National Flying with a gun?

[shibbershabber]

How does this work?

I have a trip coming to a constitutional carry state and would like to carry while there


Whats the process for having a gun in checked bags?

Anyone have experience with doing this?

Flying out of PDX to Tulsa

Read More

 

[NeoBlackdog]

Go to the TSA website and get the info straight from the horses (bubblegum) mouth. That's your best bet. I do know you're gonna need a lockable case for it and your handgun must be unloaded with the ammo stored separately.

 

[solv3nt]

Check TSA requirements and airline specific information. For example, Hawaiian airlines requires that you use a case for guns.

Needs to be lockable with non-TSA locks. Do not give keys to anybody. Arrive an hour earlier than you would normally.

If you go through a state like NY, they're notorious for getting people at the airport with non-NY guns.

 

[WillametteWill]

How does this work?

I have a trip coming to a constitutional carry state and would like to carry while there


Whats the process for having a gun in checked bags?

Anyone have experience with doing this?

Flying out of PDX to Tulsa

Good advice above. What airline? (It matters) I'll post more once I know the airline. I have been making about 40 trips a year with firearms for the past decade, next one tomorrow. If you search you might find some others but I'll fill in here once I know the carrier.

 

[shibbershabber]

Good advice above. What airline? (It matters) I'll post more once I know the airline. I have been making about 40 trips a year with firearms for the past decade, next one tomorrow. If you search you might find some others but I'll fill in here once I know the carrier.

Southwest

 

[WillametteWill]

Southwest

As others have said, start with the TSA and Southwest website.

Southwest is easy. (I'll be flying with them in the morning, so I'll let you know if anything has changed...because it can and does.) Leave plenty of time to stand in line at the ticket counter becuase you cannot use the express baggage check in (sometimes you can but from what I understand they don't want you to and may refuse and send you to the full service line.)

When you get to the counter and hand over your ID and tell them where you are headed, let them know you have a firearm in your checked bag to declare. 99% of the time they will not freak out (only the brand new agents which I can understand) and they will hand your a card to fill out and sign the back advising the gun is empty and ammo is stored property (have ammo in factory boxes, not in mags). This card will go into your suitcase with the box. They will have you hang around the area for 15 minutes in case TSA needs your keys or has any questions.

How to pack:
HARD case and I strongly recommend two locks so no one can bend a corner and gain access to the inside. (TSA agents I have spoken with advise this is one of the most common reasons for them failing checked firearms.) These do not need to be TSA locks but can be (mine have never been for over 10 years of air travel). Note, if you lock your outside case, these need to be TSA locks. I have my hard gun case inside a crappy looking suitcase. I don't bother to lock the outside of my suitcase because I have a cable that attaches my gun case to my suitcase. Sometimes I will use a zip tie with extras inside for TSA to use if needed. That is just me.

Put ammo in the original box (best) or hard plastic reloading type box (I know of some people who the better, hard plastic boxes were refused because they were not in the original packaging). I know some rules say mags can be loaded but I HIGHLY recommend you do not do this. American has advised me they do not allow this and will reject your firearm. The ammo can be in either the gun box or in the main suitcase (some say it cannot be in the gun box but I have done this for 200+ flights on at least six different carriers without issue). I highly recommend placing magazines inside the locked box. Some carriers or TSA agents may consider these parts of the gun and require them to be locked (I have traveled with them in range bags a dozen plus times without issue but I could have put them into the locked box if necessary).

Extra credit: I place a cable lock on my guns (not required) as an extra step to help make sure my guns are not used in an airport shooting...just my preference.

There are different processes at various airports and I have not flown through Tulsa so be prepared for a different experience there. At Phoenix, for example, the Southwest folks will walk you to the TSA people where you will hand them your keys, they will inspect the inside of your gun box and then take the suitcase from there. PDX used to be like this except they trusted you to walk yourself to TSA. Big pro tip...be nice to everyone and don't do what some on the internet say, turn into a Ken/Karen and wave copies of rules in their face. The negative experiences I have had over the years can be counted on one hand and were all resolved with time and kind words. So leave yourself time.

