Guide · Updated 10 October 2026
Flying with a guitar
US airlines must let you carry on a guitar that fits in the overhead bin if there's space when you board. Here's how to get it on the plane, what each airline allows, and what to do if it has to go in the hold.
If you've ever watched your gig bag disappear down a jet bridge, you know the feeling. The good news is that US airlines have to let your guitar on board when there's room, and you can stack the odds in your favor. This guide walks you through it.
- Carry-on
- Allowed on US airlines if it fits a bin and there's room when you board
- Bins
- First come, first served, so board early
- Checked
- Up to 150 linear inches and 165 lb on US airlines
- Damage
- Report it before you leave the airport; some airlines allow 4 hours
Plan your flight
Plan your flight with a guitar
Your trip
Your plan
Carry it on
Carry your electric guitar on board and put it in the overhead bin.
- Under US law, a US airline must let you carry on an instrument that fits safely in an overhead bin or under a seat, if there's space when you board, for no more than its standard carry-on fee (14 CFR 251.3).
- Guitar-length cases go in the bin lengthwise. Bin space is first come, first served, so when you board decides most of it.
Chance the bins are full: Medium: the bins may be filling up when you board.
If that doesn't work: If the bins are full, ask a flight attendant whether it can go in a coat closet. If it has to be gate-checked, ask for it to come back to you at the aircraft door, and know that a gig bag gives little protection under the plane.
What Delta Air Lines allows
- Carry-on
- Guitars and smaller instruments such as violins and flutes are accepted as your free carry-on item if they fit easily in the overhead bin or another approved space, with room at boarding. If the bins are full, they can be gate-checked.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
- If it's checked
- Instruments can be checked up to 150 linear inches (381 cm) and 165 lb (75 kg) including the case. Delta recommends cases built to the ATA 300 Category I or II standard.
- Bag fees
- $45 for the first standard checked bag on US domestic flights. Fees for overweight (from 51 lb) and oversize (from 63 in) bags may apply to instruments; Delta's instrument page points to those charges and doesn't say they're waived.
- Liability
- Up to $4,700 per passenger on domestic flights, paying the documented purchase price less depreciation. Delta's contract says it isn't liable for damage to fragile articles that weren't packaged appropriately for checked baggage.
- Declaring a higher value
- Delta's domestic contract of carriage has no option to declare a higher value.
- Reporting damage
- Report damage in person at a Delta Baggage Service Office within 6 hours of arriving at your final destination, or within 24 hours if the damage couldn't be seen from the outside of the case.
Last checked 10 October 2026. Delta Air Lines policy page
Checklist
- Photograph the instrument from every side, with the serial number and any existing marks, the day you fly.
- Print the airline's instrument policy and, on a US airline, the US rule (14 CFR 251.3 to 251.5).
- Buy or claim the earliest boarding group you can.
- Measure the case. Know its length, width and depth.
- Fill the empty space in the case, especially around the headstock, so the instrument can't move.
- Keep your bag tags and boarding passes until you've opened the case at the other end.
If the crew says no
- 1Stay calm and polite. The gate agent and the crew decide, and they can say yes.
- 2Ask if there's room in a coat closet or another bin.
- 3Show the printout of the US rule: a US airline must let you carry on an instrument that fits the bin if there's space when you board.
- 4If it has to go under the plane, ask for a gate check with return at the aircraft door, not the baggage claim.
- 5If you won't let it go in a soft case, ask to be rebooked on a later flight.
- 6Write down the names of the agents, the time and what they said.
- 7Afterwards, you can file a complaint with the US Department of Transportation.
01 The rule
What US law says about instruments on planes
Since 2015, a US federal rule has told US airlines how to handle musical instruments. It comes from section 403 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, and the Department of Transportation's rule that put it into effect on 6 March 2015 (14 CFR part 251).
A US airline must let you carry on an instrument that fits safely in an overhead bin or under a seat, as long as there's space when you board. It can't charge more than its normal carry-on fee. The instrument counts as your carry-on bag, so on a full flight you may have to check your other bag.
The rule doesn't give instruments priority. Bin space is first come, first served: the crew doesn't have to move other people's bags for you, and they can't make you take out an instrument you've already stowed.
For a bigger instrument, you can buy it a seat. The airline can't charge more than the seat's price, and the instrument must be in a case and weigh 165 lb or less with the case.
An instrument that has to go under the plane must be accepted as checked baggage if its length, width and height add up to 150 inches or less and it weighs 165 lb or less. The airline can charge its normal bag fees, and smaller aircraft can have lower limits.
The rule binds US airlines on every flight, including international ones. Airlines based outside the US, such as Air Canada or British Airways, follow their own policies.
02 Before you go
Get the guitar ready the night before
These tips come from guitar makers, repair techs and musicians who fly often. Where they disagree, we say so.
