Transporting Cremated Remains

As a general rule, transporting cremated remains by plane carries the most restrictions. We’ve outlined the most important things you should consider before you choose a container or book a flight.

The Transportation Security Administration maintains rules for items that you want to bring with you on a flight. Although TSA employees aim to treat all your items with respect, especially cremated remains, you must follow their guidelines in order to pass the security screening.

Special Note: Be sure to check with the airline handling your flight, as they may have additional rules you need to consider.

Carry-on vs. Checked Baggage

Depending on your airline, you may able to put cremated remains in your carry-on or checked luggage. Here are the pros and cons of each choice:

Carry-on luggage: You can keep the remains close to you, but you may have space limitations or be required to check the bag at the last minute.
Checked luggage: You have more space for a full-sized urn, but you don’t have your luggage at hand during transit.

Packing Requirements

To pass the security screening, you must choose a container that works with the screening equipment. You should select a container made of wood, plastic, or another lightweight material. Metal urns may show as opaque on a TSA scanner, and they will generally not allow such items to pass. If you plan to use an urn made of paper or other biodegradable materials, you should put the urn in a rigid, padded container to protect it during transit.

TSA Screening Concerns

When you arrive at security for screening, tell them in advance of the contents of your luggage. If you encounter an issue with the screening, remember that TSA will not open the container to verify its contents, even at your request.

Before you can climb aboard your flight, you need to ensure that you meet the airline’s requirements for travel with cremated remains. Most airlines have policies allowing it, but you should confirm with your airline in advance. These airline policies apply to domestic travel only, and you may need to follow additional rules for international travel.

Special note: You may need to bring a death certificate and proof of cremation from the funeral director or crematory.

American Airlines
American Airlines allows you to transport remains in your carry-on or checked luggage with no special requirements.

Delta Airlines
Delta permits you to put remains in your carry-on or checked bags, but you must have a death or cremation certificate upon check-in.

Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines allows cremated remains in checked or carry-on luggage, presuming it is packed in an insulated container that will pass TSA screening.

JetBlue Airways
JetBlue permits you to carry cremated remains in your carry-on bag, as long as you bring a death certificate and can stow the bag for the entire duration of the flight.

Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines offers transportation services for cremated remains as carry-on luggage or cargo shipping.

Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines allows you to put cremated remains in carry-on or checked luggage.

United Airlines
United Airlines classifies human remains under their fragile items policy, which require you to pass the TSA screening and bring the item in your carry-on luggage.

To get to your destination without conflict, you may need to choose a different container than the one you plan for your loved one’s final rest. Here are a few things you should keep in mind as you make a choice.

Materials

To pass the TSA screening, you’ll need to choose a material that will allow the scanner to see the interior contents. Wood, cardboard, or plastic usually work best.

Size and Weight

Containers must meet dimension and weight limits for carry-on or checked luggage. Airlines may charge additional fees or refuse to accept bags that do not meet the requirements. Try these tips to simplify the process:

• Choose a smaller urn to meet the dimension limits.
• Select lightweight materials, to help you stay under carry-on weight limits.
• Consider shipping the urn to your destination separately, so that you can choose the size, material, and style that suits your loved one.

To minimize the likelihood of a hassle at the airport, you may want to buy a simple, inexpensive urn that you can use for transportation. Once you arrive, you could transfer the remains to a larger or ornate urn for a permanent placement, scattering, or burial.

Preparing for Travel

Traveling with the remains of a loved one can bring up a lot of emotions, more than standard travel. You may want to give yourself extra time to plan and prepare, and space to handle moments of grief throughout the journey.

Getting Through Airport Security

Presuming that you bring an appropriate container for the cremated remains, you should have no issue going through the TSA checkpoint. If you can, try to show up early enough that you can get through the line without worrying about being late. Alert the TSA staff member of the container and its contents, so they can handle it with care.

Interacting With Other Passengers

Think about typical interactions you can expect to have with fellow passengers, and plan a few things you can say to make the journey feel easier. If you don’t want to talk about your reasons for travel or your precious cargo, remember that it’s perfectly acceptable to tell a seatmate that you’re not in the mood for conversation.

Follow these tips to reduce the chances of confusion, stress, or upset when you arrive to the airport:

• Consult TSA policies when you book your flight.
• Contact your airline directly to confirm carrying requirements.
• Print out or save a copy of your airline’s policies for reference.
• Keep documents with you in a folder or envelope, for easy access.
• Arrive at the airport with plenty of time to check your bags and go through the security line.

