a loved one’s affairs. Keep in mind that the fares are available for certain fare classes only.
All this flexibility comes with some work. You’ll need to contact the airline’s customer service and give them the name of the family member and contacts for hospitals or the funeral home. You’ll need to provide more documentation within 7 days of your return or be charged a fare difference. Air Canada will offer bereavement fares to immediate family already listed and to common-law spouses, same-sex partners, and ex-spouses.
Bereavement flights with Delta Airlines
Delta Airlines offers domestic and international bereavement flights. Like policies on other airlines, you can only book through its reservations line. You must travel within 7 days, but Delta’s policy also waives service fees if you need to change your outbound or return flight. You may still have to pay fare differences.
The program is available for SkyMiles Members, and if you’re not a member you can enroll immediately. Delta honors upgrades for bereavement fares on domestic flights. You will need to provide some documentation at the time of booking, like the name of your family member and the contact for their funeral home, hospital, or hospice.
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines has a bereavement policy that only extends to travel within the Hawaiian Islands. The policy is called Neighbor Island Emergency Travel, with set prices for one-way tickets on single- and multi-segment travel. You must be traveling within 48 hours of ticketing for these fares. The fares are extended to the traveling companion of an immediate family member, but you must book together to qualify.
Although it’s not an official bereavement fare, Hawaiian Airlines may issue a waiver of your change fees if you had to change a flight because your family member passed away. You’ll need to submit a request through the Hawaiian Airlines website and attach a copy of the death certificate, a copy of your ticket, and proof of your relationship to the deceased.
WestJet
WestJet offers bereavement fares to immediate family, including same-sex couples and common-law spouses. To qualify, you must complete your travel within 14 days of when the first flight is booked; however, the airline waives change fees. Like other airlines, you’ll need to book over the phone, and the customer service agent may need additional information. You can also request post-travel bereavement fares — a refund of the difference between what you paid and a bereavement fare, which is credited to your WestJet rewards account (and is only available to those booking directly through WestJet).
How to get bereavement flight information from airlines not publicly advertising it
None of these airlines allow you to book a bereavement fare through their website; usually because a customer service agent must vet requests. In fact, the airline’s fees do not advertise these fares. You’ll need to call their customer service lines. And while airlines define their own classes, generally speaking, they will offer bereavement fares only for fares above basic economy.
While many airlines no longer offer bereavement fares per se, I find that it’s never a bad idea to pick up the phone and ask a human to help you.
How was this guide created?
I’m a longtime former travel writer who wrote a consumer advice column for Travel + Leisure magazine for years and wrote the “Takeoffs and Landings” column in The Wall Street Journal. All that experience can go out the window when you’re dealing with grief, so I offer this simple guide for those times.
Dealing with the death or imminent death of a loved one can often come without warning, leaving travelers in a last-minute booking situation. Those who find themselves in this circumstance may wonder how much cheaper bereavement fights are. If you are in the state of mind to compare prices, remember that bereavement fares may not be lower than what you can find on KAYAK. If you can find more budget-friendly options online, those are best for when you know exactly when you need to go and return. Remember that the waived booking fees are often where bereavement fares are the better deal.