Pick the case for the bin
A gig bag is lighter and bends into a bin more easily, and crews question it less often. A hard case protects better if it ends up under the plane. Musicians who fly often say a slim hard case or a padded gig bag both work for carry-on; what matters most is that the guitar can't move inside it.
Strings: take them down a little, or not at all
This is the one tip makers disagree on. Taylor says don't detune, because the cabin and the hold are pressurized and slack strings let the neck bow backward. Martin, Fender and Gibson's repair shop say loosen them, about a whole step at most for Gibson. Nobody recommends slackening them completely, since a floating bridge or saddle can shift. If the guitar might be checked, a whole step down is the common middle ground.
Fill the space around the headstock
Headstocks break when the guitar moves inside the case and the neck becomes the pivot. Pack T-shirts or socks around the headstock and along the neck until nothing can move. Gibson-style angled headstocks are the most at risk; Reverb's packing guide says to pad beside an angled headstock rather than directly under it.
Empty the case pocket
Take out the capo, string cutters, tools, coins and anything heavy, so nothing can hit the headstock. Taylor and Martin both say this. Take the strap off too.
Keep the humidity steady
Taylor recommends keeping an acoustic at 45 to 55% relative humidity with a case humidifier. Secure it so it can't leak. When you land somewhere cold, leave the case closed until it isn't cold to the touch, so a sudden temperature change doesn't crack the finish.
Photograph the guitar
Take photos of every side, the serial number and any marks it already has, on the day you fly. You'll need them if you make a damage claim.
Print the rules
Musicians who fly often keep a printed copy of the airline's instrument policy and the US rule (14 CFR 251.3) in the case pocket. Some say it has settled an argument at the gate; others say it never helped. It costs nothing to carry.
Book the right flight
The Department of Transportation suggests a nonstop flight when you can, then a direct one, so the instrument is handled less. Musicians add: avoid small regional jets, whose bins are often too small for a guitar, and avoid fares that board last.
03 At the airport
Through security and onto the plane
TSA allows guitars as carry-on and checked baggage. A carry-on instrument goes through the X-ray and may get a physical inspection. If it needs careful handling, tell the officer before they open the case; the officer has the final say.
Then the goal is simple: get on before the bins fill up.
Board early
When the Department of Transportation wrote the rule, it suggested musicians board early, including by paying for priority boarding. Musicians who fly often say this matters more than anything else. Elite status, a premium fare or a paid priority add-on all work.
Ask about the closet
Many larger jets have a coat closet near the front. Ask a flight attendant, politely, whether your guitar can go there. It's up to the crew, and regional jets usually don't have one, but musicians say it often works.
Take the first bin you can
Put the guitar in the first open bin, even if it's ahead of your row, lengthwise and flat, and make it your only bag in that bin. Put your other bag under the seat.
Be friendly and brief
Gate agents and flight attendants decide where the guitar goes. Musicians who fly often say calm and polite works better than quoting the law at someone, and keep the printout for when you need it.
04 Gate check or check
If it has to go under the plane
A gate check means you hand the guitar over at the aircraft door, and it's loaded last and given back to you on the jet bridge when you land. It's handled less than a checked bag. Ask for it to come back to you at the aircraft door, and ask for a fragile tag.
A checked bag goes through the baggage system with everything else, so check a guitar only in a hard case, and preferably a flight case built for the hold. Fill every gap, take the strings down a little, put your name and phone number inside and outside, and use a TSA-recognized lock so TSA can open it without cutting.
A gig bag gives little protection under the plane. Some airlines also limit what they'll pay for an instrument in a soft case, so check your airline below.
05 If the crew says no
What to do at the gate if you're told no
Musicians who've been through it suggest these steps, in this order.
1. Ask about a closet or another bin
Sometimes the answer is just a different spot. Offer to put it wherever the crew prefers.
2. Show the rules, calmly
On a US airline, show the printed rule: an instrument that fits the bin has to be allowed if there's room when you board. Show the airline's own policy too.
3. Ask for a supervisor
A gate supervisor or the captain can overrule a gate agent. Ask politely.
4. Gate-check it with return at the door
If it has to go under the plane, ask for a gate check with return on the jet bridge, and a fragile tag.
5. Ask to take a later flight
If you won't let it go under the plane in a soft case, ask whether the airline will move you to a later flight. It doesn't have to.
6. Write it down
Note the names, the time and what was said. On a US airline, you can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation afterward.
06 Ship it instead
When it makes sense to ship your guitar
Shipping is usually the better choice when the guitar would otherwise go in the hold: a vintage or one-of-a-kind guitar on an airline that won't sell it a seat, a flight on an airline whose contract excludes instrument damage, or a tour where every flight is another chance of a gate check.
It costs you time and some control. The guitar travels for days instead of hours, someone has to sign for it, and if it's damaged you claim from the carrier under the carrier's terms, with proof of what it was worth.
