Passengers will find information regarding acceptable identification, prohibited items, prescreening, transp orting cremated remains , travel tips and more. Every airline has their own individual set of rules and regulations that passengers must adhere to when transporting ashes domestically. The airlines regulations are in addition to the regulations set forth by the TSA. A little bit of preplanning and preparation can save you time and emotional stress when you arrive at the airport.
Most airlines have clear protocol on transporting cremated ashes. Some airlines allow cremated ashes in carry-on bags only and some require advance notice that a passenger is transporting ashes.
Call the airline directly and ask about their restrictions on transporting ashes. Contact information for the top 10 domestic airlines can be found below. Much like the TSA, airlines have certain rules when it comes to documentation. Some airlines may only require a death certificate while others may want proof of relationship to the deceased. Make sure that all of your documentation is in order and that you are clear on what the airline requires.
Airlines typically suggest travelers arrive 60 minutes before the scheduled time of departure if you are not checking luggage and 90 minutes if you are checking luggage for domestic travel.
Allowing for extra times allows families to not have to rush through the screening process and answer any questions TSA agents may have. Airlines typically require passengers to check in with the airline before heading to screening. This allows them to go over your paperwork and make sure everything is in order. Any questions or concerns can often be caught ahead of time, allowing for a smooth screening process with TSA.
It is essential that the cremation urn carrying the ashes of the deceased meets the following requirements:. Buying airline and TSA friendly cremation urns gives families added assurance that the cremated ashes of their loved one will be safely stored and transported.
View our complete selection of travel urns and wood urns. Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines allows customers to bring cremated remains of humans and pets on board as a carry-on or checked baggage. Passengers must have a death certificate signed by a physician or health care officer.
Delta Airlines Delta Airlines allows passengers to carry-on or check cremated ashes of humans and pets. A death certificate or a certificate of cremation is required. Frontier Airlines Frontier Airlines does allow passengers to bring cremated ashes of humans and pets by carry-on or by checked baggage.
Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian Airlines lets passengers bring cremated ashes of humans and pets by carry-on or checked baggage. JetBlue Airways When traveling with cremated ashes of humans, JetBlue Airways requires a certified copy of the death certificate and a certified document from he funeral director or crematorium that performed the cremation. The urn is considered a special item and does not count as the personal item or carry-on item of the passenger.
If bringing the cremated ashes of a pet, documentation from the veterinarian is preferable. Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines does not accept cremated ashes as checked baggage however the ashes of humans and pets can be brought onboard as a carry-on.
United Airlines Cremated ashes of humans and pets must be transported as carry-on baggage on United Airlines. Appropriate documentation such as a death certificate is recommended for TSA screening. Transporting cremated ashes internationally takes a little more planning than domestic transport of cremated remains.
Each country has their own set of rules that travelers must adhere to when it comes to transporting ashes into their country. You need to contact the embassy of the country you will be traveling to find out if they will accept cremated remains. Contact information for individual countries can be found at US Embassy web page. The top 20 countries visited by the US embassies are listed below. Embassy in Nassau. Embassy in Beijing. Embassy in Bogota. Embassy in San Jose. Embassy in Santo Domingo.
Embassy in Paris. Embassy in Berlin. Consulate General in Hong Kong. Embassy in New Delhi. Embassy in Dublin. Embassy in Jerusalem. Embassy in Rome. Embassy in Kingston. Embassy in Tokyo. Embassy in The Hague. How the urn passed through an X-ray machine without even a plastic bin to protect it. How the remains of his mother were swabbed for bomb residue as if it were a homemade explosive device—all while a crowd of passengers stood by and watched in horror.
It happened in July at Tampa International Airport; Hewitt had been in the area for memorial services. Disclosure: Hewitt is a personal friend. When the bag was flagged, Hewitt was pulled out of the line as the officers treated the urn as if it were just another piece of suspicious cargo, clumsily fumbling through his belongings, unable to determine where—or what—the object was. When Hewitt tried to help them, they demanded he keep out of it.
In these situations, you have travelers who are already grieving, carrying unusual cargo. Some materials, particularly thick, dense ones, do not let X-rays pass through them, typically showing up as solid shapes. According to the TSA, ashes and cremated remains must travel through the X-ray machine just like all other baggage. Select a TSA approved urn that can pass through an X-ray machine. The TSA recommends that you use an urn made of wood, biodegradable materials like paper , or plastic when flying with ashes.
However, not every airline allows cremains to be carried in checked luggage, so it's important to check with your carrier before going to the airport. In addition, there is always the risk that your luggage could be lost or damaged during your trip, putting the urn at risk. If you plan to keep the urn in your carry-on bag, it's one less thing to worry about. The extra time means that, if the TSA screener does not allow the urn to pass through the security checkpoint for some reason, you can look into alternative ways to transport the cremains.
With enough preparation, you should be able to avoid missing a flight or having to ship the cremains. One of the easiest ways to know that your cremation urn will be able to pass through the security checkpoint is to choose an urn that's clearly labeled as meeting TSA standards.
Many biodegradable urns, for example, have a "flight ready" label. You can also call our helpful customer service team at to learn more about which urns are approved for air travel. Of course, you may have chosen a beautiful metal urn or one made of glass or ceramic that, even if it can pass through an X-ray machine, could be damaged during your travels. Instead of risking carrying that cremation urn through security or in your checked bag, you can use a temporary or travel urn instead.
Many funeral homes will provide a simple cardboard box to carry the cremains in temporarily, or you can purchase an inexpensive temporary cremation urn package. Many travel urns include an optional engraved identification plate in case the urn is misplaced. TSA screeners will never open a cremation urn out of respect for the deceased, even if you ask them to, so there is no reason to not seal the urn.
By keeping the urn closed and sealed, you significantly reduce the chances of spillage or a similar accident when flying with cremated remains. While documentation from a funeral home is not sufficient to allow the urn to travel on the plane without first passing through an X-ray machine, it could come in handy when flying with ashes if there are any questions from TSA screeners or airline employees.
There may also be local laws requiring this documentation at your destination. Examples of documentation that you may want to carry include the Death Certificate and Certificate of Cremation.
Every country has its own laws about traveling with cremated remains and whether or not a funeral director or cemetery is required to be involved. Ask the funeral home you worked with if they have experience with transporting cremains out of the United States or if they can direct you to someone who does.
In addition, you should call the embassy of the country you're traveling to in order to learn about the specific legal requirements for transporting human cremains. You may need to fill out special forms or get additional authorization for your travel, so leave yourself at least two weeks for the paperwork and approvals.
Wondering if you can bring ashes on a plane safely? During a difficult time of loss, trying to understand all the rules and regulations around flying with cremated remains is one more stress added to your life.
You may want to avoid the issue completely by mailing the cremation urn instead. In the United States, the US Postal Service is the only legal way to ship cremated ashes domestically or internationally.
Read more about shipping cremated remains safely. One of the benefits of shipping instead of flying with ashes is that you can use whatever type of urn you want. The cremation urn that you choose should be sealed, however, and you may want to use a relatively durable container. It's also a good idea to put the urn inside a sealed plastic bag, just in case.
The urn will need to be carefully padded and placed inside a shipping box. Always include your name, address, and other contact information on a sheet of paper inside the shipping box.
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