If you do a lot of traveling with your instrument, you may be wondering about the best guitar cases for flying. It’s important to have the right case when you travel. You don’t want your instrument to get damaged or stolen.
Many cases don’t offer the protection you need for taking your instrument with you when traveling on an airplane. This guide will help you pick out an excellent case for your instrument while you’re on the go.
Quick-Look: Best Guitar Cases for Flying
★ #1 Best Guitar Case for Flying Overall: Fender Molded ★
- Best Cheap Guitar Case for Flying: Gator Molded Guitar Case
- Best Guitar Case for Flying Under $500: Gator Titan Guitar Case
- Best Guitar Case for Flying Under $300: SKB Injection Molded
- Best Acoustic Guitar Case for Flying: SKB Waterproof Acoustic Guitar
- Best Electric Guitar Case for Flying: Fender Molded Guitar Case
- Best Odd Shaped Case for Flying: SKB Flying V
A lot of these products are also good choices if you have gigs all the time and move your instruments in and out of different vehicles. These cases will offer you the maximum protection that you need.
What is a Guitar Case for Flying?
When looking for the best guitar cases for flying, it’s important to understand what this type of case is meant to do. They provide the maximum protection that you want to have to prevent damage to your instrument.
It’s also a good idea to have cases that lock if you’re going to be on a flight or somewhere where your instrument may be at risk of being stolen.
Types of Guitar Cases for Flying
There are several different cases that you can get for flying. Here is a rundown of the basics that you need to know about.
Hardshell Case
A hardshell case will give maximum protection for your instrument. It’s a good idea to ensure that it has a lock if you plan to take this case flying with you. If you’re only going from gig to gig, you don’t necessarily need a lock.
Softshell Case
A softshell case is perfect when traveling to lessons, but it’s not the ideal solution if you plan to do any major traveling. This type of case doesn’t offer the maximum protection that you need.
Flight Style
A flight showcase is probably your best bet for the maximum amount of protection for an instrument. These are made with high-impact plastic or metal. They tend to have locks and keep your instrument as secure as possible.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Guitar Case for Flying
There are a few things you need to consider before purchasing a guitar case for flying. Here is what you need to know before ordering.
Size
It’s important to know the size of your instrument. Not every case can fit your guitar. For example, Gibson Explorers have an odd size and require a specialized case.
Protection
If you’re going to be doing a lot of flying, you need the maximum amount of protection. This will mean you’ll probably want to have a hardshell case with a lock on it.
Price
Flight cases for instruments cost quite a bit. You can expect to pay a couple of hundred dollars or more for a decent flight case. You don’t want to cut corners when it comes to price because you want your instrument protected.
10 Best Guitar Cases for Flying
Here are the 10 best guitar cases for flying. All of these are a great choice if you plan to take your instrument on a long flight.
They’re also perfect for everyday storage if you have an expensive instrument to protect.
1. Fender Molded Guitar Case
- Type: Hardshell flight
- Material: Hard plastic
- Locking: TSA lock
- Best for: Strat and Tele style guitar owners
The Fender molded guitar case is an excellent choice for flights. It’s made with high-impact plastic and has a solid handle. It has a lock, a nice soft interior, and a storage compartment.
✅ Locking
✅ Solid handle
✅ Good latches
✅ Storage compartment
❌ Expensive
❌It won’t fit Les Paul style guitars
Why I Recommend It
I don’t trust my Fender Stratocaster in any other case. The Fender molded case offers excellent protection. It has a solid handle, and the latches fit in place nicely. The middle one has a locking mechanism for security.
The inside of this case is soft, so it protects the guitar. There’s a cradle for the neck and a nice storage compartment for accessories such as your tremolo arm, guitar picks, a small tuner, and so on.
2. Gator Molded Guitar Case
- Type: Hardshell flight
- Material: Hard plastic
- Locking: TSA lock
- Best for: Strat and Tele style guitar owners
The Gator Molded guitar case is an excellent solution for your next flight. It has a TSA-approved lock for extra security. It’s made with high-impact plastic and has a soft interior and storage compartment.
✅ Solid handle
✅ Lots of padding
✅ Lockable
✅ Good latches
❌ Expensive
❌ It won’t fit some guitars
Why I Recommend It
This molded guitar case is my second choice for a flight case. This one costs a little less than the Fender molded guitar case but offers the same basic protection.
This one has a TSA lock, a good handle, solid latches, and a quite spacious inside storage compartment. I like how the guitar neck sits in this case, as it’s protected over the entire length.
3. Gator Titan Les Paul Case
- Type: Hardshell flight
- Material: High impact plastic
- Locking: Yes
- Best for: Those that need maximum Les Paul protection
Protect your valuable Les Paul guitar with the Gator Titan Case. This case offers maximum protection, and it is both dust and water resistant. It has a secure latch, a solid handle, and plenty of extra padding inside for the instrument.
✅ Lots of padding
✅ Lockable
✅ Solid handle
✅ Good latches
❌ Expensive
❌Small accessory pouch
Why I Recommend It
This is the perfect travel case for a Les Paul or similar guitar. It’s made with high-impact plastic, and it has a great handle on it. I like the solid latches, which further secure the instrument.