To ship a guitar, take the strings down a little, support the headstock, and put the guitar in its hard case and the case in a box with cushioning on every side. UPS says a case that has value has to be packed in a separate container. Declare the guitar's full value: UPS takes declared values up to $50,000 a package with no special limit for instruments, while FedEx caps guitars more than 20 years old, and custom guitars, at $1,000. Keep the box and packing until any claim is settled.
Ramble Shipping, from the team behind Ramble, is coming soon. It's built around music shops: you drop your instrument at a shop, which inspects, photographs and packs it before it ships, and the person receiving it can pick it up at a music shop near them.
07 Airline by airline
What each airline allows
From each airline's own instrument page and contract of carriage, with the date we last read them. American, United and Sun Country blocked automated reading, so their entries show what the US rule guarantees and what we couldn't confirm.
| Airline | Instrument seat | Carry-on fee | Damage to a checked instrument | Report damage within |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | Yes, at the adult fare | Not confirmed | Hard-sided cases only (reported) | Not confirmed |
| Delta Air Lines | Yes, full fare | No | Fragile articles excluded; instruments not named | 6 hours, in person |
| United Airlines | Yes (US rule) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Southwest Airlines | Yes, call to book | No | Soft cases excluded | 24 hours, in person |
| Alaska Airlines | Yes, 100% of the adult fare | No | Excluded on domestic trips | 24 hours |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Yes, 100% of the adult fare | No | Excluded on domestic trips | 24 hours |
| JetBlue | Yes | No | Excluded as fragile on domestic trips | 4 hours |
| Frontier Airlines | No | Yes | Excluded without a hard case | 4 hours |
| Allegiant Air | Yes, behind a bulkhead | Yes | Instruments not named as excluded | 24 hours |
| Sun Country Airlines | Yes, reserved in advance | Yes | Limited (reported) | Not confirmed |
| Air Canada | Yes, 50% off the lowest fare | No | Not liable if unsuitably packed | 7 days, in writing |
| British Airways | Yes, for instruments 80 to 140 cm | No | Soft cases refused in the hold | 7 days, in writing |
| Lufthansa | Yes, up to 75 kg | No | Not confirmed | 7 days, in writing |
| Air France | Yes, up to 46 kg a seat | No | Not confirmed | 7 days, in writing |
| KLM | Yes, up to 45 kg | No | Not confirmed | 7 days, in writing |
| Ryanair | Yes, an extra item seat | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | 7 days, in writing |
| easyJet | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | 7 days, in writing |
American Airlines
- Instrument seat
- Yes, at the adult fare
- Carry-on fee
- Not confirmed
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Hard-sided cases only (reported)
- Report damage within
- Not confirmed
Delta Air Lines
- Instrument seat
- Yes, full fare
- Carry-on fee
- No
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Fragile articles excluded; instruments not named
- Report damage within
- 6 hours, in person
United Airlines
- Instrument seat
- Yes (US rule)
- Carry-on fee
- Not confirmed
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Not confirmed
- Report damage within
- Not confirmed
Southwest Airlines
- Instrument seat
- Yes, call to book
- Carry-on fee
- No
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Soft cases excluded
- Report damage within
- 24 hours, in person
Alaska Airlines
- Instrument seat
- Yes, 100% of the adult fare
- Carry-on fee
- No
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Excluded on domestic trips
- Report damage within
- 24 hours
Hawaiian Airlines
- Instrument seat
- Yes, 100% of the adult fare
- Carry-on fee
- No
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Excluded on domestic trips
- Report damage within
- 24 hours
JetBlue
- Instrument seat
- Yes
- Carry-on fee
- No
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Excluded as fragile on domestic trips
- Report damage within
- 4 hours
Frontier Airlines
- Instrument seat
- No
- Carry-on fee
- Yes
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Excluded without a hard case
- Report damage within
- 4 hours
Allegiant Air
- Instrument seat
- Yes, behind a bulkhead
- Carry-on fee
- Yes
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Instruments not named as excluded
- Report damage within
- 24 hours
Sun Country Airlines
- Instrument seat
- Yes, reserved in advance
- Carry-on fee
- Yes
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Limited (reported)
- Report damage within
- Not confirmed
Air Canada
- Instrument seat
- Yes, 50% off the lowest fare
- Carry-on fee
- No
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Not liable if unsuitably packed
- Report damage within
- 7 days, in writing
British Airways
- Instrument seat
- Yes, for instruments 80 to 140 cm
- Carry-on fee
- No
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Soft cases refused in the hold
- Report damage within
- 7 days, in writing
Lufthansa
- Instrument seat
- Yes, up to 75 kg
- Carry-on fee
- No
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Not confirmed
- Report damage within
- 7 days, in writing
Air France
- Instrument seat
- Yes, up to 46 kg a seat
- Carry-on fee
- No
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Not confirmed
- Report damage within
- 7 days, in writing
KLM
- Instrument seat
- Yes, up to 45 kg
- Carry-on fee
- No
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Not confirmed
- Report damage within
- 7 days, in writing
Ryanair
- Instrument seat
- Yes, an extra item seat
- Carry-on fee
- Not confirmed
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Not confirmed
- Report damage within
- 7 days, in writing
easyJet
- Instrument seat
- Not confirmed
- Carry-on fee
- Not confirmed
- Damage to a checked instrument
- Not confirmed
- Report damage within
- 7 days, in writing
US airlines
- Carry-on
- Small instruments such as guitars and violins can be carried on, first come, first served, if they fit in the overhead bin or under the seat when you board. That's the US rule; American's own page couldn't be read when we checked.
