Bereavement Airfares: Flying for an Emergency

Feb. 24, 2010 — -- Has this happened to you? A sudden death in the family, or maybe your teenage son suffers a nasty fall while snowboarding and your only thought is, get on a plane and go.

Naturally, you're distraught so you don't worry about airfare. And yet, the last thing you need is to add financial burdens on top of emotional ones. Remember, last-minute fares are not cheap.

In fact, they can be stratospheric. This past week, I priced roundtrip flights on Continental Airlines from Chicago to Dallas for next day travel and was quoted a hefty $611. But wait a couple of weeks and the price plummets to $257.

But you can't wait. I understand and I have seven ideas to help you save.

For more air travel news and insights visit Rick's blog at: http://farecompare.com

Readers of my column have heard this before but it's worth repeating: If you need a last-minute flight and live in a smallish community, drive to the biggest airport near you. You might save a bundle.

The simple fact of the matter is, if your airport is not a major hub, you'll pay a penalty of anywhere from $50 to $150 more than if you flew from a larger airport.

Bottom line: When purchasing last-minute airfare, check your airport plus those within two or three hours driving distance. But don't forget to factor in the cost of gas and parking along with the hassles of driving.

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