Flying With A Loved One's Remains? TSA Has Some Unexpected Rules

Having to fly with a loved one's remains adds an extra layer of complexity to an already emotional journey. Whether you're traveling across the country to collect ashes, bringing them home to a final resting place, or transporting them for a memorial service, understanding the rules and requirements beforehand can help make things easier to manage. Per official TSA regulations, bringing cremated remains is possible. However, whether or not you're allowed to pack them in your carry-on or checked luggage depends primarily on the airline you're traveling with.

Although cremated remains might seem like an odd item to bring through airport security, there's no way to plan for life's unexpected moments. That said, most major U.S. carriers — like American Airlines, Delta, and United, for example — generally allow passengers to transport cremated remains, as long as travelers comply with their conditions. For one, American Airlines specifically states that cremated remains count as your carry-on item, and requires no special documentation. Meanwhile Delta asks for both a death and cremation certificate regardless of whether you're carrying-on or checking the remains. Lastly, United recommends always bringing remains as carry-on luggage, and even provides a specialized shipping service (TrustUA) for passengers who prefer not to travel with the remains personally.

Along with their own terms, all three airlines emphasize looking into the TSA's container guidelines before flying — especially considering that the agency has its own set of screening procedures that must be followed. This includes that all cremation containers must pass through X-ray machines, and that officers are prohibited from opening containers, even if requested. This essentially means your choice of container is crucial, especially considering that metal, ceramic, or stone urns can often create opaque images that may be rejected at security checkpoints.

If you're planning to fly with cremated remains, one of the first things you need to do is find the right container for transportation. As a helpful tip, most funeral homes can provide temporary urns made specifically for air travel. These are usually lighter, TSA-approved containers that come with "flight ready" labels that include the deceased details, as well as contact information. Even if you've already found a permanent urn, you might still want to use one of these temporary containers during the flight, and then transfer the remains once you've reached your final destination.

In addition to choosing the right container, it's also important to try and keep the remains with you in your carry-on luggage instead of checking them. After all, your bags go through a lot once they've been checked — from getting tossed around conveyor belts to spending most of their time out of TSA's sight — which means there's a higher risk of damage or loss.

On top of that, you'll also want to keep any paperwork handy too. While having a death certificate and cremation permit won't necessarily let you skip the X-ray screening process, these documents can be incredibly helpful if security personnel or airline staff have questions. When you get to the security checkpoint, make sure you let the TSA officers know what you're carrying, and always give yourself plenty of extra time. If there are any issues with the screening, you definitely don't want to risk missing your flight on top of looking for alternatives.

If you're planning on traveling with the cremated remains internationally, you'll probably need to do a little extra homework. Depending on the destination, each country will typically have its own set of rules about bringing these in. In some cases, you might need additional paperwork — like a letter from the health department that declares the deceased didn't have any communicable diseases, a cremation certificate, or a statement from your funeral director — in order to gain entry.

Beyond that, certain countries might even need to have these documents officially translated and/or certified. Time-wise, these processing times can vary significantly — taking up to several weeks in some cases — so make sure to contact the embassy or consulate of your destination country with plenty of time to find out exactly what you'll need before your trip. And while the entire ordeal might sound complex and overwhelming to start with, the truth is that these requirements exist solely to ensure proper and respectful handling of your loved one's remains — and to ensure their final journey runs a little smoother.