- Instrument seat
- American sells a seat for an instrument at the regular fare, up to 165 lb with the case. The US rule caps what it can charge at the seat's price. Seat placement and booking details weren't confirmed on American's own pages.
- Checked
- Under the US rule, American must accept an instrument up to 150 linear inches and 165 lb as checked baggage, unless the aircraft's limits are smaller.
- Bag fees
- We couldn't confirm this on American's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Liability
- At least $4,700 per passenger on US domestic flights, the federal minimum. Reports say American pays for instrument damage only in a hard-sided case; we couldn't confirm that on its own pages.
- Declaring a higher value
- We couldn't confirm this on American's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Reporting damage
- Report damage at the airport before you leave. We couldn't confirm this on American's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on American's musical instruments page (couldn't be read).
- Carry-on
- Guitars and smaller instruments such as violins and flutes are accepted as your free carry-on item if they fit easily in the overhead bin or another approved space, with room at boarding. If the bins are full, they can be gate-checked.
- Instrument seat
- You can buy a full-fare ticket for an instrument too fragile to check. It must weigh 165 lb (75 kg) or less, be packaged or covered, be secured with a seatbelt, sit in the same cabin as you, and not block exits, aisles or signs. Call Delta Reservations for the price.
- Checked
- Instruments can be checked up to 150 linear inches (381 cm) and 165 lb (75 kg) including the case. Delta recommends cases built to the ATA 300 Category I or II standard.
- Bag fees
- $45 for the first standard checked bag on US domestic flights. Fees for overweight (from 51 lb) and oversize (from 63 in) bags may apply to instruments; Delta's instrument page points to those charges and doesn't say they're waived.
- Liability
- Up to $4,700 per passenger on domestic flights, paying the documented purchase price less depreciation. Delta's contract says it isn't liable for damage to fragile articles that weren't packaged appropriately for checked baggage.
- Declaring a higher value
- Delta's domestic contract of carriage has no option to declare a higher value.
- Reporting damage
- Report damage in person at a Delta Baggage Service Office within 6 hours of arriving at your final destination, or within 24 hours if the damage couldn't be seen from the outside of the case.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on Delta's musical instruments page, Delta's contract of carriage (last modified 18 August 2026), Delta's baggage fees.
- Carry-on
- Under the US rule, United must let you carry on a small instrument such as a guitar or violin if it fits in the overhead bin or under a seat, with room at boarding. United's own pages couldn't be read when we checked.
- Basic economy
- Basic economy on United allows only a small personal item in the cabin for most travelers, and reports say a larger instrument brought to the gate is checked with a gate handling charge. We couldn't confirm the instrument rules on United's own pages.
- Instrument seat
- Under the US rule, United must let an instrument in a case, 165 lb or less, fly in a seat you buy for it, for no more than the seat's price. Booking details weren't confirmed on United's own pages.
- Checked
- Under the US rule, United must accept an instrument up to 150 linear inches and 165 lb as checked baggage, unless the aircraft's limits are smaller.
- Bag fees
- We couldn't confirm this on United's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Liability
- At least $4,700 per passenger on US domestic flights, the federal minimum.
- Declaring a higher value
- We couldn't confirm this on United's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Reporting damage
- Report damage at the airport before you leave. We couldn't confirm this on United's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on United's musical instruments page (couldn't be read).
- Carry-on
- An instrument can be your carry-on if space is available. Larger than the 24 x 16 x 10 inch carry-on size is fine if it fits in an overhead bin or under a seat. Southwest has assigned seats since 27 January 2026, so bin space depends on your boarding group.
- Instrument seat
- Call Southwest to buy a non-refundable seat for the instrument. It must fit in the seat and be secured with a seatbelt, in a window seat with you in the seat next to it, and never in an emergency exit row.
- Checked
- Accepted up to 150 linear inches and 165 lb including the case. An instrument in a soft case, or packaging that can't protect it, has to be checked under a limited release, and Southwest takes no liability for damage to it.
- Bag fees
- Standard checked bag fees apply: $45 for the first bag on Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares booked from 9 April 2026. Oversize fees are waived for instruments up to 150 inches. Overweight: $100 extra from 51 to 70 lb, $200 extra from 71 to 165 lb.
