Guide · Updated 10 October 2026
Flying with music gear
On US airlines, an instrument that fits the overhead bin flies with you if there's room when you board, and bigger ones can have a seat or be checked. Here's how each kind of gear travels, what each airline allows, the battery rules, and when to ship instead.
Flying with gear is one of the most stressful parts of being a working musician. Cellos need seats, pedalboards have batteries, and every airline has its own rules. Here's how to get everything there in one piece.
- Carry-on
- Allowed on US airlines if it fits a bin and there's room when you board
- Seat
- Up to 165 lb with the case, for no more than the seat's price
- Checked
- Up to 150 linear inches and 165 lb on US airlines
- Batteries
- Spare lithium batteries and power banks in the cabin only
Plan your flight
Plan your flight with your gear
Your trip
Your plan
Buy it a seat
Buy a seat for your cello when you book with Delta Air Lines.
- A seat is the only place in the cabin that's certain to be free for a cello.
- Under US law, a US airline must let a larger instrument fly in a seat you buy for it, for no more than the seat's price, if it's in a case and weighs 165 lb or less with the case (14 CFR 251.4).
If that doesn't work: If you can't get a seat, check the cello in a hard flight case, or ship it ahead.
What Delta Air Lines allows
- 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.
- 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).
- Book the instrument's seat when you book your own, and keep its confirmation with your boarding pass.
- Check the airline's weight limit for an instrument seat and weigh the case.
- 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 Instrument by instrument
Where each kind of gear usually travels
These tips come from instrument makers, the American Federation of Musicians, the TSA and musicians who fly often. Where they disagree, we say so.
Guitars and basses
In the overhead bin, lengthwise, in a gig bag or slim case, boarding as early as you can. Our guitar guide covers strings, headstocks and cases in detail.
Violins and violas
A shaped or cabin-sized case fits any full-size bin, and crews recognize it. Keep the bow held securely in the case, or carry it in a separate bow tube. If a violin must be checked, violin makers say to loosen the strings only enough to keep the bridge standing, and to pad either side of the bridge.
Cellos
Buy the cello a seat, or check it in a flight case. Airlines that sell instrument seats usually want a window seat that doesn't block an exit, and cellists say the ticket name is usually "Cello" and your last name. Book by phone if the website can't, and check which airline actually operates the flight: a seat bought from one airline isn't always honored on a partner's plane.
Double basses
A double bass is too big for a seat on most planes, so it flies checked in a flight case, and the case has to fit the airline's size and weight limits. Many bassists rent a bass where they're going instead.
Horns and woodwinds
Carry them on in their cases. Take the mouthpiece and reeds with you, and pack valve oil and cork grease within the TSA's liquids limit of 3.4 ounces. TSA's own pages disagree on brass instruments (one says to check them, another allows either), so allow time at security.
Pedalboards
Carry the board on. Circuitry looks odd on an X-ray, so expect questions and a hand inspection, and pack it so it's easy to lift out. Put a name and phone number inside the case. Take out 9-volt batteries or cover their terminals.
Amps and modelers
A modeler or small amp head can go in the cabin as a carry-on. A combo amp or a full-size head usually flies checked in a foam-lined road case, so it can't move. Musicians disagree on tubes: some leave them in when they're held by retainers, others pull them and carry them on.
Cymbals and drums
TSA allows cymbals and drumsticks in carry-on and checked bags. Drummers say a soft cymbal bag up to 24 inches fits a standard bin. Watch the airline's count of carry-on items if you bring a stick bag and a snare as well. Most drummers rent or borrow shells and hardware.
Keyboards
An 88-key keyboard is too long for a bin, so it goes checked in a flight case. A small controller can travel in your carry-on.
03 Batteries
Batteries and power banks
Federal hazardous materials rules (49 CFR 175.10) set what you can fly with, and the TSA and airlines apply them.
Spare lithium batteries and power banks: carry-on only
Spare lithium batteries and power banks can't go in checked bags. Carry them in the cabin with the terminals protected, in their packaging, a battery case or with tape over the contacts.
Up to 100 watt-hours each
Each lithium-ion battery can be up to 100 watt-hours. From 101 to 160 watt-hours you need the airline's approval, and you can carry two spares at most. Larger batteries can't fly as baggage.
Rechargeable pedalboard power supplies
The rule treats a battery that powers other devices like a spare battery, which reads as covering rechargeable pedalboard power banks. No official source names them, so carry them on and check the watt-hour rating printed on the unit.
9-volt and other alkaline batteries
TSA allows them in carry-on and checked bags if they're protected from short circuits. Take them out of your pedals or tape the terminals.
Gear with batteries inside
A device with its battery installed can go in a checked bag only if it's switched fully off, not asleep. Wireless systems, tuners and recorders are easier to keep in your carry-on.
04 Cases
Gig bag, hard case or flight case
The right case depends on where the instrument will ride.
Gig bag or structured bag: for the cabin
Light, flexible and less likely to be questioned at the gate. It gives little protection under the plane, so never check one as a regular bag.
Hard case: for the cabin, with a backup plan
Protects better if a gate check happens, but it's bulkier in a bin. A violin maker's warning applies: a hard case isn't the same as a flight case.
Flight case: for the hold
Built to be stacked and thrown, with room around the instrument and support under the neck. Delta, for one, recommends cases built to the ATA 300 standard for checked instruments. Use a TSA-recognized lock so screeners can open and relock it, and put your name and phone number inside and outside.
