Flying or Shipping Ashes From North Dakota (2026): TSA Rules, USPS Shipping & Major Airports

If you are reading this, you are probably trying to do two things at once: honor someone you love and avoid a stressful mistake at the airport counter or the post office. That mix of grief and logistics is more common than people realize. Cremation is now the majority choice in the U.S.; the National Funeral Directors Association projects a 2025 U.S. cremation rate of 63.4%, and the Cremation Association of North America reports a 2024 cremation rate of 61.8%. When more families choose cremation, more families also find themselves traveling with a loved one’s remains—bringing them home, reuniting siblings in another state, or planning a ceremony when everyone can finally get time off.

This North Dakota guide is built around two clear paths—flying and mailing—because the right preparation depends on which route you are taking. Along the way, we will also talk about the container choices that make screening and shipping smoother, what documents help, and which North Dakota airports are typically used as starting points for these trips.

Before you travel, decide what you are traveling with

Most families are handed cremated remains in a simple container from the crematory. That is completely normal, and it is often the best starting point for travel. You can move to a permanent urn later—especially if you are still deciding what to do with ashes long-term. In many plans, the travel step comes first, and the memorial decision comes after.

If you do want a more protective or more meaningful container for travel, you have options that range from a full-size urn to a smaller, shareable keepsake. Funeral.com’s cremation urns for ashes collection includes many styles, while small cremation urns and keepsake urns can be helpful if you are dividing ashes among family members or keeping a small portion close during travel.

Path 1: Flying with cremated remains from North Dakota

If your search looks like fly with ashes North Dakota, flying with cremated remains North Dakota, or can you bring ashes on a plane North Dakota, you are not alone. The good news is that flying with ashes is usually straightforward when you plan around one core reality: the container must be able to be screened.

What TSA screening actually requires

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allows cremated remains through the checkpoint, but they must be screened. TSA also notes that officers will not open the container. In practice, that means the container needs to be “scannable” by X-ray—if the image cannot be cleared, you may not be able to bring it through security.

This is why families often see the phrase tsa rules cremated remains North Dakota and assume they need a special product. What you really need is a container that security can see through on X-ray. If you want a deeper walk-through of what travelers experience at the checkpoint, Funeral.com’s guide on TSA guidelines for cremated remains is a helpful companion to this state-specific planning.

Do I need a “TSA-approved urn” in North Dakota?

Many families search tsa approved urn North Dakota because it sounds like there is a formal certification. In reality, TSA does not publish a universal “approved urn list.” The practical standard is whether the urn can be screened. Lighter, non-metal materials are often easier for screening than dense metals or thick stone. If you already own a beautiful permanent urn that is heavy, opaque, or made of metal, consider traveling with a temporary container and transferring later at your destination.

For families who want something meaningful but travel-friendly, you may choose a simpler urn for the trip and keep the decorative urn waiting at home. If you are also considering wearable memorials, cremation jewelry and cremation necklaces can hold a very small portion while a primary urn stays safely packed.

Carry-on vs. checked: how to pack ashes for a flight

TSA allows cremated remains to be transported, but it also notes that some airlines restrict or discourage checking them, so you should verify airline policies before the day of travel. Most families prefer carry-on because it keeps the remains with you, reduces the chance of rough handling, and makes it easier to respond if screening questions come up at the checkpoint.

A calm, practical approach looks like this: place the inner container inside a protective bag or padded case, keep it in your carry-on (not loose in a tote), and pack it so you can remove it if asked. If you are traveling in winter weather, remember that delays and rebookings are common, so keeping the remains with you also reduces the risk of luggage separation.

Documents to bring (and why they help)

TSA screening is about the container, but your trip is still a human situation. Carry documentation so you can answer questions without stress. Many families travel with a cremation certificate and, when available, a death certificate copy. Domestic trips may not always require paperwork at the checkpoint, but it can smooth conversations with airline staff, security personnel, or international authorities.

If there is any chance your trip involves a border crossing—Canada is a common example from North Dakota—plan for additional requirements. U.S. Customs and Border Protection notes that a death certificate and cremation permit may be required and that embassy paperwork can apply for international transport. See CBP guidance. Funeral.com also has a dedicated planning guide on international travel with ashes that is worth reading before you book.

North Dakota airports used most often as starting points

North Dakota travelers typically start at the airport that gives them the simplest first leg to a major hub. The goal is fewer connections and fewer rushed handoffs. Here are the commercial airports most often used by residents, with the hub patterns they commonly connect into:

• Fargo (FAR) – Hector International Airport: Fargo offers nonstop options to major hubs and connection cities, including Minneapolis–St. Paul, Denver, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta (service varies by season and airline). See Fargo’s airline list.
• Bismarck (BIS) – Bismarck Airport: Common nonstop connections include Minneapolis–St. Paul and Denver, with additional service to Chicago O’Hare and Dallas/Fort Worth depending on carrier. See Bismarck’s airline information.
• Minot (MOT) – Minot International Airport: Minot is a major starting point for central and northwest North Dakota travelers; the airport notes service by Delta, United, and Allegiant. See Minot International Airport.
• Grand Forks (GFK) – Grand Forks International Airport: Grand Forks lists nonstop leisure routes through Allegiant and supports connections through larger airports depending on carrier. See Airlines at GFK.
• Williston (XWA) – Williston Basin International Airport: Williston advertises year-round nonstop access to Minneapolis and Denver, with seasonal options such as Las Vegas. See Fly XWA route information.
• Dickinson (DIK) – Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport: Dickinson notes United service to Denver for onward connections. See Dickinson departures/arrivals.
• Jamestown (JMS) – Jamestown Regional Airport: Jamestown highlights daily service to Denver on United Express for connections beyond. See Jamestown Regional Airport.
• Devils Lake (DVL) – Devils Lake Regional Airport: Devils Lake describes daily round-trip flights to Denver through United-operated service. See Devils Lake booking information.

