If you are searching for information on bereavement flights, then you have come to the right place. But unfortunately most airlines have stopped their emergency or bereavement fare program, if they ever had one. 

When I lived in Las Vegas a few years ago, I bought what I thought would be a bereavement flight to Charlotte for my grandmother’s funeral, only to find out later that the airline did not offer bereavement fares. I was mistaken because I had seen the Seinfeld episode, “The Implant,” where George tries to secure a death certificate to get a 50% refund from a flight. Of course he failed and was only taking the flight to get credit from his girlfriend anyway, which doesn’t qualify for a bereavement fare. 

This article is going to walk you through the airlines that still offer bereavement flights so hopefully you can take advantage during your time of need. 

What is a bereavement flight? 

Airlines offer bereavement flights as a special fare discount to passengers traveling to visit a terminally-ill loved one or to attend the funeral of a family member. 

Each airline that still offers these discounts for loss or emergencies has specific criteria for qualification and booking.

It is important to remember that these fare discounts may not be the best option for last-minute travel. One of the fastest ways to compare flight prices and set up price change alerts is with Google Flights.  

What airlines offer bereavement flights

Today, the following airlines offer bereavement fares to certain customers who meet a criteria outlined by each individual airline: 

• Delta Airlines
• Air Canada
• Alaska Airlines
• WestJet

The policies for qualifying for these special fares vary by airline. It is important to review them before booking to be sure they are available to you. 

Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines offers bereavement flights for both domestic and international travel. In order to apply the policy to your Delta reservation, you must request to speak with a customer service representative through the airline’s Help Center by clicking “Message Us.” 

Delta bereavement fares are subject to multiple restrictions, such as, tickets under their policy are subject to availability. 

Delta requires that for a death or imminent death to qualify, the person must be in your immediate family. They define “immediate family” as: spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, sister, brother, stepparent, stepchild, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, stepbrother, stepsister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law. 

Delta customers must be a current Skymiles member, or sign up before contacting the airline about securing a discounted fare. 

View Delta’s Bereavement policy.

Air Canada

Air Canada offers discounts to grieving customers for Economy Standard, Flex, Comfort, and Latitude fares. They offer these discounts for flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Air Canada Express, as well as flights operated by their codeshare partners. 

The airline’s bereavement policy does not apply to economy basic fares when traveling within North America and for requests after travel has been completed. 

There are a few steps you must follow in order to secure a bereavement fare from Air Canada:

Step 1: Contact Air Canada by phone and provide them with:

• The name of the hospital or residence, including the address and phone number and name of attending physician; or
• The name, address and phone number of the memorial or funeral home, including the date of the memorial service or funeral

‍Step 2: Within 7 days of your bereavement travel, send them an email with one of the following documents attached: 

• A copy of the death certificate
• The funeral director's statement
• The coroner's statement
• The registration of death (issued by a provincial government)
• A letter from the treating physician on official letterhead and/or a prescription pad which clearly defines the situation as one of imminent death of your immediate family member

While this may seem like an unnecessary amount of work after the death of a loved one, Air Canada does offer the most generous timeframe for bereavement travel. They allow their customers to travel within 10 days of booking a discounted fare versus seven for most other airlines. They also allow you to extend your travel for as long as 60 days. 

View Air Canada’s bereavement policy.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines offers a bereavement fare option to customers hoping to travel within seven days after the death of an immediate family member. The discount you will receive if deemed eligible is 10% off the lowest available rate for your dates of travel. 

These discounts cannot be combined with other rate reductions such as miles discounts or specials. Customers should consider all flight options to secure the best price before requesting a bereavement discount. 

In order to secure the discounted rate for your flight, Alaskan Airlines customers are required to call the airline’s customer service line at 1-800-252-7522. You cannot qualify for the discounted fare if you choose to book your flight online.  

Read Alaskan Airlines’ bereavement travel policy.

WestJet

WestJet offers bereavement fares to travelers who have recently experienced a death in their family. This discount can be applied to Econo and Econo Flex fares, but are not available for others like Premium fares. 

Travel for bereavement flights must be completed within 30 days of booking, including return flights. Eligibility in the program requires membership in WestJet Rewards, and the discount cannot be combined with any other offers. 

What sets WestJet apart from other airlines is that they offer post-travel bereavement fares if you fill out a request form on their website. George Costanza would approve of this policy. 

Although WestJet bereavement fares may not be the cheapest available, they do offer more flexibility to customers for last minute changes or cancellation. 

View WestJet’s bereavement policy. 

Final thoughts

Bereavement flights are still being offered by a few airlines, but the qualification requirements are stringent and they are not always the cheapest option. They do offer travelers more flexible options for cancellations and last minute changes, however. 

When a family member dies, the last thing you want to worry about is booking a flight. It may be best to utilize your preferred airline’s customer service options to see if they can help you qualify for a discount or get the best price for your last minute flight. 

FAQs 

When did airlines stop offering bereavement fares?

An article in USA Today in 2014 documents the date most airlines stopped offering bereavement fares, although a few still do today. 

How much cheaper are bereavement fares?

Bereavement fares can be anywhere from 5% to 25% cheaper than the lowest last-minute full fare price. Not all fare categories are eligible for these discounted fares and they may not always be the cheapest option. 

How do I qualify?

Each airline that continues to offer bereavement flights has their own set of qualifications, restrictions, and steps. The fastest way to learn if you qualify for a bereavement discount is to call their customer service hotline or begin an online chat with the company. The agent will not only be able to tell you if you qualify, they can also walk you through the steps needed to book your flight.