Hopefully, it won't ever be necessary for you to make an airline reservation to attend a funeral or care for a sick loved one. But things happen, and most of the larger airlines offer "bereavement" or "compassionate" rates to passengers that must travel under emergency circumstances. There is no uniform policy for this in the airline industry, so you will need to check multiple airlines to find the best arrangement for you.
Bereavement tickets are not usually offered online. Place a telephone call directly to the airline you intend to use and explain your situation. In some cases, they will take the necessary information and allow you to pick up your ticket at the airport.
Ask what documentation the airline needs to see. Some will need the full name of the deceased or sick person, your relationship to the person, and the name, city and state of the hospital or funeral home. The airline may also require the day and date of a funeral service if the person is deceased.
Check the bereavement price against fares of other airlines. Most airlines use their highest-price tickets for the service, and even with the discount, the ticket may cost more than a regular ticket on another airline.
Most airlines will only issue tickets to immediate family members. Some airlines may allow extended family members to fly on the special fare. You will have to ask each airline about its policy on this issue.
