It pays to compare bereavement fares

Bereavement fares have dropped significantly, but they still can shock fliers used to paying leisure fares who must travel because of illness or death of a loved one. The last thing travelers want to do at such a time is shop around for airfares, but they can save quite a bit of money by doing so.

Bereavement fares allow travelers to leave the same day that reservations are made, and generally, tickets can be changed without penalty. These fares can’t be booked online; airlines must be contacted by phone by the buyer or a travel agent.

The fares typically are available only through major airlines. Before buying, travelers should ask what the regular fare is for the same itinerary; there may be no saving.

Before Delta’s SimpliFares, airlines would find the most unrestricted airfare in a route and discount it by 50 percent. This left some travelers paying as much as $2,400 round trip for coast-to-coast travel. When Delta implemented its simplified rate structure, fares were capped at $499 one-way, significantly lowering walk-up rates in many markets and undercutting previous bereavement fares. Other airlines followed suit.

We compared last-minute bereavement fares from Dallas to San Diego and found American offered the cheapest fare at $506 round-trip, while Northwest and United were close, with fares of $546. Meanwhile, Delta wanted $895 round-trip.

Overall, bereavement fares are lower thanks to Delta’s move, but it’s still a good idea to check fares being offered by low-cost carriers. They usually don’t offer bereavement fares, but their regular fares may be cheaper than major carriers’ bereavement fares.

Depending on the itinerary, alternate airports are also worth a look. For example, for the trip from Dallas to San Diego, we found walk-up fares of $368 round-trip for travel between Dallas and Long Beach, Los Angeles, Ontario or Orange County. The savings of $138 over the cheapest bereavement fare could make the one- or two-hour drive to San Diego worthwhile, especially if there is more than one person traveling.

Also check rental-car prices for various airports. We checked last-minute rates in Southern California and found rates starting at $17 at Los Angeles International, $25 at San Diego and $42 at Orange County.

If it’s possible to travel on a weekend, weekly last-minute fares offered by the airlines could save a buyer a lot of money. These fares do carry restrictions, but they offer the cheapest last-minute fares.

Travelers 65 and older can save money with Southwest’s senior walk-up fares. These fares are $129 or less one-way to most Southwest destinations.

Bereavement fares are available only for family members, and each airline has its own policy on who qualifies. Some carriers extend the fares to domestic partners. Passengers must provide information such as the name, address and phone number of the funeral home, hospital or hospice and the attending doctor’s name.

When a family emergency strikes, take time to compare fares, or have a friend do it for you. It can be well worth the effort.