Anyone have any recent experience traveling within the US with a guitar on Delta? If so, were you able to carry your guitar on or did you have to check your instrument? Cheers, Graeme
Dear Graeme,
I am not from USA and I dont have experiences, but I asked ChatGPT and this is result:
When traveling with a guitar on Delta Airlines, you can generally take it as either a carry-on or check it in, depending on the size and specific policies of the flight. Hereâs a breakdown of what to expect:
1. Carry-on Option:
- Carry-on Space: Deltaâs guidelines allow guitars to be carried on board if they meet the carry-on size requirements and fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. Guitars are generally larger than typical carry-on items, but most standard guitars are allowed if space is available.
- Boarding Early: Itâs a good idea to board early, as overhead bin space is limited. Request early boarding at check-in, explaining that you are traveling with a guitar.
- Soft Cases: Using a soft or gig bag might be more practical if youâre planning to stow the guitar overhead, but ensure itâs padded well to avoid damage.
2. Checked Baggage:
- Checked Item: If your guitar does not fit in the cabin, it can be checked in. Make sure to use a hard-shell case to protect it from possible damage. Airlines, including Delta, can be rough with luggage handling, so sturdy protection is crucial.
- Additional Fees: Depending on your ticket type and baggage allowance, there might be additional fees for checking in your guitar.
3. Deltaâs Musical Instruments Policy:
- Oversize Fees: Delta typically exempts musical instruments like guitars from oversize baggage fees if they fall within the size and weight restrictions for standard baggage.
- Purchasing a Seat for Your Guitar: If you prefer not to risk placing it in overhead bins or checking it in, Delta allows you to purchase a separate seat for the guitar, ensuring it stays safe next to you. The guitar must meet the seat size limitations and be secured.
TSA Guidelines:
- Security Check: TSA (Transportation Security Administration) allows musical instruments through security, though you will need to remove it from its case for inspection. They may swab it for explosives, but this process is generally quick and doesnât cause issues.
In summary, it is safe to travel with your guitar on Delta, but you should aim to carry it on board in a soft case and board early. If you need to check it, ensure itâs in a sturdy hard case. Always check specific details with Delta before your flight, as policies may vary slightly based on the flightâs route and the type of plane.
I do wonder how much of that above is fact and how much ChatGPT has made up? The thing that alarms me most is the suggestion that you might be able to get any guitar under the seat in front of you!!!
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Hey Graeme,
I recently purchased a Journey travel guitar. It âfoldsâ up into an overhead size padded backpack with enough leftover room for a week or so worth of clothes, my cables and tuners, and my notebooks and guitar homework. Justin does a review of them, if you are interested in checking them out.
Cheers
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Found Justinâs reviewâŚ
Cheers!
ChatGPT âknowsâ nothing, itâs purely a text generator that creates sequences of words on the basis of statistical probability. Contrary to what lots of people use it for (or think), it is not a search engine. Yes, it will give you an âanswerâ, which could be right, but which also could be completely wrong.
Apart from the fact that AI consumes an enormous amount of energy, loads more than when using Google or any search engine for the same query. Nothing wrong with using AI, if you use it wisely.
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I expect chatGPT got its information from this page:
https://www.delta.com/us/en/baggage/special-items/musical-instruments
and @graemecosh should do the same.
It does say that guitars can be carried on if they can be easily stored in the overhead bin, but that itâs possible that overhead bin space might be full, in which case youâd have to check the guitar. That might be problematic, since a carry-on guitar would best be in a soft case (smaller overall dimensions), which would not work for checking the bag.
If it were me travelling, I would try to call Delta and talk to a human being.
I hope this is not too oftopic, but Iâm not sure how many here remember this gem:
That would make me very wary of ever checking a guitar, but as others said you may be forced too if the overhead space is full. And if you get priority boarding and store it early, then youâll have to be strong while you watch other passengers shoving heavy bags around and over your case.
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Thereâs actually a DOT rule about this.
Traveling With a Musical Instrument | US Department of Transportation
On my last flight, I saw a guy with a regular electric guitar in a hard case board early with his guitar and the flight crew actually put it in a different closet up near the front of the plane.
That said, as I understand things, not all agents seem to understand this. Gary Clark Jr. got screwed by one such agent who required he check his guitar not terribly long ago and mishandling by baggage handlers resulted in damage to the pickups.
I have been wary of taking any of my guitars. I technically have two âtravelâ guitars, too. My nicer one is a Taylor GS Mini and my cheapie that I take into the woods is an Enya. The Enya is smaller and would probably be better able to avoid a gate agent requiring me to check it. Iâve read reviews from folks saying that theyâve flown with their GS Minis with success and that the soft case that comes with it is very good at protecting it from othersâ baggage. But Iâve still been wary.
Iâve considered bringing my Enya on my vacation to Hawaii next year so I can play on the beach (my wife will be bringing one of her ukuleles), but Iâm also thinking about buying a baritone uke while Iâm there and then taking it home on the plane. My wife has flown with her uke once already and it was super easy. But her ukes are so small that I donât think theyâre really indicative of how the process will go with a guitar.
I recently flew with Delta from JFK to Denver. The plane didnât have enough space in overhead bins, neither it had any closet. I had to do a so called gate check-in, when they take your guitar just near the planeâs door. The guitar arrived fine.
In general, no airline wants to have such a song written about them anymore
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Took my least inexpensive older acoustic so if it gets damaged Iâm not worried; it would not fit in the closet at the front of the plane but did fit in an overhead bin in first class. Flight back home later this week, will report back.
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Also no issues at all getting through security
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Splendid! Looking forward to the end of trip synopsis!
Safe travels!
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Well the guitar made it back safe and sound. On the return leg, I had a seat way in the back, so I waited to be the last person to get on the plane, at the plane door they checked it and I asked them to tag it so I would pick it up on the jet bridge when I arrived, I figured it may have been the last bag loaded. It was waiting there when I got off the plane, got it home and unpacked and no issues. I used a Roadrunner padded gig bag and wrapped the headstock and neck in bubble wrap.
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