American offers bereavement fares for travel to and from destinations. Because of the ever-changing nature of airfares, American keeps it simple by asking travelers to call the airline's 800 number for reservations (1-800-433-7300) or further information. This is the American Airlines reservation number, and tickets may be purchased here at the special rates.
The Continental website goes into extreme detail to explain its bereavement system. Fares are discounted based on the original round-trip fare. As proof, the airline requests you have the name of the family member who died, their relationship to you, the doctor that treated the deceased, and the hospital or funeral home. If you do not have this documentation, the airline allows you to purchase the ticket at full fare and then send the needed paperwork for a discount.
Although Continental and United have merged, United maintains a separate compassion fares policy. This also applies to people who have relatives or family members who are seriously ill and have not died. Rates are 10 percent off normal fares, and they must be booked at the United ticket counter or by calling United's reservations number (1-800-UNITED-1). Any booking fees associated with this purchase are waived.
Delta requires travel to begin within three days within the United States and seven days for international travel. The policy extends to people whose family members have died or who are seriously ill, and the needed documentation is the same as other airlines require. Airfares cannot be purchased at the Delta website. They must be bought through Delta Reservation Sales (see Resources).
