Can You Take a Biodegradable Urn on a Plane? TSA Rules Explained

Flying With Cremated Remains: What Families Need to Know

When families ask me, “Can I bring the urn with me on a plane?” I hear the worry behind the question. The good news: yes, you can. In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allows you to travel with cremated remains if you follow their guidelines.

But there’s one gentle distinction I want to make: our biodegradable urns are not designed for transport. They are hand-crafted, delicate, and often adorned with soft paper flowers. They are meant to be placed gently on the water during a farewell, not to withstand the bumps of airports and airplanes.

TSA Rules in Plain Words

Cremated remains are permitted in both carry-on and checked baggage.
The urn or container must allow X-ray screening. TSA will not open the urn.
Recommended for travel: a temporary plastic or wood container provided by your crematorium.
Not recommended for travel: metal urns (cannot be X-rayed).

👉 Biodegradable water urns are perfect for the ceremony itself, once you arrive at your destination. For travel, use a sturdier, TSA-friendly temporary container.

Tips for Smooth Travel

Ask for a travel container: crematoriums often provide a simple box or plastic container for flying.
Keep documents handy: some airlines ask for a cremation certificate.
Arrive early: screening can take a few extra minutes.
Pack with care: keep the temporary container in your carry-on for safety.

When to Use the Biodegradable Urn

During the Ceremony: on the lake, river, or ocean, where it floats briefly and then dissolves.
Not During Transport: avoid packing it for flights—it may crush or tear, especially with the paper flowers.

Many families choose to carry ashes in a travel container, and once they arrive at the ocean or cruise ship, they transfer them gently into the Pachamama urn for the farewell.

FAQs Families Ask Most

Can TSA agents open the urn?
No. TSA does not open urns out of respect. If it can’t be X-rayed, it won’t be cleared.

Which urn should I fly with?
Use a temporary plastic or wood urn for flights. Save your Pachamama biodegradable urn for the ceremony itself.

Can I take the Pachamama urn through security?
You can, but we don’t recommend it—the urn is fragile and may be damaged in transit.

What if I want flowers with the urn?
Our urns come with delicate paper flowers designed to float. These are best carried separately in your luggage or purchased at your destination.

Traveling with cremated remains can feel stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Think of it as a two-step journey:

First, fly with a sturdy, TSA-approved container.
Then, at the water, transfer the ashes into your biodegradable urn for the farewell.

This way, your urn stays safe and your ceremony unfolds just as it should: gently, beautifully, and without worry.

👉 Planning a water ceremony? See our Cruise-Approved Biodegradable Urns
👉 Need a gentle farewell guide? Download our EPA Burial at Sea Worksheet (PDF).