Last Updated on July 28, 2026 by Daniel Globe
Funeral travel often has to be arranged quickly, but a bereavement fare is not automatically the cheapest ticket. Some major airlines offer special pricing or added flexibility for travel after the death or imminent death of an immediate family member. Compare the regular public fare first, review the airline’s eligibility rules, and then call or message its reservations team before buying.
Quick Answer
Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and WestJet publicly advertise bereavement-fare programs. Most require direct contact with the airline and proof or identifying information about the death. Because a regular promotional fare may cost less, compare both prices and change rules before booking.
Key Takeaways
- Bereavement fares are usually booked by phone or through an airline representative, not through the normal online checkout.
- A special fare may provide flexibility without being the lowest available price.
- Eligibility, eligible relatives, travel deadlines, fare classes, and document rules vary by airline.
- Keep the deceased person’s name, your relationship, travel dates, and funeral-home, hospital, hospice, or physician details available.
- When no special fare is available, compare nearby airports, separate one-way tickets, points, flexible fares, and reasonable ground-travel options.
At a Glance
| Time Required | About 20–60 minutes to compare fares and speak with an agent, excluding unusually long hold times |
| Difficulty | Moderate because airline policies and eligible itineraries differ |
| Tools Needed | Phone or airline messaging service, travel dates, fare-comparison search, loyalty account, and requested bereavement details |
| Cost | Varies by route and availability; compare the complete special-fare price with the lowest public fare |
Which Airlines Offer Bereavement Fares?
Among major North American airlines, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and WestJet have public bereavement-fare policies. Their programs are not identical: one may provide a percentage discount, while another may focus more on flexible changes or access to a special fare class.
| Airline | Current Policy | Timing | Important Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | A bereavement option for travel because of an immediate family member’s death or imminent death. Book by phone. | Travel must occur within 10 days of booking and may not exceed 60 days. | Eligible fare classes and routes are limited. Economy Basic within North America is excluded. Supporting documents must be sent within seven days after returning. |
| Alaska Airlines | Eligible loyalty-program members may receive 10% off the lowest available fare for qualifying travel after an immediate family member’s death. | Travel must begin within the next seven days. | The discount is subject to availability and eligibility. Contact reservations and confirm whether every flight in the itinerary qualifies. |
| Delta Air Lines | Special fares and added flexibility for SkyMiles members traveling because of an immediate family member’s death or imminent death. | Ticketing is immediate, and travel must start within seven days of the death or imminent death. | Only Delta-marketed, Delta-operated, and Delta Connection flights qualify. Service fees may be waived, but fare differences can still apply. |
| WestJet | Bereavement fares for an imminent death or death in the family. Book by phone. | Outbound and return travel must be completed within 30 days of booking. | Requires a WestJet Rewards account and an Econo or EconoFlex fare. Partner-airline flights and WestJet Vacations packages are excluded. |
Note: Hawaiian Airlines’ current bereavement-fare page presents Alaska Airlines’ policy rather than a separate Hawaiian inter-island program. Call before booking to confirm whether your exact Hawaiian-operated itinerary is eligible.
A bereavement fare may offer valuable flexibility, but it is not guaranteed to cost less than the airline’s lowest public fare.
How to Book a Bereavement Fare
Start with the airline’s official policy, compare the public price for the same itinerary, and then contact the airline directly. Do not wait until airport check-in. Availability can change, and the reservations agent may need information that is not collected in the normal online booking process.
1. Compare the Public Fare
Search the airline’s website and a flight-comparison service for the same dates, airports, and cabin. Record the complete price, flight numbers, operating airlines, baggage charges, and change rules. A cheaper basic or promotional fare may still be a poor choice if the return date is uncertain, so compare flexibility as well as price.
Pro Tip: Keep the best public itinerary open while speaking with the airline. Ask the agent to compare the bereavement fare with that exact flight, including taxes, baggage charges, and change conditions.
2. Check Airline Eligibility
Read the airline’s definition of immediate family and confirm the deadline for beginning or completing travel. Also check whether the itinerary includes a partner-operated or code-share flight, because a policy may apply only to flights marketed or operated by the airline issuing the special fare.
Confirm whether you need a free loyalty account before calling. Delta requires SkyMiles membership, WestJet requires a WestJet Rewards account, and Alaska’s program is offered to eligible loyalty-program members.