- Liability
- Up to $4,700 per passenger on domestic flights. Southwest isn't liable for damage to fragile or unsuitably packed items or soft-sided cases accepted under its limited release, and checking one counts as agreeing to that release.
- Declaring a higher value
- You can declare up to $1,250 more at check-in ($5,950 in total) for $1 per $100. It isn't sold for fragile, unique or irreplaceable items or antiques; instruments aren't named.
- Reporting damage
- Report damage in person at the airport and get a baggage report number within 24 hours of arrival.
- Boarding early
- Southwest suggests buying Priority Boarding ($10 to $75 per flight) or a fare that includes a boarding benefit, such as Choice Extra.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on Southwest's musical instrument help page, Southwest's optional travel charges, Southwest's contract of carriage (effective 24 September 2026).
- Carry-on
- A small instrument such as a violin or guitar can be carried instead of your carry-on bag if it fits safely in an overhead bin or under a seat, with room at boarding. A very small instrument can count as your personal item. Alaska says instruments should be in a hard-sided case, with strings loosened.
- Instrument seat
- Alaska charges 100% of the adult fare for an instrument's seat, which must be reserved and paid in advance. The instrument is strapped into the seat next to yours, up to 165 lb (75 kg), never in an exit row. The crew can't help move or place it.
- Checked
- Up to 165 lb (75 kg) and 150 linear inches. A checked instrument counts toward your bag allowance.
- Bag fees
- Excess, oversize and overweight bag charges apply to instruments the same as other bags.
- Liability
- Alaska's contract says it isn't liable for damage to musical instruments or their cases, except on international trips covered by the Montreal Convention. Its general domestic limit is $4,700 per passenger.
- Declaring a higher value
- You can declare a value up to $5,000 total at check-in for $1 per $100. Because of the instrument exclusion, this may not cover instrument damage.
- Reporting damage
- Report it in person or in writing within 24 hours on domestic trips, then send written notice and proof of loss within 45 days.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on Alaska and Hawaiian's contract of carriage (revised 25 August 2026).
- Carry-on
- Hawaiian now shares Alaska's contract of carriage. A small instrument such as a violin or guitar can be carried instead of your carry-on bag if it fits safely in an overhead bin or under a seat, with room at boarding.
- Instrument seat
- The shared contract charges 100% of the adult fare for an instrument's seat, reserved and paid in advance, up to 165 lb (75 kg), strapped in next to you, never in an exit row.
- Checked
- Up to 165 lb (75 kg) and 150 linear inches, counted toward your bag allowance.
- Bag fees
- Excess, oversize and overweight charges apply to instruments the same as other bags. Whether Hawaiian keeps its own fee table, such as for interisland flights, wasn't confirmed.
- Liability
- The shared contract says the airline isn't liable for damage to musical instruments or their cases, except on international trips covered by the Montreal Convention.
- Declaring a higher value
- Up to $5,000 total at $1 per $100 declared at check-in, though the instrument exclusion may still apply.
- Reporting damage
- Report it within 24 hours on domestic trips, then send written notice and proof of loss within 45 days.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on Alaska and Hawaiian's contract of carriage (revised 25 August 2026).
- Carry-on
- Small instruments such as violins and guitars go in the overhead bin or under a seat, first come, first served, if there's room when you board. The instrument counts as your carry-on item, and the usual 22 x 14 x 9 inch size limit doesn't apply to it.
- Instrument seat
- Larger instruments such as basses and cellos can fly in a seat you buy, in a case, up to 165 lb with the case.
- Checked
- One instrument in a hard-sided container can be checked as part of your bag allowance if it meets the size and weight limits. Large or additional instruments may cost excess bag charges.
- Bag fees
- $49 for the first checked bag and $69 for the second on most fares bought from 27 March 2026 (off-peak; peak prices are higher).
- Liability
- JetBlue's contract lists musical instruments as fragile items and says it takes no liability for fragile goods on domestic flights. Its general domestic limit is $4,700.
- Declaring a higher value
- Excess valuation ($1 per $100, up to $5,000 total) isn't available on fragile items, which include instruments.
- Reporting damage
- Report it within 4 hours of the flight's arrival, then confirm in writing within 21 days. International: 7 days for damage.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on JetBlue's contract of carriage (revision of 17 April 2026).
- Carry-on
- An instrument can be larger than the carry-on size if it fits in the overhead bin, and it counts as your carry-on bag, so the carry-on fee applies. Frontier won't move other bags or offer special boarding for instruments; if there's no room, it's gate-checked and returned at the aircraft door.
- Instrument seat
- Frontier doesn't sell seats for instruments or other baggage too large for a bin.
- Checked
- Large instruments, such as cellos, must be checked. Frontier's contract exempts instruments from its 100 lb and 110 inch cutoffs; its special items list says items over 99.9 lb aren't accepted. Allow 30 extra minutes at check-in.