As always, not legal, accounting, or engineering advice, just my experience.

Oh, and Southwest will toss your bag on the general carousel like all other bags with nothing on it to indicate there is a gun inside. Most other airlines you will claim your bag at the BSO (Baggage Service Office).

Hope this helps and enjoy your trip.

 

[Alexx1401]

Southwest

One BIG word of warning here. The system was set up to be easy. A LOT of people will tell you its easy and not to worry. The problem is the easy system is run by humans. Now and then you run into one who is a moron, hates guns, or both. If this happens you need to allow time for someone who is not a moron to come and deal with it. So first of course check the rules CAREFULLY. They are found online. Next get to the place EARLY. Take something to entertain yourself after you get past screening. If you get there just in time, and are one of the unlucky ones who runs up against some idiot you may miss your flight. No one there is going to care that you missed your flight due to the idiot. So give yourself a good cushion of time to get past the screening.

 

[WillametteWill]

Here was my experience today. Arrived just over two hours before my flight. I have status with Southwest so I can use the priority lane that had no one in it while the regular customer assistance line had two people (but beware, I've seen it with 50+). Advised I had one bag to check with a firearm and also advised, as politely as possible to not come across as a jerk, that I can fill out the form myself if she would like me to. I've worked with this particular agent many times and she handed me the card. Had the flight info up on my phone to make it easier to fill out the form (some agents will just have you fill out your info). Signed the back and then advised here (before she tore off some tape (they use this to tape the card to your box) that I have a clear plastic holder already attached to my case so the card is secure and visible (super extra credit here). She noted this was not my first rodeo.

She asked me to wait 10 minutes in the area before going through screening; I waited 12. With TSA PreCheck getting through security is much faster and easier. Made sure my water bottle was empty and patted myself down before security. My 5.11 belt goes through the metal detector at PDX fine but not usually EUG, so left it on. Collected my stuff and picked up a bacon, egg, and pesto breakfast sandwich and a cup of Earl Grey tea from the Country Cat just inside security. After breakfast had about 25 minutes to kill at the gate before boarding. I have an Air Tag in my bag now...my bride tracks it as I don't use iPhone. (But interestingly, some Android devices know you have an Air Tag with you. Started doing this after a bag that was supposed to be in Edinburgh was still at Heathrow (yea, no gun that trip).

This boring process is what I strive for.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

On this same theme, anyone ever fly with a Bigfoot steel lined belt? I bought one of these a few years back and now if I have pants on, I have the belt on. Would one have issues getting through security with one?

 

[Alexx1401]

On this same theme, anyone ever fly with a Bigfoot steel lined belt? I bought one of these a few years back and now if I have pants on, I have the belt on. Would one have issues getting through security with one?

Yes, anything with a bit of metal is going to set off the detector. Last time I flew I wore a money belt that is all nylon. One way the checker spotted it said have to take the belt off. So way back I had belt covered. They asked me if I was wearing a belt and I just said no. figured if it was found would say forgot. Went right through. Same thing last time I was on Jury duty. At court house wore same belt. They would ask every time if I had a belt and I would say no. Also wore suspenders that are all nylon just in case. The suspenders they can see and do not seem to care about but for some reason they have a problem with belts.

 

[Alexx1401]

Here was my experience today. Arrived just over two hours before my flight. I have status with Southwest so I can use the priority lane that had no one in it while the regular customer assistance line had two people (but beware, I've seen it with 50+). Advised I had one bag to check with a firearm and also advised, as politely as possible to not come across as a jerk, that I can fill out the form myself if she would like me to. I've worked with this particular agent many times and she handed me the card. Had the flight info up on my phone to make it easier to fill out the form (some agents will just have you fill out your info). Signed the back and then advised here (before she tore off some tape (they use this to tape the card to your box) that I have a clear plastic holder already attached to my case so the card is secure and visible (super extra credit here). She noted this was not my first rodeo.