3. Gather the Required Information
Have the following information available before contacting the airline:
- The deceased or critically ill person’s full name
- Your relationship to that person
- The date of death or the nature of the imminent-death situation
- Your planned departure and return dates
- The funeral home, memorial service, hospital, hospice, or physician’s name and contact information
- Your loyalty-program number, if the airline requires membership
- The flight numbers or itinerary you found during your fare comparison
A death certificate may not be available when you first call. Ask which information is needed immediately, which supporting documents may be submitted later, and the exact submission deadline.
4. Call or Message the Airline
Bereavement fares generally are not available through the standard online checkout. Air Canada, Alaska, and WestJet direct travelers to phone reservations, while Delta allows travelers to call or use its official messaging service.
Ask the representative these questions:
- Does my relationship qualify under the policy?
- Do all marketed and operated flights in this itinerary qualify?
- What is the total price, including taxes and mandatory charges?
- Is a lower public fare available on the same flight?
- Can I change the outbound or return flight?
- Will a fare difference apply after a change?
- Is any part of the ticket refundable?
- What documents are required, where should I send them, and by what date?
- What happens if the funeral date changes?
5. Review the Fare Before Ticketing
Check the passenger name, travel dates, airports, flight numbers, operating airlines, fare class, baggage allowance, and cancellation terms before authorizing payment. Ask the agent to email the confirmation and applicable fare rules.
Warning: Do not send a death certificate, physician’s statement, or other sensitive record to an unverified email address. Use only the submission method listed in the airline’s official policy or provided through its authenticated customer-service channel.
What Documents Do Airlines Require?
There is no universal document list. Some airlines collect general information when the ticket is booked and verify it later. Others may require a death certificate, funeral-home statement, coroner’s statement, registration of death, or physician’s letter.
Proof of Death or Imminent Death
Possible supporting documents include:
- A copy of the death certificate
- A funeral director’s or funeral home’s statement
- A coroner’s statement
- An official registration of death
- A physician’s letter describing an imminent-death situation
Air Canada instructs passengers to submit one of its accepted documents within seven days after returning from bereavement travel. Delta requests the deceased person’s name, the traveler’s relationship, and funeral-home, hospital, hospice, or doctor information when the fare is purchased, with documentation subject to verification.
Relationship Verification
The airline normally asks you to state your relationship to the deceased or critically ill person. Its definition of immediate family controls eligibility and may include spouses, domestic partners, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and certain in-law or step relationships.
Do not assume that a birth certificate or marriage certificate is always required. Keep any relevant relationship document accessible, but submit it only if the airline specifically requests it through an official channel.
Airline-Specific Submission Rules
- Air Canada: Book by phone and submit accepted supporting documents within seven days after returning.
- Alaska Airlines: Contact reservations to confirm eligibility, account requirements, and any proof needed for the specific booking.
- Delta Air Lines: Provide the required identifying and funeral-home, hospital, hospice, or physician information to the representative.
- WestJet: Provide the reason for travel and your relationship when booking. Its separate exceptional-circumstances refund process requires supporting documentation for affected existing reservations.
Note: A new bereavement fare and a refund request for a ticket you already purchased are different processes. Ask the airline which policy applies before canceling or rebooking anything.
What If No Bereavement Fare Is Available?
You may still find a lower or more practical itinerary when the airline has no special program, you do not meet its family definition, or the bereavement inventory is unavailable. Compare the total trip rather than focusing only on the advertised base fare.
| Option | What to Do | What to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Regular fares | Compare the airline’s website with Google Flights, Kayak, or another search service. | Confirm the final price and rules on the airline’s own checkout page. |
| Nearby airports | Search alternate departure and arrival airports within a reasonable driving distance. | Add parking, tolls, rental-car, fuel, and ground-transfer costs. |
| Separate one-way tickets | Compare one airline outbound and another airline home. | Separate tickets are not protected as one itinerary if a connection is missed. |
| Points or miles | Compare cash and award availability. A friend or relative may be able to book an award ticket for you under the program’s rules. | Do not transfer or buy points until the seat and transfer conditions are confirmed. |
| Flexible standard fare | Compare a changeable regular fare with the cheapest restricted ticket. | Check whether changes require a fare difference even when no change fee applies. |
| Ground travel | For shorter routes, compare driving, rail, and intercity bus schedules. | Consider total travel time, rest, weather, and whether you are emotionally able to drive safely. |
If you already bought a ticket and a death changes your plans, contact the original seller before canceling. The airline may have a death-related exception, while a travel agency or online booking site may have a separate process.
How to Save on Last-Minute Funeral Flights
Use a structured comparison so urgency does not push you into the first available ticket.
- Set the non-negotiable times. Confirm when you must arrive and the earliest realistic return date.
- Search nonstop and one-stop options. A nonstop flight may cost more but reduce the risk and stress of a missed connection.