- Bag fees
- Bag prices depend on the fare you bought. Oversize and overweight fees apply.
- Liability
- Up to $4,700 on domestic flights. Frontier isn't liable for damage to a musical instrument that isn't packed in a hard-sided case or other suitable packing.
- Declaring a higher value
- Frontier doesn't accept declarations of a higher value.
- Reporting damage
- Report damage within 4 hours of the flight's arrival. International: in writing within 7 days.
- Boarding early
- Frontier says it won't offer special boarding for instruments. Paid priority boarding gets you on earlier.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on Frontier's contract of carriage (September 2026), Frontier's special and fragile items list (July 2026).
- Carry-on
- Allegiant charges for a carry-on bag, and its contract has no separate rule for small instruments, so a bin-sized instrument is treated as a paid carry-on. A free personal item must fit under the seat (18 x 14 x 8 inches).
- Instrument seat
- An instrument too big for a bin can fly in a seat reserved at the applicable fare, in a case, secured in the first window seat behind a floor-to-ceiling bulkhead. Few seats qualify, so book early.
- Checked
- Allegiant's normal 80 inch and 50 lb limits don't apply to instruments, but it won't accept one over 165 lb.
- Bag fees
- Instruments 165 lb or less don't pay an excess weight fee. Standard bag fees apply.
- Liability
- Up to $4,700 per passenger on domestic flights (1,519 SDR international).
- Declaring a higher value
- The contract mentions declared valuation but gives no price; ask at check-in.
- Reporting damage
- Report it within 24 hours of arrival, then file a written claim within 21 days.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on Allegiant's contract of carriage (effective 21 July 2026).
- Carry-on
- Sun Country carries a small instrument such as a violin or guitar in the cabin if it fits in a bin or under a seat with room at boarding, for no more than its standard carry-on fee. Sun Country charges for carry-on bags on its lowest fares.
- Instrument seat
- A larger instrument can fly in a seat reserved and paid in advance, in a case, up to 165 lb with the case. You install the tie-downs while staff watch.
- Checked
- Accepted up to 150 linear inches and 165 lb including the case.
- Bag fees
- We couldn't confirm this on Sun Country's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Liability
- At least $4,700 per passenger on domestic flights, the federal minimum. Reports say checked instruments are a limited-liability item.
- Declaring a higher value
- We couldn't confirm this on Sun Country's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Reporting damage
- Report damage at the airport before you leave. We couldn't confirm this on Sun Country's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on Sun Country's contract of carriage (updated 15 October 2025; read from search excerpts).
Airlines outside the US
- Carry-on
- An instrument counts as your carry-on. Guitars, violins and violas can be a little larger than the 55 x 40 x 23 cm (21.5 x 15.5 x 9 in) carry-on size if they fit in the bin or under the seat with room at boarding. Passengers with instruments can preboard between zones 2 and 3. Small Air Canada Express planes may require checking.
- Basic economy
- Basic fares bought from 3 January 2025 for flights within Canada, to the US, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean allow only a personal item on board, so a bin-sized instrument needs a fare that includes a carry-on.
- Instrument seat
- Book through Air Canada reservations, at least 48 hours ahead: the instrument's seat is 50% off the lowest available published fare (not on Aeroplan bookings). Up to 36 kg (80 lb) and 162.5 cm (64 in) long, next to you. Double basses aren't accepted in a seat. If a plane change leaves no room, Air Canada offers the next flight that fits at no extra charge.
- Checked
- Counts as one of your checked bags, in a rigid case designed for it, within the fare's normal size and weight limits. Strings must be loosened.
- Bag fees
- No special instrument fee; normal and excess bag charges apply.
- Liability
- Up to 1,519 special drawing rights (SDR) per passenger, under the Montreal Convention and Canada's passenger rules. Air Canada isn't liable for items that weren't suitably packed.
- Declaring a higher value
- You can declare a higher value at check-in, up to $2,500, for a fee.
- Reporting damage
- In writing within 7 days of receiving the bag, by Air Canada's web form or mail. Taking the bag without complaint counts as evidence it arrived in good condition, so report it before you leave the airport.
- Boarding early
- Passengers with instruments can preboard between zones 2 and 3.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on Air Canada's special items page, Air Canada's international tariff (25 August 2026).
- Carry-on
- Instruments up to 80 cm long, such as violins, violas and small wind instruments, can go in the cabin as your hand baggage if the case fits 80 x 45 x 25 cm (31 x 18 x 10 in). You can still bring a small personal item. Instruments from 80 to 140 cm need a seat or the hold.
- Instrument seat
- Guitars, larger wind instruments and cellos in a case, up to 140 x 46 x 46 cm (55 x 18 x 18 in), can have a seat booked at least 48 hours before departure: a window seat next to you, not a bulkhead or exit row, secured with the seatbelt. BA takes no responsibility for an instrument in a soft case.