When you plan your day, build in extra time at the first airport, not just the connection. A missed connection is frustrating; a missed connection while carrying ashes can feel unbearable. If you have the option, choose an itinerary with a longer layover and fewer tight turns, even if it costs a little more.

Practical airport tips that reduce stress

Small choices can make the experience calmer. Tell the TSA officer, quietly and simply, that you are traveling with cremated remains. Keep the container in your carry-on until requested. Avoid wrapping the container in heavy foil, dense layers, or anything that makes the X-ray image harder to interpret. If you are traveling with pet urns for ashes or pet cremation urns, the same screening principles apply—families often choose a simpler travel container and then transfer into a more decorative memorial later, such as from Funeral.com’s pet cremation urns or pet figurine cremation urns collections.

Path 2: Mailing or shipping ashes from North Dakota

If your search looks like ship ashes North Dakota, mail cremated remains North Dakota, usps cremated remains North Dakota, or how to ship ashes usps North Dakota, the key thing to know is that shipping is not treated like an ordinary parcel. USPS created a special process for visibility and security, and in 2025 it tightened the rules.

USPS states that customers shipping human or animal cremated remains must use the branded Priority Mail Express Cremated Remains packaging, and that customers no longer have the option of using their own box. See the USPS update, There’s a new rule for shipping cremated remains. USPS also publishes detailed packaging instructions in Publication 139, including requirements for a sealed, sift-proof inner container and the use of the USPS cremated remains box.

It is also worth knowing what not to do. Major private carriers publish restrictions that commonly prevent shipping cremated remains through them. For example, UPS lists “cremated or disinterred remains” among prohibited items. See UPS prohibited items. DHL similarly lists “human remains, including ashes” as restricted commodities. See DHL restricted commodities. In real-world planning, that typically leaves USPS as the practical path for mailing ashes.

A simple step-by-step USPS shipping plan

When families feel overwhelmed, it helps to reduce shipping to a small sequence of safe steps. Here is the cleanest way to do it:

• Use the USPS Priority Mail Express Cremated Remains packaging (often called the cremated remains kit/box). USPS lists cremated remains kits in its Postal Store. See USPS cremated remains kit listings.
• Place the cremated remains in a strong, durable, sealed, sift-proof inner container, then cushion it thoroughly so it cannot shift, following Publication 139.
• Add a paper inside the box with both sender and recipient addresses and contact information, so the package can still be identified if the external label is damaged, as USPS recommends in Publication 139.
• Ship using Priority Mail Express (or Priority Mail Express International for international destinations where it is available), and keep the tracking number in at least two places (phone notes and an email to yourself).

If you are shipping a very small item—like cremation jewelry, a pendant, or a keepsake containing a small amount of ashes—USPS introduced a smaller cremated remains box option intended for jewelry and keepsakes. See USPS adds a new option for shipping cremated remains. This can matter if you are mailing cremation necklaces or a token amount to an artisan while keeping the primary urn at home.

Timing, tracking, and avoiding weekend delays

Most shipping mistakes are not about packaging—they are about timing. If you can choose your ship date, ship early in the week so the package is less likely to sit over a weekend. Avoid sending right before federal holidays, and consider weather patterns in both North Dakota and the destination city. If you are in a rush, remember that the goal is not just speed; it is reliable handoff with tracking you can monitor without guessing.

Provider checklist: when a funeral home or crematory ships for you

Some families prefer to have a funeral home or crematory handle shipment, especially when emotions are raw or when international documents are involved. If that is your plan, use this quick provider checklist so you know what to ask and what you are paying for:

• Who is providing the inner container and who is supplying the USPS cremated remains packaging?
• Which documents will be included or provided to you (cremation certificate, permits, certified death certificates if needed)?
• What is the exact ship date and cutoff time for handoff to USPS, and will you receive the tracking number immediately?
• Will the shipment require a signature at delivery, and who is the named recipient?
• What happens if weather delays the package, and who will proactively monitor tracking?
• What is included in the price (packaging, postage, paperwork preparation, staff time), and what is billed separately?

If your provider is helping you plan the overall memorial step—whether that means keeping ashes at home, arranging a scattering, or planning a water burial—it can help to separate the “transport” decision from the “memorial” decision. Funeral.com has gentle, practical guidance on keeping ashes at home and on water burial planning if you are still weighing options after the trip.

Money-saving tips and common pitfalls

Families often ask about shipping ashes cost North Dakota, and the honest answer is that the cost is usually driven by the required mail class and packaging, not by “finding a cheaper carrier.” That said, you can still avoid unnecessary expenses. Do not pay for re-shipping due to preventable mistakes: avoid last-minute shipping right before weekends, avoid using noncompliant packaging, and confirm the full destination address and phone number before the label is printed.

On the flying side, the most common pitfall is choosing an urn that is emotionally perfect but logistically difficult at the checkpoint. If you want to reduce the risk of last-minute surprises, travel with a simple, scannable container and keep a permanent urn ready for later. If you are coordinating a shared memorial, consider keepsake urns or pet keepsake cremation urns so multiple relatives can carry a small portion without repeatedly opening a primary urn. Funeral.com’s pet keepsake urns collection is designed specifically for that kind of “share plan.”

If you are budgeting for the entire process—not just travel—families often find it helpful to understand how much does cremation cost and what is included in different service models. Funeral.com’s overview of average cremation costs can give you a calmer starting point for those comparisons.

FAQs: Flying or Shipping Ashes From North Dakota