Flying with Ashes on Silver Airways (2026): What to Ask, What to Pack & TSA Screening Rules

If you landed on this guide because you have a Silver Airways itinerary for 2026, start with one important update: Silver Airways announced it shut down and canceled flights on June 11, 2025, after a failed bankruptcy restructuring. You may need to rebook on another carrier (or request a refund through the original form of payment). The Associated Press summarizes the shutdown and refund guidance in its coverage of the announcement. The Associated Press

Still, families continue to travel with cremated remains every day—often on smaller aircraft where overhead space is limited and gate-checking is common. So consider this a practical guide for travel with cremated remains on any regional airline, including situations where you were originally booked on Silver and were re-accommodated to another carrier.

Why flying with ashes feels so stressful (and why you’re not overthinking it)

Cremation is now the majority choice in the United States, which means more families are navigating questions like what to do with ashes, how to memorialize them, and how to move them safely between homes, siblings, or meaningful places. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate was projected at 63.4% for 2025, with burial projected at 31.6%. When you combine that reality with how spread out families can be, it makes sense that so many people are searching for guidance on flying with cremains—especially when the trip already carries emotional weight.

On a regional carrier, the anxiety usually isn’t about whether you’re “allowed” to fly with ashes. It’s about all the small things that can go wrong: a gate agent asking you to valet-check a bag at the last second, a security screening delay, or a container that can’t be cleared on an X-ray. The goal of this guide is to reduce those risks—so you can move through the day with steadier hands.

The TSA rule that matters most: your container must be X-rayable

TSA’s published guidance is straightforward, but there’s one line that changes how you should plan: if you carry on cremated remains, the container must go through X-ray screening, and if the officer cannot determine it’s free of prohibited items, it won’t be permitted. TSA also states officers will not open the container, even if you ask. Transportation Security Administration

This is why families are often advised to avoid thick metal urns for airport screening. It’s not because metal is “illegal.” It’s because some materials can be difficult to clearly image. If the X-ray can’t clear it, you can be forced into an impossible choice at the checkpoint. Planning around that one point—X-ray visibility—reduces the biggest screening risk.

Carry-on strategy on a regional airline: assume gate-checking will happen

On smaller aircraft, gate agents may valet-check standard rolling carry-ons because overhead bins can be limited or smaller. That’s not a moral failing of the airline; it’s physics. But it changes your strategy. You want the ashes in something that stays with you, even if a larger bag is tagged at the gate.

The simplest approach is to treat the ashes like a passport: they live in your “never gate-checked” item. That usually means a personal item that stays under the seat—small backpack, tote, or messenger bag. Inside that bag, keep the container stable and padded so it doesn’t shift when you set the bag down.

TSA itself recommends carrying the urn on board in your immediate possession and warns that checking it may present a risk of inadvertent loss. Transportation Security Administration

Choosing the right urn for the trip (and the right urn for home)

Many families don’t realize they can separate “travel needs” from “long-term memorial needs.” The container that is best for airport screening is not always the container you want on your mantle forever. It is completely reasonable to travel with a temporary container and later transfer to a permanent urn once you’re home.

If you want to choose a permanent urn now, start with the plan: Are you keeping ashes at home? Sharing ashes among siblings? Planning a scattering, a cemetery placement, or a water burial? Your plan determines size, material, and closure style. Funeral.com’s guide on urn selection walks through that decision in calm, real-world terms: How to Choose a Cremation Urn.

For families who want to browse options by intent, these collections tend to map cleanly to the choices people actually make:

• Cremation urns for ashes for a primary, at-home memorial
• Small cremation urns for smaller spaces, meaningful portions, or shared plans
• Keepsake urns when you want multiple family members to have a personal tribute
• Cremation jewelry and cremation necklaces for the smallest, most portable keepsake

If you’re traveling because you’re bringing a loved one to rest with family, a personal item can also help the day feel emotionally manageable. A set of keepsake urns or a single piece of cremation jewelry can let one person carry a symbolic portion while the primary container stays packed safely. If you’re new to that option, Funeral.com’s overview explains how pieces are filled, sealed, and worn: Cremation Jewelry 101.

What to pack with cremated remains

You don’t need a thick folder of paperwork, but you do want enough documentation to smooth the conversation if someone asks questions. Most travelers also appreciate having a “one-pocket” setup so they’re not rummaging at security.