With a little planning, you can avoid most of the common obstacles and get through your flight without incident.

If you don’t have the ability to transport cremated remains with you, you could consider shipping them instead. You may have a few options for shipping, depending on the destination. Here are a few things you should know about the packaging and shipping process for cremated remains.

Shipping Carriers

With the exception of the United States Postal Service, most shipping carriers will refuse to transport human remains of any kind, in any container. The USPS will allow you to ship cremated remains, presuming that you use USPS Priority Mail Express service and follow their rules for packaging and shipping cremated remains, which include the use of a special label on the box.

You may be able to ship remains using an airline, even if you’re not planning to fly along. Some airlines, including Delta and United Airlines, offer cargo shipping services and are willing to carry cremated remains. Consult these companies to find out more information about pricing and their specific policies for transport.

How to Choose an Appropriate Urn

With shipping, you have more options in your choice of urn than you do for air travel. You may want to select an option that can handle the bumps of the shipping process with ease. The best materials for shipping include wood and metal. If you prefer an urn made of glass, ceramic, paper, or biodegradable materials, you may need to provide additional protection to avoid damage during transport.

In The Light Urns offers a variety of urns that can meet shipping requirements without compromising style or quality. Our cremation jewelry, urns, and keepsakes give you plenty of choices to suit any style.

Secure packaging can make the difference between success and disaster for transporting cremated ashes. Here are a few packing tips to help you provide the best protection within shipping guidelines:

• Choose a durable urn that won’t collapse under minimal pressure, such as one made of wood or metal.
• Put the urn in a plastic bag you can seal, to keep remains from falling out during an unexpected rupture.
• Wrap the urn tightly in plastic packing wrap, to keep it sealed for the journey.
• Surround the urn with bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or packing paper, to provide an additional cushion.
• Seal all openings to the package completely with packing tape.
• Put the sender and recipient’s address on the outer package, in case the box gets lost during transit.

You may want to buy more supplies than you think you need, so that you don’t run out of tape or protection during packing.

Transporting cremated remains by car makes the easiest choice for most families. All you have to do is put the remains in an appropriate, sealed container and keep it safe for the duration of your journey. If you don’t like flying, or you want to buy an urn that is unique in size, shape, or material, vehicle transportation is ideal.

Before you pack your vehicle, be sure to get the urn ready for travel. This involves wrapping the urn in plastic wrap to ensure a tight seal. You may want to put the urn in a box to protect it, especially if you’re using an urn made of glass or other fragile materials.

To minimize the chance of the ashes falling out, you should consider using a separate container to hold the ashes. Many options will fit inside a standard urn, avoiding damage or loss if the urn is disrupted as you travel. Remember that once you arrive, you need to follow the local rules for disposing of the remains.

Keeping a Memory of Your Loved One

However you choose to transport your loved one’s cremated remains, you should make extra space for the time and emotional energy it requires. Many people find that holding a memory of their loved ones helps to remind them of their wonderful experiences, especially if they’re leaving the cremated remains in a place that’s far away.

Cremation Jewelry

You can keep a part of your loved one close to you at all times with cremation jewelry. Our cremation jewelry comes in various materials and styles, as a pendant, necklace, bracelet, and more. Some pieces allow you to customize the jewelry to include a photograph or engraved lines of text.

Custom Memorial Items

If you’re traveling to participate in or host a memorial to your loved one, you might consider personalized memorial items for the experience. It’s common to bring or look at photos of your loved one as you travel. You can also order keepsakes with photos or other information that you can give out at the memorial. You can browse keepsakes to find options that work with shipping or air travel requirements. With these items, you can help to keep your memories alive and feel closer to your loved one, whenever you need to.

Transport Cremated Remains With Care and Respect

The best way to avoid stress in planning to travel with cremated remains is to give yourself time to research and plan ahead for the process. When you know the requirements, you can choose a container or urn that follows the rules. With all the necessary boxes checked, you can spend more time focusing on your own needs throughout your journey.

When you’re thinking about how you can best show love and respect for your loved one at this difficult time, you may want to look at the wide selection at In The Light Urns. You can find a variety of options that follow even the strictest transportation requirements, with lovely designs and options to personalize each urn, keepsake, or memorial item. In The Light Urns can help you understand the limitations and make a selection that eases your responsibilities.