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All Articles & Guides / Ashes  / 8 Tips For Flying with Ashes and Cremation Urns

8 Tips for Flying with Ashes and Cremation Urns

Airplane in the clouds

Losing a loved one is always difficult, and having to fly across the country to retrieve or deliver that person’s ashes can be a challenge on a completely different level. To answer the common question – can you bring ashes on a plane? Yes, you can, but to make your trip easier and avoid any unexpected surprises, we’ve put together 9 tips for traveling with ashes by plane.

1. Can you take an urn on a plane?

When traveling with ashes, carry the cremains in an urn that can pass through an X-ray machine.

Woman putting bag through security scanner at airport

All luggage, both carry-on and checked, will go through an X-ray machine or a special CT scanner that works in a similar way. Some materials, particularly thick, dense ones, do not let X-rays pass through them, typically showing up as solid shapes.

TSA approved black urn box

According to CATSA, the urn or cremation container must be made of a material that allows the X-ray to clearly scan its contents. It must also pass a security screening, regardless of any documents from the funeral home. Screening officers will not open cremation containers.

It is recommended that you use an urn made of wood, biodegradable materials (like paper or cardboard), cloth, or plastic when flying with ashes, and avoid urns made of metal, stone, or ceramics.

2. Keep the urn in your carry-on bag.

Man pulls carryon luggage behind him

Some airlines do not allow cremated remains in checked baggage, so it is recommended to keep all cremation containers or urns in your carry-on luggage. Always check with your airline prior to arriving at the airport if you’re unsure. There is also the risk that your luggage could be lost or damaged during your trip, putting the urn and ashes of the deceased at risk. If you plan to keep the urn in your carry-on bag, you won’t have to worry about the potential scenario of losing them.

3. Give yourself extra time to get through security.

People wait in line to board airplane at airport

It’s always a good idea to give yourself plenty of time to pass through the security checkpoint, but it’s even more important when flying with ashes, since they are so precious. The extra time means that, if the security 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.

4. Consider using a temporary urn during your travels.

Identification label on cremains box

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.

5. Always keep the urn closed and sealed, if possible.

Biodegradable urns

Security 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. If you’re worried about your urn breaking, make sure the cremated remains are in an urn bag to prevent any spills.

6. Carry official documentation from the funeral home.

Death certificate with black ribbon, pen, and white rose

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 security 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.

7. Talk to a licensed funeral director before traveling internationally with cremains.

Flight departures board

Every country has its own laws about traveling with cremated remains and whether 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 Canada or if they can direct you to someone who does. In addition, you should call the embassy of the country where you're traveling to learn about the specific legal requirements for transporting human or animal 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.

8. Skip the airport – Mail the cremains instead.

Canada Post truck

Wondering if you can bring ashes on a plane safely? We hope that by following our tips you’ll be able to easily travel with ashes stored in an X-ray-friendly urn, as long as your airline allows you to.

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 Canada, the Canada Post 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.

As with flying with cremated remains overseas, you should contact the embassy or consulate of the country where the package is to be delivered to find out if the cremains can be legally sent and what regulations you must follow. For complete instructions on how to package and ship cremated remains, please visit FSAC.ca.

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