If you’re purchasing an extra seat for your guitar instead of storing it in an overhead luggage compartment, it doesn’t matter whether the seats are towards the back or not. If you’re flying on an airline that assigns priority groups and lets you choose your seat when you board, try to check in as soon as possible to increase your odds of boarding first. In this case, it doesn’t matter where your seat is, just choose one that has storage space available.
You can call an airline’s customer service line to verify the exact overhead bin size for your flight. Note that there must be space in the overhead bins at the time you board the plane or the airline can require that you check it at the gate. Flight attendants won’t remove other luggage to make space for your guitar. Try to carry your guitar as discreetly by holding it down at your side on the side furthest away from the agents when you’re boarding your flight to avoid getting hassled by the agents at the gate. If they do say something, politely explain that you’re bringing it instead of a piece of carry-on luggage, as permitted by law. Keep in mind that if you get your guitar onboard, but there isn’t any room for it, you might still have to give it to a flight attendant to send it below.
You can also try this option if there’s no overhead room when you’re boarding your flight and the gate attendants are telling you that you can’t take your guitar on. Keep in mind that flight attendants are not required to store your guitar in a closet, so if they do so, they’re doing you a kind favor. Don’t fight with the flight attendants if they won’t put it in a closet for you. You won’t achieve anything this way.
If you’re having trouble fitting your guitar into partially-filled luggage bins, politely ask nearby passengers if you can accommodate their luggage differently in order to fit your guitar in.
If you aren’t sure whether your guitar will fit in an overhead bin, this is the safest way to avoid problems when you’re boarding the flight. Make sure that you are able to choose 2 seats next to each other if you’re purchasing tickets online or to request 2 adjacent seats if you’re buying your tickets in person. Naturally, this isn’t always going to be realistic, especially if your flight is expensive. Other options you can consider are getting a smaller, cheaper guitar just for travel or shipping your guitar to your destination.
These types of cases will also make your guitar look less bulky when you carry it on. You’re less likely to get hassled by a gate attendant or flight attendant while you’re bringing it onboard that way. If you want a little extra protection, you can get a fortified gig case. These are still soft, but have a little more form and structure to help pad your guitar during its journey. Keep in mind they are also a little bulkier than totally soft cases, but this will at least provide more protection than a standard soft case if you end up having to check your guitar. Your guitar legally must be covered in order for you to take it on a plane as carry-on luggage. This is required in order to prevent injury to other passengers. This applies regardless of whether you purchase an extra seat for it or plan on storing it in the luggage compartment.
For example, if you called your airline and found out that your guitar is too big for your flight’s overhead bins or if you’re flying on a small commuter plane, put it in a hard case. If you plan to fly with your guitar a lot, invest in a heavy-duty flight case. These cases are expensive, but they are made of very hard, reinforced materials and have a lot of foam padding for maximum protection.
You could also use soft items of clothing like T-shirts instead of paper. Doing so can even save you a little room in your other luggage. Bubble wrap would also work well for this.
You could also use soft items of clothing like T-shirts instead of paper. Doing so can even save you a little room in your other luggage. Bubble wrap would also work well for this.
For example, anything sharp, bottles of liquids over 3 oz (88. 7 mL), and lighters are things that are prohibited from plane cabins.
You can call your airline’s customer service line ahead of time or look on their website to find the exact weight restrictions for your specific flight. You are probably only likely to have problems with weight if you are flying on an extremely small plane, since no guitars weigh anywhere near 165 lb (75 kg). Note that flights also have weight limits for checked luggage, but it is extremely unlikely a guitar will exceed such a limit.