She asked me to wait 10 minutes in the area before going through screening; I waited 12. With TSA PreCheck getting through security is much faster and easier. Made sure my water bottle was empty and patted myself down before security. My 5.11 belt goes through the metal detector at PDX fine but not usually EUG, so left it on. Collected my stuff and picked up a bacon, egg, and pesto breakfast sandwich and a cup of Earl Grey tea from the Country Cat just inside security. After breakfast had about 25 minutes to kill at the gate before boarding. I have an Air Tag in my bag now...my bride tracks it as I don't use iPhone. (But interestingly, some Android devices know you have an Air Tag with you. Started doing this after a bag that was supposed to be in Edinburgh was still at Heathrow (yea, no gun that trip).

This boring process is what I strive for.

Wife and I both paid for that extra and it was WELL worth it. When I was coming back last time at Phoenix the line was LONG. No one at the line for those of us who paid. I strolled over to that line, someone came right over and checked me through. Boy could I feel the daggers being stared at my back as I walked off. Sorry folks you could have paid too

 

[billdeserthills]

TSA finds 6,737 guns in 2023

TSA Detects 6,737 Firearms at Airport Security Checkpoints in 2023 | All About Arizona News

During 2023, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) intercepted a total of 6,737 firearms at airport security checkpoints, preventing them from getting into the secure areas of the airport…

www.allaboutarizonanews.com

 

[Val1884]

Senator Wilson has lots of advice on flying with guns.

 

[Alexx1401]

TSA finds 6,737 guns in 2023

TSA Detects 6,737 Firearms at Airport Security Checkpoints in 2023 | All About Arizona News

During 2023, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) intercepted a total of 6,737 firearms at airport security checkpoints, preventing them from getting into the secure areas of the airport…

www.allaboutarizonanews.com

What is scary is if they found that many how many slipped past them? They don't make it easy to find but there seems to be too many times the gun is caught after the bag has already been screened at least once.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Here was my experience today. Arrived just over two hours before my flight. I have status with Southwest so I can use the priority lane

What status is that?

 

[WillametteWill]

What status is that?

If you are A-List or A-List Select with Southwest, there is a special line you can go through at the ticket counter that usually only has either no one or a few travelers, so it is very fast (there was no one in the line today...I'm traveling back home). You can also buy the expensive "Business Select" fare and I think this gets you into this line as well. I travel frequently so I've been A-List for several years now.

With other airlines, most have something similar. I also have Platinum status on American and they have a line for Gold and above, first class, etc. Their line is usually busier, but I get through in 10 minutes instead of 45 (it is not always that busy, but I sometimes have to fly during busy times at high-volume airports. You learn the tips and secrets when you travel frequently (i.e., I'm typing this from an airport, but at least one that does not block "firearms" sites).

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

We have a Southwest "anytime fare" round trip booked to Houston in April. Does that get us access to the A-List line?

Looks like no. You need 25 flights first to qualify https://www.creditkarma.com/credit-cards/i/southwest-a-list

 

[WillametteWill]

We have a Southwest "anytime fare" round trip booked to Houston in April. Does that get us access to the A-List line?

Looks like no. You need 25 flights first to qualify https://www.creditkarma.com/credit-cards/i/southwest-a-list

They changed it so you only need 20 flights to make A-list this year or if you purchase the business select or anytime fares you receive access to the priority lanes. At PDX, if you get there plenty early, it is usually not too bad in the standard "passenger assistance" lane (they have made the self-check-in very efficient reducing the load). If you leave yourself enough time (2 hours minimum, 2 1/2 plus if you are at a super busy (or a not very efficient) airport) there is usually not an issue. Plenty of good places to eat at PDX.

Sorry, I know it sucks in some cases, but plenty of time and patience is your friend.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

We are flying out of Boise.

 

[parallax]

I didn't read all the posts, but wanted to mention. If you are making a connecting flight into an airport in a state, where your firearm is considered banned, you might want to reroute thru a gun friendly state. if you were to get delayed, cancelled etc. and forced to pick up your luggage in a state where your firearm is considered illegal, there may be unpleasant consequences.