Flying with a Gun: How to Travel Safely and Legally with a Firearm

Preparing for a trip is one of the most important aspects of planning a vacation, and those looking to bring a firearm should be prepared for the rules and regulations that come with taking a firearm into the sky.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allows airline passengers in the United States to transport unloaded firearms in a locked, hard-sided container as checked baggage only, but travelers must declare guns and ammunition to the airline when they check their luggage at the ticket counter. .

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The case must completely protect the weapon from being accessed. Unless TSA personnel request a key to open the firearms case to ensure compliance, only the passenger must hold the key or combination of the lock.

Officials advise travelers to understand and follow firearms laws as they vary by local, state and international governments.

“Bringing a device into a TSA security checkpoint is a completely avoidable mistake,” said TSA regional spokesman Mark Howell. “To avoid civil penalties and citations or arrest by local law enforcement, we ask passengers to thoroughly inspect their personal belongings before arriving at the airport.”

For those planning to fly internationally with firearms in checked baggage, please check the US Customs and Border Protection website for information and requirements before you travel.

Firearm parts, magazines, clips, bolts, firing pins and explosive weapons are prohibited in hand luggage, but may be transported in checked baggage. Gun scopes are allowed in carry-on and checked baggage.

To be clear, TSA officials said bringing an unloaded weapon with equipment into a checkpoint would result in the same civil penalties as having a handgun carried through security.

“TSA has no concerns about passengers carrying a device while traveling as long as it is properly packaged, declared to the airline and left at the ticket counter,” Howell continued.

Carrying ammunition involves certain protocols as it can be transported in checked baggage but is prohibited as carry-on. Whether loaded or unloaded, firearm magazines and clips must be securely boxed or enclosed in a hard-sided case containing the unloaded firearm.

Small arms (up to .75 caliber and shotgun shells of any caliber) must be packed in a fiber, wood, plastic or metal box designed to carry ammunition and be declared to the airline. Each carrier may have different ammo size limits, so it is recommended to call the airline before arriving at the airport.

The TSA website also lists several items that are not allowed in checked or carry-on bags; These include flare guns, flares, gun lighters, gun powder and rocket launchers.

Last year, TSA officers found 5,972 guns on passengers or in their checked bags at checkpoints across the country, a 35 percent increase from 2019.

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