Continental Airlines offers bereavement rates on round-trip or one-way tickets. If you have documentation of your family member's death or serious illness, you can present that at the time you purchase your bereavement ticket. Documentation that Continental will request includes your relative's name, your relative's relationship to you and the name, address and phone number of the hospital, hospice care center or funeral home in which your family member is located. You may also need to provide a certified copy of your relative's death certificate or a letter from his physician on the hospital's letterhead.
You can seek a bereavement refund after your trip, but you will need to provide the same documentation. You can purchase bereavement tickets online or through a reservation specialist.
Delta Air Lines also requires documentation in situations where you are requesting a bereavement discount. You will need to submit your relationship to the deceased and the name and phone number of the funeral home, hospice center or hospital in which your relative is located.
Delta Air Lines requires that you purchase your ticket and commence travel within three days of the death or expected death of your relative. If you are traveling internationally, Delta increases that time frame to seven days.
You must purchase your bereavement tickets over the phone through a Delta ticketing location. You will not be able to purchase bereavement tickets through Delta's website.
American Airlines may offer bereavement rates in the event your relative passes away or becomes deathly ill. In order to determine their current policies regarding bereavement, they require you to call them directly at 800-433-7300.
