<p>Anyone have any recent experience with bereavement fares on airlines? I have an elderly relative starting hospice this week, and am thinking I will need to make arrangements to fly there on short notice in the next couple of months. I know airlines offer these fares, but have heard some stories that they are not very usable or are very expensive still. Likely airlines are Delta & US Air for where I need to go.</p>
<p>Only experience was years ago after christmas and before new years. H found a flight that was significantly less than bereavement that was a red eye returning early NY’s eve. Sorry, hope you find something that works.</p>
<p>Intparent- do you belong to any frequent flier programs? We have had luck calling them and using a combination of miles and money or last minute flights.</p>
<p>No signficant accumulation of miles at this time. Fortunately, I guess, this is an east coast area. I can think of at least half a dozen major airports I could fly into that are less than a 4 hour drive from the location. So I will just need to fare shop if the bereavement fares aren’t good enough, I guess.</p>
<p>If Southern New England works, try Southwest to Providence RI. It can be pretty reasonable!</p>
<p>When we had a family death, DH flew on Southwest. It was less costly than any bereavement fares he was quoted. Another thing that might be helpful, however, some hotels offer a special rate for folks with relatives in hospitals. When our relative was in hospice care, I drove out and stayed in a hotel for a week, with no idea how long I was going to be there. When I explained my situation to the desk clerk, they offered me the hospital rate which was about 1/2 of what I had bee quoted. This was a Comfort Inn, but another relative stayed at a Marriott and they did the same for her.</p>
<p>Well, I do have a ton of Choice Hotels points (I collect those on my credit card). So that might be worth seeing if I can get a special hotel rate at that time. Thanks, I didn’t think of that.</p>
<p>I had to make flight reservations for my parents last spring when my Aunt died and US Air’s bereavement fare was about $100 more than the regular fare on Jet Blue and they also charged extra for the seat assignment on one of the legs.</p>
<p>Intparent, we also have Choice Hotel points. We could not use them
AND get the hospital rate. Where I was, the regular room cost (with a AAA discount) was $119 a night. The hospital rate was $69 a night. DH and I decided to save our Choice points for when we couldn’t GET a lower rate at the hotel.</p>