Traveling in an Emergency? These Four Airlines Offer Bereavement Fares

If you are traveling within seven days of the death of a loved one, you are eligible for a 10% discount on the lowest fare offered for your flight itinerary. The discount applies to any flight operated by Alaska Airlines, Horizon, or SkyWest with availability to customers who have lost a member of their immediate family. The airline defines immediate family members as the spouse or domestic partner, parent, child, siblings or half-siblings, grandparents, grandchild, aunt, niece, uncle, or nephew. In-laws are also considered immediate family. Alaska’s bereavement fares are only available to Mileage Plan members. Passengers may book tickets by calling Alaska Airlines customer service. Their website notes the following additional rules and qualifications:

– Guests over 18 must be Mileage Plan members and have their Mileage Plan numbers added to their reservations.
– All rules associated with the fare are applicable, including Saver fare restrictions.
– All fees associated with the fare are applicable.
– This fare discount is not combinable with other promotional discounts (such as Money & Miles, companion fares, government fares, or military fares).
– The discount is not offerable after travel has begun.

You can read Alaska’s full bereavement policy here.

Passengers are eligible for a bereavement discount on economy tickets for any flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, or Air Canada Express. Per their bereavement guidelines, tickets marked as basic economy aren’t eligible for the bereavement rate unless the flight is outside North America. The airline defines immediate family as a spouse, child, parent, sibling, or legal guardian. Immediate family also extends to step, half, in-laws, and in-laws from common-law marriages. Air Canada also recognizes grand and great-grand relatives, ex-spouses, same-sex couples, and the spouse of the legal guardian of the deceased as immediate relatives. Travel should start within seven days but extends up until 60 days. Passengers may book a flight by calling Air Canada’s customer service. When booking, the following information must also be provided:

– The name of your deceased loved one and the nature of your relationship.
– The name of the hospital and the name, address, and phone number of the attending physician.
– Details of the funeral arrangements. The name, address, and phone number of the funeral home and the date of the services will need to be shared.
– Proof of loss via supporting documentation sent via email within seven days of the return flight. Examples of accepted documentation include a copy of the death certificate or a letter from the treating physician.

You can read Air Canada’s full bereavement policy here.

The airline does not give a specific rate or percentage for their bereavement fares and states that the amount may fluctuate. However, bereavement fares are an option for domestic and international flights within seven days of your loved one’s passing on Delta-marketed and -operated flights. Travel on Delta Connection flights is also eligible. The airline defines an immediate family member as a spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, 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 or sister-in-law. Spouses by way of a domestic partnership are also considered immediate family. Their website notes the following restrictions for bereavement fares:

– Tickets under the Bereavement policy are subject to availability and may not be available at booking.
– Delta’s Bereavement policy provides flexibility to outbound and/or return portions of your trip by waiving service fees; however, fare differences may still apply.
– Lower promotional fares may be available on delta.com. Delta Reservations may serve as a better option in some markets.

Delta’s bereavement fares are only available to SkyMiles members. Passengers may book tickets by calling Delta Air Lines customer service. When booking, the following information must also be provided:

– The name of your deceased loved one and the nature of your relationship.
– The name and phone number of the funeral home, hospital, or hospice.
– If applicable, the name of the doctor.

You can read Delta’s full bereavement policy here.

The airline offers bereavement fares for any of the Econo and EconoFlex tickets for those experiencing an imminent or recent death of a loved one. WestJet does not apply the discounted rate does not apply to any of their partner airlines. Their website also does not outline any parameters around who is considered a loved one or immediate family member.

Another unique offering by the airline is the “civil funeral fare.” These discounted rates are available to passengers to aid in travel to the funeral/service of military personnel, emergency service workers, firefighters, and police officers who have died in the line of duty.

WestJet’s bereavement and civil funeral fares are only available to WestJet reward members. Passengers may book tickets by calling WestJet’s customer service. When booking, the following information must also be provided:

– The type of travel (imminent or recent death or civil funeral).
– The name of your deceased loved one and the nature of your relationship.

Their website notes the following additional rules and qualifications:

– Travel must be completed within 30 days of when the flight is booked, including outbound and return flights
– Fares cannot be combined with any other discount codes, promotional offers, or companion voucher bookings

WestJet also allows travelers to request bereavement fares post-travel through an online form if submitted within seven days of trip completion. Each passenger traveling should submit a form to receive a refund. The refunds will be a credit for the difference in fares to their WestJet rewards account.

This list is not exhaustive of all airlines with bereavement policies. There are over one thousand commercial airlines, all of which update their policies regularly. If you need to travel due to the passing of a loved one, search your favorite airline’s website to see if they have a policy in place. You can also try your hand at calling any airline, particularly one where you have earned member status, to see what they may be able to offer you under the circumstances.

Before completing a booking, it would be beneficial to do a price comparison to see what would offer you the most savings. Consider budget airlines, group travel rates, airline promotions, or the redemption of miles to assist in alleviating costs.