It’s a sad day in your life right now and the last thing on your mind is an airline ticket.   Since you don’t have all day to compare prices and call up airlines, you’re going to be happy with what you can get.  Thankfully, for many airlines, you should be able to get a bereavement flight at a discount.

I wanted to give you some pointers that you can use when you’re looking to get a last minute plane ticket for an emergency.

First of all, you’re going to need to provide the following in order to get the so called discount with many airlines…

  • You relationship to the deceased
  • The name and number of the funeral home, hospital, etc.
  • Name of doctor or funeral director (if possible)

What kind of discount am I going to get?

On average, as long as you can prove that you’re dealing with a family emergency, you’re going to be able to get anywhere from 10 to 75 percent off.  All airlines are going to be different, so it doesn’t hurt to call up a few airlines.

Some airlines such as United offers 10% off, while others won’t offer a deal like this all.

How can I get these fares?

Since you can’t find these fares online, you’re going to most likely want to head to an airline’s website.  For example, you can find Delta’s information here, or if you want to fly Continental, you can find that here.

I’m not sure who you’re loyal to, but you can call up any airline toll free number and explain your situation.  They will be able to get you the quote over the phone.  If you want to be safe, I would recommend checking the rates online just to make sure that its the best rate for you.

You don’t have to get a bereavement fare…

What many people don’t realize is that you don’t have to go this route to get the best price.  In fact, I love using Priceline’s name your own price.  If you don’t mind flying at particular times, you can save a boat load of money.  I have done this countless times and have saved over 40% on my tickets.  It works great for last minute trips too!

You’re going to find that you can get a discount, but it’s going to vary.  Yes, I know you don’t have a lot of time, but just do your best at comparing a few prices to see what works for you.