answer:First, congratulations on the grandbaby that is coming. :) Second, welcome to Fluther. Finally, to the matter at hand. I’ve never heard of being able to purchase an airline ticket without a date on it. You have to have a date, and there will be a fee and other charges to change your travel plans. There are tickets that you can purchase which will allow you to change your dates later, but they are much more expensive than discounted fares. They are right up there with first class prices. Now, I’ve seen something called travel insurance on Internet sites like expedia.com. I could very well be wrong, but something like that may make it possible for you to change dates. Your best bet is to pick an airline and call them directly and ask.