Whether you need to arrange to move a deceased family member across the United States, or return a loved one back to their country of origin to their final resting place; the issue of transporting a body is an added dilemma to making funeral arrangements.

Not only does the U.S. have a large immigrant population, many of which choose repatriation to their country of origin upon death; we also have a growing transient senior population.  More and more Americans are choosing to retire to warmer climates in Florida, California, Hawaii or even as far as Mexico and the Caribbean.  What does this mean for family when a death occurs?  Those left behind are faced with the issue of bringing Mom or Dad back to their hometown to be laid to rest in their designated cemetery plot.

Funerals themselves are no simple affair these days, with legislation governing many aspects of the process.  When it comes to needing to transport human remains internationally or nationally, we can be overwhelmed with the ‘red tape’.  Grieving family often do not even know where to start, and can make the mistake of just relying upon their local funeral home, who may not be versant with the complexities of mortuary shipping.  The result can be an unnecessary and overly expensive additional cost. 

Choose a Funeral Home experienced in funeral shipping.

How much does it cost to transport human remains?

This is where using an organization specialized in funeral shipping is important. It can cost up to $10,000 to internationally ship human remains, and this can be a huge unexpected and unplanned for expense on top of a funeral.  Some of the Funeral Homes who specialize in human remains transportation can offer you a service that will cost in the region of $3,800, (excluding the actual airline shipping fee), so a total cost is likely to be more in the region of $5,000. 

Flying a dead body is an expensive cost, the other alternative is to ship cremated remains.  Many of the funeral providers who specialize in funeral shipping will also be able to assist you with the option of arranging a direct cremation at the place of death, and then transportation of the ashes back to the family. 

What does an International Funeral Shipping Provider Do?

The specialized team handling the funeral shipping will also liaise with the receiving country, or state, funeral provider to ensure a seamless transportation process. They also handle the delivery and supervision onto the deceased’s international or domestic flight.

Transporting the deceased between cities, or inter-state, by land.

When the distance is beyond their travel range, the funeral service provider will hire a carrier that specializes in transporting human remains.
If the deceased will be embalmed in the destination city, or will not be embalmed at all, an appropriate method of refrigeration will be necessary during transportation. The remains may be packed in ice or placed in a refrigerated container.  If the body has been embalmed prior to transportation, refrigeration should not be necessary.  State legislation governing funerals homes can vary state-to-state, so the need for embalming may depend upon where the deceased is being transported from and to.

If you need to transport your loved one many miles, you may also wish to consider the benefits of air transportation of human remains.  This, again, is governed by airline regulations.

Cremated remains can be transported by the U.S. Postal Service so long as they are correctly packaged.