AA no longer does bereavement fares. These days they would waive the change fee, and you could get lucky with no fare increase but you could just as easily get stuck with the fare difference for the new fare. Check your credit cards. If you have a premium card then some of them will provide travel insurance for trip cancellation or interruption in the event of the death of an immediate relative if you buy the ticket with the card. Otherwise that is what travel insurance is for. When you have a high likelihood of an imminent family death it is a good deal, and in any case it is not that expensive, usually about 5% of whatever you insure, and you are free to select how much coverage you buy. You do not need to cover the entire price of the trip unless you are trying to waive pre existing conditions. In the case of the death of an immediate relative not traveling with you, pre existing conditions not usually an issue for a claim but check your policy to be sure as they vary in fine print.