How To Carry A Guitar On An International Flight
You can carry a guitar into the cabin on an international flight but the rules and regulations will depend on the airline. Some require you to purchase a seat and others allow you to store it in the overhead bins.
How To Travel With An Acoustic Guitar
If you are looking to travel with a guitar in an airplane then you may be reluctant to store it under the plane and hand it over at check-in, even if you have purchased a hard case and have covered it in “fragile” stickers.
Often things can get knocked around and fall over when they are considered cargo for a passenger plane. For this reason, many people prefer to keep their guitar with them and take it into the cabin, especially if the guitar is rare, expensive, or holds sentimental value.
In order to know how you can travel with an acoustic guitar, you will need to look at the rules specific to your airline. Typically the rules change from carrier to carrier and even sometimes from route to route as the type of plane used can vary, meaning that so can the cabin space.
However, most airlines will allow you to bring your guitar on the plane, but you should be prepared for it to be properly inspected at security and to properly prepare it for the journey.
You will need to loosen the strings before take-off to make sure that they do not break and also invest in a proper travel case. This can be either a hard or soft case.
You should always seek confirmation from the airline ahead of time that you are allowed to bring your guitar with you into the cabin as without this written confirmation the air stewards on the plane may force you to place the guitar under the plane.
How To Carry A Guitar On An International Flight
Can I Travel With My Guitar On A Plane?
In most cases, yes you can travel with a guitar on a plane. However, different airlines have different policies and regulations, so just because you were allowed to bring your guitar into the cabin with one carrier does not mean that you will be able to with another.
Also, in some cases, you will be required to go through a further security check where your guitar will be inspected. You should allow extra time at the airport for this.
Depending on the size of your guitar, as well as the airline’s policy, you may be able to fit it in the overhead lockers. However, even if your guitar is small enough to do so, some airlines require that you purchase an additional seat for your guitar.
Even if you do not have to, buying an extra seat for your guitar is a good way to ensure that it will not be damaged from moving around in the overhead bins and also to stop any employees from attempting to put it under the plane due to lack of space.
You should always seek written confirmation from the airline that you are allowed to travel with your guitar in the manner that you aim to do so.
Can You Carry Guitar As Cabin Baggage?
For most American airlines you are allowed to bring your guitar as cabin baggage. Remember that this is restricted to one piece per person.
For American airlines the following rules apply regarding bringing a guitar as hand baggage:
- American Airlines – you may bring a guitar as hand luggage for a fee as long as it is under 75kg and smaller than 63cm x 101cm
- Delta Airlines – you may bring a guitar as hand luggage for a fee as long as it is smaller than 2m
- Southwest Airlines – you may bring a guitar as hand luggage for a fee as long as it is smaller than 10″ x 16″ x 24″
- United Airlines – you may bring a guitar as hand luggage for a $25 fee
For European airlines the following rules apply regarding bringing a guitar as hand luggage:
- Lufthansa – you may bring a guitar as hand luggage for $300 on an international flight and it must not exceed 155cm x 42cm x 25cm
- Ryanair – you may bring a guitar as hand luggage for a fee and it must be smaller than 55cm x 40cm x 20cm
- Air France (KLM) – you may bring a guitar as hand luggage for a fee and it must weigh no more than 32kg
- Easyjet – you may bring a guitar as hand luggage for a fee and it must weigh no more than 32kg
In most cases, you will be able to find the appropriate information on the company’s website. But, if you cannot find the information that you need, you should get in touch with a member of their customer service team and request written permission to bring your guitar as hand luggage.
In some cases, you may be subject to an extra fee at the check-in desk.
Will An Acoustic Guitar Fit In Overhead Bin?
Whether or not an acoustic guitar will fit in an overhead bin on a plane will depend on the dimensions of both the acoustic guitar and the bin, as both of these measurements can differ drastically.
However, taking the average dimensions for both, an acoustic guitar will take up the same amount of space as three carry-on bags (117cm).
In most cases, you will be able to fit your acoustic guitar into the overhead bin, especially if you have a soft case rather than a hard case as this can squish better into tight spaces.
However, you should always check the specific measurements for the plane model that you will be traveling on as the overhead bin space can vary from model to model.
If you are unsure about whether or not your acoustic guitar will fit into an overhead bin then you should get in contact with the airline provider who will be able to advise your further with your specific case.
Thank you for reading our article on how to carry a guitar on an international flight.
