Thank you Garret. From what I am reading it appears that you can bring your dulcimer on the airplane as carry-on, as long as it fits in the overhead bin.  The problem is I am booked on a CRJ200 going from Huntsville, AL to Washington DC and bins measure 18" wide!  Ridiculous.  So unless, the crew is willing to put it in one of their personal lockers which would be bigger and longer, I don't think they're going to let me take it.  Such a shame...

I went abroad to France on some business in fall of 2017 and brought along my McSpadden in a soft case.  I'm not sure about what the luggage allowance difference is between international and domestic flights but I was able to find under "musical instruments" the size limitations and discovered I could bring my McSpadden with soft case as a carry-on.  It fit into the overhead bin on top of other people's luggage.  I was nervous about it, I must say, but it traveled fine.  I would prefer doing what Aaron does next time.  Anyway, it was possible in 2017 to bring it onboard an international flight at least. 

Thank you, Ken, that is a very clever set up!  

OK -- here's a photo of my sono-tube cardboard dulcimer case with the jig for my Holly Leaf dulcimer next to it, for scale.  Just a tub, two 1/2" plywood disks for top & bottom, some duct tape and a piece of nylon strapping for a handle. This carries 2 dulcimers, one of which is 39" from end-to-end.  I roll them up together in small-bubble bubble-wrap until I get a squeeze fit, then tape on the ends.  Have used this technique to ship dulcimers all over the place@

Pardon the messy workshop/garage...

Sonotube case.JPG  •  153KB

It's 11 PM and time to hit the sack.  I'll see about getting a pic of my tubular case in the AM.  

That's a lot of great information!  After further thought, I'm thinking there's no way they're going to let me take it with me - the dulcimer would not fit in a CRJ200 overhead bin. And putting it under the seats in front of me, would obviously annoy a person sitting next to me if they can't stretch their legs.  I'm 5'1", so no problem for me, but with my luck, I would probably end up with a guy measuring 6'6"! 

Thanks, Ken!  After further research, I see I am booked on a CRJ200 which is a ridiculously small jet with overhead bins that won't even take a small suitcase with rollers (from what I am reading in different forums.)  I'm wondering if they would let me put it under my seat, although it would obviously go between my seat and the seat in front of me.  Also, my case is a soft case.  I guess I better invest in or borrow a hard case in case they tell me it has to go in the bagage compartment.  Do you have a picture of your case?  Sounds interesting...

Here's a link to a similar discussion from about 7 years ago.  In that discussion I link to an article about the law requiring airlines to accommodate instruments in the overhead.

I can't remember if I mentioned this in that discussion, but Aaron O'Rourke shared with me a few years ago that when he travels by air he packs his dulcimers in a soft gig bag surrounded by his clothes and towels and stuffed in one of those hard, oversized containers made for carrying golf clubs, which he checks as luggage.  The dulcimers are safe inside and the airlines are used to handling those things.  Then he also has a light, soft case when he gets to his destination.

Also pay attention to this discussion in which Jan Potts warns us that some airlines don't let economy passengers use the overhead spaces at all. They are closed before you even board.

I have taken small dulcimers as carry-ons. I have an octave dulcimer that can fit under the seat in front and a ginger-sized dulcimer that I put in a hard viola case in the overhead. I've never traveled by air with a full-sized dulcimer, but presumably if it can fit in the overhead, you can take it.

And to put the proper amount of fear in you, here's Bing's song about Northwest Airlines mangling his dulcimer .

It's not TSA you have to worry about, it's the particular airline.  Last year, flying from Florida to Kentucky for the Berea Traditional Dulcemore Gathering, Allegiant made me check my handmade case because they said "it didn't look like a musical instrument case", and there was no recourse but to put it in the belly of the beast.  On the way home on American, they let me have the same case in the cabin where the crew keep their goodies.  

BTW, the case was a 40" length of 8" diameter, 1/2" thick hard cardboard "sonotube" used as a form for casting concrete pilings.

Thank you so much, Dusty!  I can't imagine being without my dulcimer for 6 days!

My understanding is that as of a few years ago, the airlines were required to allow you to carry on any instrument that could fit in the overhead compartment.  So the dimensions of the overhead compartment and how early your board would be the determining factors.

There have been a few discussions on this topic. If I can dig them up I'll post again with the links.

Hello, Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience traveling on a commercial flight with a mountain dulcimer.  I'd like to take it with me onboard as a carry-on but if I understand correctly, TSA allows a maximum 45" dimensions.  I've got a McSpadden soft case 36" X 10" (at the widest point) X 3" which would put me 4" above the limit.  I was wondering how strict TSA is about this.  I would hate to "check it in" as I am sure that 800lb gorilla they keep in the back will smash it to pieces, God forbid!

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated, especially from those of you who have experience with it.  Many thanks!