If you are faced with the stressful task of having to book a last-minute flight for a death in the family, Hotwire can help. What follows is a brief description of bereavement fares, recommendations for best values on emergency travel, and some helpful resources regarding last-minute bereavement travel on and off our site.
Bereavement fares exist to offer customers travel options when faced with a last-minute emergency. These fares are helpful in the sense that they are usually refundable and very flexible, permitting changes with no extra-fee charges. They are discount fares, since they can range from 10 to 75 percent off full fare prices; usually the discount is 50 percent. Proof of death or illness, as well as kinship, is usually required. But policies regarding bereavement travel can vary widely from airline to airline, and it can be bewildering to figure out travel plans when you're already under a lot of stress.
Despite the flexibility and discounts, bereavement fares can be quite high, given that discounts are taken off full retail fares booked at the last minute. Thus, the fares often end up being more expensive than the cost of a sale ticket or a low-fare carrier ticket. An added inconvenience is that carriers also require you to book these fares over the phone; some airlines are even phasing out bereavement fares or dropping them entirely.
Since Hotwire specializes in deeply discounted last-minute fares, we can be a practical resource for helping you find the lowest possible airfare. When you need to get somewhere quickly and cheaply, we suggest doing a search on our site, where you can get up to 50 percent off last-minute flights. We specialize in last-minute trips, so it's likely that we'll also have more destinations, as well as more options for flying in and out of alternate airports. We'll do our best to make it easier for you to travel during a difficult time.
Take a moment to do a quick search on our Fare Finder to see some of our deals for last-minute flights, hotels, and rental cars. If you'd like more information about traveling for a funeral, please see our recommended links below.