• A copy of the cremation certificate (or cremation authorization paperwork) if you have it
• A copy of the death certificate if it’s easily available (not required for TSA screening in every case, but helpful for airlines, international travel, or border questions)
• Your itinerary and any rebooking documentation if your original flight changed carriers
• A small, soft pouch or wrap to keep the container stable inside your personal item

One more practical tip: avoid packing the ashes in a bag that also contains powders (like protein powder, bath salts, or large cosmetics) that could trigger extra screening. It doesn’t mean you can’t bring them—it just means you’re stacking avoidable friction on a day that’s already hard.

What to ask the airline before you leave for the airport

Because policies and aircraft vary, your best protection is asking the right questions early—especially on routes that use smaller planes or valet-check carry-ons. If you were rebooked from Silver to another carrier, ask these questions with the new airline’s name and flight number so you get an answer tied to the aircraft you’re actually boarding.

• “If carry-ons are valet-checked at the gate, can I keep a small personal item under the seat at all times?”
• “Are there any restrictions on transporting cremated remains in the cabin?”
• “If overhead bins are limited, what is the best way to ensure this item is not gate-checked?”
• “If a connection is involved, will a valet-checked bag be returned plane-side, or at baggage claim?”

You’re not asking these questions because you expect conflict. You’re asking because you want certainty. Most gate agents are kind and practical when you explain that you’re carrying cremated remains and need the item to stay with you.

How TSA screening typically works (and how to make it smoother)

Plan to arrive earlier than you normally would, not because you will definitely be delayed, but because you don’t want to feel rushed if the screening takes a little longer. TSA notes that cremated remains must pass through the X-ray machine if carried on, and that officers may use other non-intrusive methods if they can’t resolve an alarm through X-ray alone. Transportation Security Administration

When you’re next in line, it can help to quietly tell the officer, “I’m traveling with cremated remains.” You don’t need to announce it to the whole checkpoint, and you don’t need to tell a story. You’re simply giving context so the process can stay respectful and efficient.

If the container is in a protective pouch, keep it that way unless an officer asks you to remove it. Your goal is to avoid unnecessary handling. After screening, take a moment at a nearby bench to repack calmly before you head to the gate.

Planning what happens after the flight: home, sharing, or a meaningful ceremony

Sometimes the travel day is only one part of the bigger question: what to do with ashes once you arrive. Many families pause here, because the ashes can feel both comforting and intimidating. If you’re considering keeping ashes at home, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to decide everything immediately. Funeral.com’s guide on what’s normal (and what feels off) can help you find your footing: Keeping Ashes at Home: What’s Normal, What’s Not.

If your plan includes the ocean or a lake, you may be deciding between scattering and a water burial using a biodegradable urn. The details matter, especially with wind and timing, and it helps to choose an urn designed for the experience you want. This explainer breaks down the difference in practical terms: Water Burial vs. Scattering at Sea.

And if this trip is happening because your family is trying to make decisions quickly, it’s okay to zoom out for a moment and name the financial stress, too. People search how much does cremation cost because they want clarity, not upsells. The National Funeral Directors Association lists median costs for funeral arrangements (including funeral with cremation), which can give you a grounded reference point as you plan. For a plain-language breakdown focused on today’s price ranges and common fees, you can also read Funeral.com’s guide: How Much Does Cremation Cost in the U.S.?

Pet urns, too: when the ashes you’re carrying belong to a companion

Not every traveler carrying ashes is carrying a parent’s remains. Sometimes it’s a dog who moved through every stage of life with you, or a cat who was the steady presence in a hard season. The same practical travel principles apply—keep the ashes in a personal item, choose an X-ray-friendly container, and avoid anything that could be forced into a gate-checked bag.

When you’re home, families often want a memorial that feels personal without being overwhelming. Funeral.com’s pet urns for ashes collection includes a wide range of styles, including pieces designed for sharing or smaller spaces. If you’re looking for something especially personal, you can also explore pet cremation urns with figurine designs or smaller options meant for sharing: pet urns for ashes keepsakes.

And if you’re trying to decide what type fits your pet and your home, this guide is a gentle starting point: Pet Urns 101.

When you want the trip to feel like care, not logistics

There’s no perfect way to carry grief through an airport. But there are ways to make the day less fragile. Keep the ashes in a personal item that will never be gate-checked. Choose a container that can be clearly screened. Carry simple paperwork. Give yourself time. Then, when you arrive, let the next decision come slowly—whether that means selecting a permanent urn, choosing keepsake urns so everyone can share, or picking cremation jewelry that helps one person feel close in daily life.

If you want to browse calmly, these are common “next steps” families take after travel:

• Choose a primary memorial from cremation urns and cremation urns for ashes
• Share portions using keepsake urns or small cremation urns
• Wear a symbolic portion with cremation jewelry or cremation necklaces

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