- Checked
- Checked instruments must be in a hard or rigid case; BA doesn't accept instruments in soft cases, such as guitars in gig bags, in the hold.
- Bag fees
- We couldn't confirm this on British Airways's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Liability
- Up to 1,519 special drawing rights (about $2,000) per passenger under the Montreal Convention, which EU and UK law apply to these airlines on every flight.
- Declaring a higher value
- We couldn't confirm this on British Airways's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Reporting damage
- In writing within 7 days of receiving the bag. Report it at the BA baggage desk before you leave the airport and keep the report reference.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on BA's musical instruments page (read from a search index copy).
- Carry-on
- Since 1 March 2026, news reports say Lufthansa Group airlines accept small instruments such as violins, violas, trumpets and ukuleles in the cabin when the case's length, width and depth add up to 125 cm or less. The instrument replaces your regular carry-on piece. Before that, the limit was 55 x 40 x 23 cm.
- Instrument seat
- An instrument can fly on a seat (cabin baggage on seat) up to 75 kg: 155 x 42 x 25 cm standing, or 110 x 42 x 50 cm strapped to the seat. The price depends on the fares available.
- Checked
- Instruments over the cabin size need a seat or the hold. Checked instruments over 32 kg aren't accepted, with possible exceptions on Austrian Airlines.
- Bag fees
- We couldn't confirm this on Lufthansa's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Liability
- Up to 1,519 special drawing rights (about $2,000) per passenger under the Montreal Convention, which EU and UK law apply to these airlines on every flight.
- Declaring a higher value
- We couldn't confirm this on Lufthansa's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Reporting damage
- In writing within 7 days of receiving the bag.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on Lufthansa Group excess baggage factsheet (October 2023), The Strad on Lufthansa's March 2026 change.
- Carry-on
- Instruments under 115 cm in total dimensions, such as a guitar or violin, count as a standard baggage item within your allowance.
- Instrument seat
- A larger instrument can fly on one or more seats you pay the fare for, up to 46 kg (101 lb) per seat. Those seats come with their own baggage allowance.
- Checked
- Checked instruments must be in a hard case. Heavy or very large instruments need Air France's approval at least 48 hours before departure; its pages disagree on where that threshold starts.
- Bag fees
- An extra fee applies to oversized items in the hold. The amount wasn't confirmed.
- Liability
- Up to 1,519 special drawing rights (about $2,000) per passenger under the Montreal Convention, which EU and UK law apply to these airlines on every flight.
- Declaring a higher value
- We couldn't confirm this on Air France's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Reporting damage
- In writing within 7 days of receiving the bag.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on Air France special baggage (read from a search index copy).
- Carry-on
- No reservation needed if the instrument fits the regular hand baggage size of 55 x 35 x 25 cm and the overhead bin: up to 12 kg in Economy and Premium Comfort, 18 kg in Business.
- Instrument seat
- Up to 45 kg and 140 cm tall (122 cm on European flights on Embraer aircraft, except cellos). Book your seat and the instrument's seat together through the KLM Customer Contact Centre.
- Checked
- An instrument can replace one checked bag. Instruments from 32 to 45 kg, or over 300 cm in total, need a reservation at least 48 hours before departure.
- Bag fees
- Overweight or oversize fees apply if it's heavier or larger than your ticket allows.
- Liability
- Up to 1,519 special drawing rights (about $2,000) per passenger under the Montreal Convention, which EU and UK law apply to these airlines on every flight.
- Declaring a higher value
- We couldn't confirm this on KLM's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Reporting damage
- In writing within 7 days of receiving the bag.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on KLM special baggage (read from a search index copy).
- Carry-on
- Ryanair's cabin rules for instruments couldn't be read. We couldn't confirm this on Ryanair's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Instrument seat
- For larger items such as guitars, buy an extra seat as an extra item seat when you book. The seat comes with no baggage allowance.
- Checked
- Musical equipment can go in the hold on top of your checked allowance, up to 20 kg per item. Add it as Musical equipment under your booking's extras.
- Bag fees
- Ryanair lists instrument fees of €60 and €75 (or £60 and £75) per item per one-way flight, and €11 or £11 per kg over 20 kg. Which fee applies when wasn't confirmed.
- Liability
- Up to 1,519 special drawing rights (about $2,000) per passenger under the Montreal Convention, which EU and UK law apply to these airlines on every flight.
- Declaring a higher value
- We couldn't confirm this on Ryanair's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Reporting damage
- In writing within 7 days of receiving the bag.
- Boarding early
- Usually with a premium cabin, elite status or a paid add-on. Check the airline's options when you book.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on Ryanair's musical equipment help page (read from a search index copy).