Travel instruments
For trips that aren't gigs, a travel guitar such as a Taylor GS Mini, Baby Taylor or Martin Backpacker fits a bin easily.
05 At the airport
Boarding, bins and the closet
Carry-on instruments go through the X-ray and may be inspected by hand. Tell the officer if the instrument needs careful handling, and allow extra time: cases that don't fit the scanner are inspected by hand.
Board early
Bin space is first come, first served, so board as early as you can. The American Federation of Musicians suggests paying for early boarding when you book, because asking for preboarding at the gate is a long shot.
Ask about the closet
On larger jets, ask a flight attendant whether the coat closet has room. It's up to the crew, and regional jets usually don't have one.
Fly mainline when you can
Regional jets have small bins, so instruments are more often gate-checked. A nonstop flight on a larger plane is the best chance of keeping it with you.
Gate check 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. It's handled less than a checked bag.
If you're told no
Stay calm, ask about the closet, show the airline's policy and the US rule, and ask for a supervisor. Then offer a gate check at the door, or ask to take a later flight. Write down names and times.
06 International trips
Flying abroad with gear
On an international trip, the Montreal Convention sets what the airline pays for a damaged or lost bag: up to 1,519 special drawing rights per passenger (about $2,000 in October 2026), unless you made a special declaration of value at check-in and paid any fee. Report damage in writing within 7 days of getting the bag back.
Airlines based outside the US aren't bound by the US rule for instruments, even on flights to and from the US. Read their own policy before you book. From 23 October 2027, a new EU regulation (2026/2202) will require EU airlines to accept an instrument in the cabin when it can be stowed safely, and to let you buy a seat for a larger one.
Bows and instruments made with protected materials need paperwork at the border. Since 5 March 2026, a pernambuco bow traveling with you for non-commercial use, including paid performances, needs no CITES document. Ivory, tortoiseshell or Brazilian rosewood is different: you need a CITES musical instrument certificate from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (form 3-200-88) and must leave and return through designated ports. The simplest fix many players use is a travel bow with none of these materials.
07 Ship it instead
When it makes sense to ship your gear
Flying with gear keeps it close, but anything that has to go in the hold is handled like any other bag, and the airline pays at most its baggage limit. Shipping is worth comparing in these cases.
Oversize or heavy gear
Double basses, combo amps, 88-key keyboards and drum hardware can run past what an airline accepts (150 linear inches and 165 lb on US airlines, less on some airlines and smaller planes) or pay oversize and overweight fees in each direction.
Vintage and fragile instruments
An airline pays at most $4,700 on a US domestic flight and about $2,000 on an international one, and some contracts exclude instrument damage altogether. A carrier will pay up to the value you declare, so shipping can cover far more of what a valuable instrument is worth.
Tours with several flights
Every flight is another boarding group, another bin and another chance of a gate check. Shipping heavy gear ahead to the first stop, or renting backline where you play, takes those chances away.
When the airline may say no
If the airline doesn't sell instrument seats, or the plane is a small regional jet, a large instrument will go in the hold whatever you do at the gate.
The price of a seat
An instrument seat costs a fare in each direction: Delta and Alaska charge the full adult fare, and Air Canada takes 50% off its lowest published fare. Shipping costs depend on size, distance and declared value; UPS charged $1.60 for each $100 of declared value above $300 in 2025.
International trips
Shipping across a border adds customs paperwork in both directions, so it's often simpler to fly with the instrument abroad or rent one there.
08 How shipping works
How to ship an instrument
Pack the instrument 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, and Reverb's shipping protection says a flight case alone isn't enough packaging. Loosen strings a little and support the neck; for a violin or cello, keep the bridge standing.
Declared value isn't insurance. It raises what the carrier will pay, and the carrier still pays the lowest of the declared value, the purchase price or the repair or replacement cost, with proof. UPS takes declared values up to $50,000 a package. FedEx takes up to $50,000 but caps instruments more than 20 years old, and custom instruments, at $1,000. USPS insurance goes up to $5,000, or $50,000 by Registered Mail.
Hand a valuable package to the carrier at its own counter. UPS caps a package declared over $1,000 at $1,000 if it's left at a drop box, a third-party retailer or an Access Point, unless you sign a high-value shipment summary.
Report damage quickly: within 21 days for FedEx and 60 days for UPS. Keep the box and all the packing for inspection, because carriers deny claims when they can't see the original packaging.
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.
09 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).
10 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, in a seat you buy for it, on airlines that sell instrument seats, or checked in a flight case. Under the US rule, a US airline can't charge more than the seat's price, and the cello must be in a case and weigh 165 lb or less with the case.
Yes. Expect the TSA to look at it by hand, since circuitry looks odd on an X-ray. Take out 9-volt batteries or cover their terminals, and keep any spare lithium batteries or power banks in the cabin.
Yes. TSA allows both in carry-on and checked bags. The officer at the checkpoint has the final say.
No. Spare lithium batteries and power banks must travel in the cabin, up to 100 watt-hours each, or up to 160 with the airline's approval.
No. It binds US airlines only, on domestic and international flights. Airlines such as Air Canada follow their own policies, and Canada's passenger rules require airlines there to publish terms for instruments.
When it would otherwise go in the hold and it's valuable, vintage or too big for the airline's limits. A carrier pays up to the value you declare, while an airline pays at most its baggage limit. FedEx caps instruments more than 20 years old, and custom ones, at $1,000 declared value.
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 a guitar
Insure the gear you fly with.
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