Last minute air travel

[biskits Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close biskits]

My son's girlfriend needs to travel tomorrow or Tuesday from LA
to Syracuse NY for a funeral. Any suggestions for finding a decent fare???
The best I could up with was $740.
Thanks for any suggestions
Best wishes,
Paul

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

I'd try a bid on Cheap Flights, Hotels, and Rental Cars -- Discount Airfare | Priceline.com
Otherwise, you won't get anything but the highest rates. The airlines' bereavement fares aren't much off the full fare.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

It drops to $640 if the return trip is delayed until Sunday....that's for Monday or Tuesday departures

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

I'd try a bid on Cheap Flights, Hotels, and Rental Cars -- Discount Airfare | Priceline.com
Otherwise, you won't get anything but the highest rates. The airlines' bereavement fares aren't much off the full fare.

If you try Priceline, keep this info in mind.

[x3skier Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close x3skier]

Last minute fares and decent price do not match these days. Priceline and similar are probably the best way to get the lowest cost (note I did not say cheap).

Cheers

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

Call the airline to see if they offer a bereavement fare. This used to be common, but I don't know if it still is today.

[PigsDad Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PigsDad]

Many airlines have discontinued bereavement fares. Another suggestion is to use FF miles if they have them -- for a flight that expensive, it would be a good use of miles. I did that last year for a death in the family -- it actually worked out really well since United was running a special so that my flight only cost me 15K miles. That was much better than paying the $700+ they wanted for the ticket.

Kurt

[stasik Member Find all posts View Profile Close stasik]

Try alternate airports

Not sure if you have looked into it, but alternate airports are always worth a try. There are a lot of choices and if you call a travel agent you could find a gem given the convoluted airline pricing models.

If it isn't too much of a PITA to go out of Burbank, John Wayne or Long Beach or fly into Rochester, Buffalo, Binghamton, you might find a deal. In some cases the savings might not make up for the hassle, but you never know until you ask.

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

Not sure if you have looked into it, but alternate airports are always worth a try. There are a lot of choices and if you call a travel agent you could find a gem given the convoluted airline pricing models.

If it isn't too much of a PITA to go out of Burbank, John Wayne or Long Beach or fly into Rochester, Buffalo, Binghamton, you might find a deal. In some cases the savings might not make up for the hassle, but you never know until you ask.

Stasik,
Great minds ! I looked this up for Paul, too, on JetBlue and one-way fares from Long Beach to Rochester were running ~$464.
Paul - FYI - Jet Blue !
B

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Call the airline to see if they offer a bereavement fare. This used to be common, but I don't know if it still is today.

Not sure about current availability, but when it was offered it was limited to fairly immediate family

[falmouth3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close falmouth3]

I checked Southwest. They fly as close as Buffalo. But the fares aren't great. Maybe if you play with the various airports around LA that SWA flies to and play with the dates you may come up with something "decent".

I agree, it's also worth calling and asking about bereavement fares.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

The best I could do years ago when DOD had quadruple bypass was get AA to waive the penalty for a date change on tix I already had in hand.

Always worth asking about bereavement/emergency fares though. Worst they can say is no.

[stasik Member Find all posts View Profile Close stasik]

Stasik,
Great minds ! I looked this up for Paul, too, on JetBlue and one-way fares from Long Beach to Rochester were running ~$464.
Paul - FYI - Jet Blue !
B

Best I could find was San Diego-Syracuse for $690. I think Upstate NY has always been expensive. Southwest helped a lot in Buffalo and Albany, but once their cheap seats fill up then the sky's the limit.

[biskits Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close biskits]

Thanks to all who responded....DS's girlfriend wisely decided not to make
cross country trek due to cost and flight scheduling.....The deceased
was the mother of one of her college buds so as much as she wanted to be there, it just wasnt meant to be
Best wishes,
Paul