- Check alternate airports. Search both ends of the trip and include ground transportation in the total.
- Compare round trips with separate one-way tickets. Mixed-airline combinations can sometimes lower the price or improve the schedule.
- Compare cash with points. Calculate the taxes, booking charges, and value of the points used.
- Call the airline with a specific itinerary. Ask for the bereavement price and the lowest regular fare on the same flights.
- Review return-flight flexibility. Funeral and memorial plans can change, so a slightly higher flexible fare may reduce later costs.
For tickets bought directly from an airline at least seven days before a flight’s scheduled departure, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 24-hour rule requires the airline to offer either a 24-hour penalty-free cancellation option or a 24-hour hold at the quoted fare. Airlines do not have to offer both options, and the federal rule does not apply in the same way to third-party travel agencies.
Warning: Do not assume the 24-hour protection applies when departure is less than seven days away. Read the airline’s cancellation terms before paying.
How to Travel Comfortably While Grieving
Grief can make planning, concentration, and unexpected changes harder to manage. Reduce the number of decisions you have to make during the trip and ask a trusted person to help with details when possible.
| Support | Why It Helps | Practical Action |
|---|---|---|
| Nonstop flight | Reduces connections and missed-flight risk | Compare the extra cost with the stress saved |
| Extra airport time | Provides room for check-in or security delays | Arrive earlier than your usual routine |
| Carry-on essentials | Keeps important items available during delays | Pack medicine, documents, chargers, water bottle, and one change of clothes |
| Trusted contact | Provides help if plans change | Share the itinerary and reservation code with permission |
| Familiar media | Offers a simple distraction during waiting | Download a playlist, audiobook, film, or podcast before leaving |
| Grounding break | Creates a pause when emotions feel intense | Breathe slowly, sit somewhere quieter, and contact someone you trust |
If You Are Traveling With Cremated Remains
Check the airline’s rules before going to the airport. The Transportation Security Administration notes that some airlines do not permit cremated remains in checked baggage. Ask the airline whether the container should be carried on, what documents it requires, and whether destination or international rules apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a way to get cheaper flights for a funeral?
Possibly. Compare bereavement fares with public fares, nearby airports, separate one-way tickets, points, and flexible standard fares. The special fare may be more flexible without being cheaper.
Which airlines still offer bereavement fares?
Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and WestJet publicly advertise bereavement-fare programs. Hawaiian Airlines’ current bereavement page presents Alaska’s policy, so travelers should confirm Hawaiian itinerary eligibility directly.
Is a bereavement fare always cheaper?
No. Airlines warn that a lower public or promotional fare may be available. Compare the complete price and the change, cancellation, baggage, and refund rules before buying.
Can I book a bereavement fare online?
Usually not through the normal booking page. Air Canada, Alaska, and WestJet direct travelers to phone reservations, while Delta accepts requests through a representative by phone or official messaging.
What proof do I need for a bereavement fare?
Requirements vary. You may need the deceased person’s name, your relationship, funeral-home or medical contact information, and later a death certificate, funeral director’s statement, coroner’s statement, registration of death, or physician’s letter.
Can an airline refund an existing ticket after a death?
It depends on the airline, fare rules, original seller, and documentation. A death-related exception is separate from booking a new bereavement fare. Contact the airline or travel agency before canceling the reservation.
Does the 24-hour cancellation rule cover last-minute funeral flights?
Only in certain cases. For a ticket purchased directly from an airline, the federal hold-or-refund protection generally requires booking at least seven days before departure. Third-party bookings are not covered by the airline rule in the same way.
Conclusion
When you need to travel for a funeral, first compare the regular fare with any bereavement option offered by the airline. Check the eligible relationship, travel deadline, operating carrier, change rules, and documentation process before paying. When no special fare is available, nearby airports, separate one-way tickets, points, flexible fares, or ground travel may still reduce the cost. Give yourself extra time, keep essential documents accessible, and ask a trusted person for help when the planning feels overwhelming.
Sources
- Air Canada Bereavement Travel Policy — eligible relatives, fare classes, booking timeline, and supporting documents
- Alaska Airlines Bereavement Fares — discount, eligibility, and seven-day travel window
- Delta Air Lines Bereavement Fare Policy — SkyMiles eligibility, required information, flexibility, and restrictions
- WestJet Bereavement Fare — eligible fares, Rewards requirement, booking method, and travel deadline
- U.S. Department of Transportation Refund Guidance — 24-hour hold or cancellation protection and refund rules
- Transportation Security Administration: Cremated Remains — security and airline-restriction guidance