- Carry-on
- easyJet's pages couldn't be read. We couldn't confirm this on easyJet's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Instrument seat
- We couldn't confirm this on easyJet's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Checked
- We couldn't confirm this on easyJet's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Bag fees
- We couldn't confirm this on easyJet's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Liability
- Up to 1,519 special drawing rights (about $2,000) per passenger under the Montreal Convention, which EU and UK law apply to these airlines on every flight.
- Declaring a higher value
- We couldn't confirm this on easyJet's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
- Reporting damage
- In writing within 7 days of receiving the bag.
- Boarding early
- We couldn't confirm this on easyJet's own pages. Check its policy before you fly.
Last checked 10 October 2026 on easyJet (its help pages couldn't be read).
08 If it's damaged
If the airline damages your gear
Your deadline with Delta Air Lines
Report damage in person at a Delta Baggage Service Office within 6 hours of arriving at your final destination, or within 24 hours if the damage couldn't be seen from the outside of the case.
Open the case before you leave the airport
Check the instrument at the baggage claim or the gate where you picked it up. Some airlines want damage reported within hours of landing, and it's much harder to prove the damage happened in their care once you've left.
Photograph everything where you are
Take photos and a short video before you move anything.
- The outside of the case, with the bag tag still on it
- The damage, close up and from far enough away to show where it is
- The instrument in the case as you found it
- Your boarding pass and bag tag receipt
Report it at the airline's baggage office
Ask for a damaged baggage report (often called a property irregularity report, or PIR) and keep your copy with its file reference. If the office is closed, report it online or by phone the same day and write down who you spoke to.
Follow up in writing before the deadline
Send the airline a written claim with your file reference, photos, proof of what the instrument is worth and a repair estimate. On international flights the Montreal Convention gives you 7 days from receiving the bag. US airlines set their own domestic windows, some as short as a few hours for the first report.
Get a repair estimate
Take the instrument to a repair shop or luthier and ask for a written estimate that describes the damage. Don't throw away broken parts or the damaged case until the claim is settled.
Know what the airline will pay
Airlines pay up to their liability limit: at least $4,700 per passenger on US domestic flights, and 1,519 special drawing rights (about $2,000) on international flights unless you declared a higher value at check-in. Some airlines exclude instruments in soft cases or list them as fragile items they won't pay for.
If the airline turns you down
Ask for the decision in writing. On a US airline, or any airline on a flight to or from the US, you can file a complaint with the US Department of Transportation. If your own insurance covers the instrument, tell your insurer as soon as you can.
FAQ
Common questions
Yes, on US airlines, if it fits safely in an overhead bin or under a seat and there's space when you board. That's the federal rule (14 CFR 251.3). Airlines based outside the US follow their own policies.
Usually, yes. On most airlines the guitar takes the place of your carry-on bag, so bring only a personal item that fits under the seat. On airlines that charge for carry-on bags, such as Frontier, the carry-on fee applies to the guitar.
Yes, if there's no room for it when you board. The rule doesn't give instruments priority over other bags. Ask about a coat closet, and if it has to go under the plane, ask for a gate check with return at the aircraft door.
Makers disagree. Taylor says don't, because the cabin and the hold are pressurized. Martin, Fender and Gibson's repair shop say loosen them, about a whole step at most. Nobody recommends slackening them completely.
Many US airlines sell a seat for an instrument, usually at the full fare, and the US rule caps the charge at the seat's price. Frontier doesn't sell instrument seats. Check the airline's own rules, since some limit which seats qualify.
At most its baggage liability limit: at least $4,700 per passenger on US domestic flights, and 1,519 special drawing rights (about $2,000) on international flights unless you declared a higher value. Some airlines exclude instruments, or instruments in soft cases.
Sources
Where these rules come from
- 49 U.S.C. 41724 (FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, section 403)
- 14 CFR part 251, Carriage of musical instruments
- DOT final rule, 80 FR 161 (5 January 2015)
- 14 CFR 254.4, domestic baggage liability
- Montreal Convention, 1999 (IATA copy); limit revised to 1,519 SDR from 28 December 2024
- 49 CFR 175.10, batteries in passenger baggage
- TSA: guitars
- TSA: how musical instruments are screened
- American Federation of Musicians: a guide to flying with musical instruments
- Taylor Guitars: 5 tips for traveling with your Taylor
- Martin Guitar: how to travel and tour with an acoustic guitar (June 2025)
- US Fish and Wildlife Service: pernambuco (CITES annotation 10) FAQs
- UPS terms and conditions of service (17 April 2026)
- FedEx Service Guide 2026
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 503, extra services
Airline rules change. Each airline's entry shows the date we last read its pages; check its policy before you fly.
Related
Flying with other gear
Insure the gear you fly with.
Ramble covers your gear worldwide, including as checked baggage and as a carry-on, from $175 a year plus a $10 fee. Your Ramble collection keeps photos and values of everything you own, ready if you ever need to prove it.