Which Airlines Offer Bereavement Fares? com
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Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: The traveler must fly within seven days of booking and can’t stay more than 30 days.
Family members included for discount: Family members eligible for reduced airfare include: spouse (includes common-law and same-sex partners); child (includes adopted, grandchild and great-grandchild); parent (includes stepparent, grandparent, great-grandparent, parent-in-law and common-law parent-in-law); daughter, son, father and mother (includes legal, in-law, common-law in-law and in-law); brother and sister (includes stepsibling, half-sibling, in-law and common-law in-law); aunt, uncle, niece and nephew (including those of spouse and common-law spouse); legal guardian with proof of judgement; and spouse of legal guardian.
Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: ravel is offered between metropolitan France and the French overseas departments (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Reunion and French Guiana). Air France does not offer special fares for any other destination, but many insurance policies reimburse airline tickets in this case. For more information, check with your insurance company, travel insurance provider or the insurance policy associated with your credit card.
Family members included for discount: Not available.
Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: Fares are flexible based on availability. The return date is flexible, and verification may be required. Fares are available for medical emergencies as well.
Family members included for discount: The reduced airfare is flexible depending on the situation. The traveler must call for more details.
Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: Reservations must be made by phone. Verification is required, and domestic travel must occur within three days of the death of the immediate family member.
Family members included for discount: Family members eligible for reduced airfare include: spouse, domestic partner, child, stepchild, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, stepbrother, stepsister, parent, stepparent, grandchild, grandparent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and fiance.
Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: The traveler must provide a medical certificate.
Family members included for discount: Not available.
Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: The traveler must make a one-week advance purchase.
Family members included for discount: Not available.
Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: There is a 10 percent discount, including visits to a seriously ill or injured family member. The airline also offers “after travel compassion” fares where you can apply for the discount with documentation.
Family members included for discount: The family members eligible include: adopted ward, aunt, brother, brother-in-law, daughter, daughter-in-law, domestic partner, father, father-in-law, foster brother, foster daughter, foster father, foster mother, foster sister, foster son, granddaughter, grandfather, grandmother, grandson, half-brother, half-sister, husband, legal guardian, mother, mother-in-law, nephew, niece, sister, sister-in-law, son, son-in-law, stepbrother, stepdaughter, stepfather, stepmother, stepsister, stepson, uncle and wife.
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Albert Diaz, a Delray Beach, Fla., resident, found the difficulties of finding a cheaper bereavement fare when he had to attend the funerals of two beloved aunts in 1998 and 2006, respectively. Diaz flew from Columbus, Ohio, to Miami in 1998 and from West Palm Beach, Fla., to New York City in 2006. It’s an unfortunate inevitability for many: making last-minute plane reservations for a funeral of a loved one. In a time of emotional upheaval, it’s hard to think about dollars and cents when it comes to air travel, but there are decisions to be made. “I did shop around,” Diaz says. “There were no discounts, and the fares were outrageous.” Finding a discounted fare can be daunting, but airlines that do offer bereavement fares often do so by availability, length of stay, destination, class and whether it’s a nonstop flight. For many carriers, the customer is offered the lowest available advance-purchase fare — but there is far from an industry standard. American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith says the Dallas-based carrier tries to split the difference with its bereavement fare discount. “We have never portrayed or tried to say we are the least expensive fare out there,” he says. “But it tends to be kind of in the middle between a full walk-up fare and an advance purchase, leisure type.” This philosophy, Smith says, tends to keep people honest. The airline may ask for a phone number to a funeral home or hospital to verify information, but it’s not mandatory. The airline also is very “liberal,” as Smith says, in applying the fare. An uncle or a distant relative or even dear friend can qualify, he says.Fares and conditions vary across airlines
Some airlines, American included, also allow discounted fares for medical emergencies and flexible return dates. These policies vary though, so discussion of such issues is a must. A random check of American Airlines for a last-minute bereavement fare in mid-March between Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Phoenix for four days was $692 as compared to the $851 normal cost. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines also offers bereavement fares. It cost $425 for a similar flight between Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Phoenix for the same time frame under the bereavement policy, as compared to the walk-up rate of $595. To help those searching the Web for bereavement fares, Bankrate conducted a small survey of major airlines to see which offered the discounted rate. Here are the results as well as the conditions of qualifying for the discounts. Airline bereavement conditions/detailsAir Canada
Phone: (888) 247-2262Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: The traveler must fly within seven days of booking and can’t stay more than 30 days.
Family members included for discount: Family members eligible for reduced airfare include: spouse (includes common-law and same-sex partners); child (includes adopted, grandchild and great-grandchild); parent (includes stepparent, grandparent, great-grandparent, parent-in-law and common-law parent-in-law); daughter, son, father and mother (includes legal, in-law, common-law in-law and in-law); brother and sister (includes stepsibling, half-sibling, in-law and common-law in-law); aunt, uncle, niece and nephew (including those of spouse and common-law spouse); legal guardian with proof of judgement; and spouse of legal guardian.
Air France
Phone: (800) 237-2747Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: ravel is offered between metropolitan France and the French overseas departments (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Reunion and French Guiana). Air France does not offer special fares for any other destination, but many insurance policies reimburse airline tickets in this case. For more information, check with your insurance company, travel insurance provider or the insurance policy associated with your credit card.
Family members included for discount: Not available.
AirTran
Bereavement fare offered: NoAlaskan Airlines
Bereavement fare offered: NoAllegiant Air
Bereavement fare offered: NoAmerican Airlines
Phone: (800) 433-7300Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: Fares are flexible based on availability. The return date is flexible, and verification may be required. Fares are available for medical emergencies as well.
Family members included for discount: The reduced airfare is flexible depending on the situation. The traveler must call for more details.
Delta Air Lines
Phone: (800) 433-7300Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: Reservations must be made by phone. Verification is required, and domestic travel must occur within three days of the death of the immediate family member.
Family members included for discount: Family members eligible for reduced airfare include: spouse, domestic partner, child, stepchild, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, stepbrother, stepsister, parent, stepparent, grandchild, grandparent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and fiance.
El Al Israel
Bereavement fare offered: NoFrontier Airlines
Bereavement fare offered: NoHawaiian Airlines
Bereavement fare offered: NoJetBlue
Bereavement fare offered: NoKLM
Bereavement fare offered: NoLAN
Phone: (866) 436-9526Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: The traveler must provide a medical certificate.
Family members included for discount: Not available.
Lufthansa
Phone: (800) 645-3880Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: The traveler must make a one-week advance purchase.
Family members included for discount: Not available.
Southwest Airlines
Bereavement fare offered: NoSpirit Airlines
Bereavement fare offered: NoUnited Airlines
Phone: (800) 241-6522Bereavement fare offered: Yes
Conditions and restrictions: There is a 10 percent discount, including visits to a seriously ill or injured family member. The airline also offers “after travel compassion” fares where you can apply for the discount with documentation.
Family members included for discount: The family members eligible include: adopted ward, aunt, brother, brother-in-law, daughter, daughter-in-law, domestic partner, father, father-in-law, foster brother, foster daughter, foster father, foster mother, foster sister, foster son, granddaughter, grandfather, grandmother, grandson, half-brother, half-sister, husband, legal guardian, mother, mother-in-law, nephew, niece, sister, sister-in-law, son, son-in-law, stepbrother, stepdaughter, stepfather, stepmother, stepsister, stepson, uncle and wife.