Inside, your guitar is cradled with plenty of extra padding. It has a nice cradle, so it’s not going to move. This is critical with a Les Paul guitar. There’s also a handy storage pouch for small accessories.
4. SKB Jumbo Acoustic Guitar Case
- Type: Hardshell flight
- Material: High impact plastic
- Locking: TSA lock
- Best for: Those that have a jumbo acoustic guitar
If you want to have the maximum amount of protection for your jumbo acoustic guitar, you’ll get it with the SKB jumbo acoustic guitar case. It’s made with high-impact plastic and has a great handle and a secure TSA latch.
✅ Great protection
✅ TSA lock
✅ Extra padding
✅ Storage compartment
❌ Expensive
❌Only for larger acoustics
Why I Recommend It
For those that have a jumbo acoustic guitar, this is the ideal case. It offers you the protection that you need for those long flights. The outside is made with high-impact plastic, so your instrument is always protected.
I like that this has a TSA-approved lock, so you don’t have to worry about theft. There is extra foam inside the cradle of the guitar neck. You get a storage compartment for small acoustic guitar accessories.
5. SKB Waterproof Acoustic Guitar Case
- Type: Hardshell flight
- Material: High impact plastic and resin
- Locking: TSA lock and latches
- Best for: Those that have an expensive acoustic guitar
For your expensive acoustic guitar, you need the maximum amount of protection. The SKB waterproof case provides that. It has a TSA-approved lock and plenty of padding to protect your investment.
✅ Great padding
✅ Waterproof
✅ Locking
✅Impact resistant
❌ Expensive
❌ Heavy
Why I Recommend It
Like this case because it’s nice and soft inside to protect that expensive guitar. The outside is waterproof and high impact resistant. You get a nice storage compartment inside and a TSA-approved lock.
This is the ideal case for any flight. It’s air-tight, so your instrument won’t be impacted by the weather. Scrapes, bumps, and bangs won’t harm the guitar. There are three handles on it for easy transport.
6. Fender CEO Flight Case
- Type: Hardshell flight
- Material: Metal/plastic
- Locking: Yes
- Best for: Those that have an expensive electric guitar
The Fender CEO Flight Case is an excellent product. It offers you maximum protection. It’s easy to get around in the airport because it has wheels on it. You get butterfly locks and excellent support inside.
✅ Rugged protection
✅ Lockable
✅ Wheels
✅ Storage compartment
❌ Tight fit
❌Expensive
Why I Recommend It
One of the best electric guitar cases for flying is the Fender CEO case. This offers you maximum protection thanks to both steel and plastic construction. The outside has wheels so that you can take this case with you.
If I were flying to gigs, I would be using a case like this. Your guitar is well-protected inside with plenty of soft padding. There’s a storage compartment for small accessories.
7. SKB Flying V Flight Case
- Type: Hardshell flight
- Material: Metal/plastic
- Locking: Yes
- Best for: Those that have a Gibson or similar Flying V
The Gibson Flying V is a uniquely shaped guitar. You need a special case for it when going on a flight. This case features a TSA-approved lock, solid plastic, and a soft interior to protect your valuable guitar.
✅ Solid protection
✅Foam interior
✅Solid handle
✅ Quality latches
❌ Expensive
❌ Only holds one guitar type
Why I Recommend It
If you own a Gibson Flying V or similar V-shaped guitar, you’ll love this case. You get solid protection for your instrument while you’re traveling. The outside is made with high-impact plastic, and you get a TSA-approved lock.
Inside this case is a small storage compartment for your accessories. There is nice padding to cradle the guitar neck, and you won’t have to worry about your guitar getting damaged while traveling.
8. SKB Acoustic Guitar Case
- Type: Hardshell flight
- Material: Hard plastic
- Locking: TSA lock
- Best for: Those that have want maximum acoustic guitar protection
This SKB guitar case is a perfect fit for your acoustic guitar. It gives you hard-shell protection along with a lock, quality handle, and luxurious interior. This case also has a large compartment for storing small items.
✅ TSA lock
✅ Extra padding
✅ Good handle
✅ Secure latches
❌ Expensive
❌ Heavy
Why I Recommend It
This case will cost you a lot of money, but you get excellent protection for your acoustic guitar. The outside is hard-impact plastic, and I like the solid handle and latches on this model.
The best part of this case is that it has an excellent interior that cradles your acoustic guitar in place. I also like the large storage compartment on this model, so you have plenty of room for all of your small accessories.
9. SKB Injection Molded
- Type: Hardshell flight
- Material: Metal/plastic
- Locking: Yes
- Best for: Those that have a Strat/Tele style guitar
The SKB Injection molded case gives you extra protection for your Stratocaster or Telecaster style guitar. It’s made with hard impact plastic, and it has a locking mechanism. It has solid handles and latches to secure your instrument.
✅ Solid case
✅ Good interior
✅ Large compartment
✅ Locks
❌Expensive
❌ Heavy
Why I Recommend It
I am a big fan of SKB cases because they offer maximum protection for instruments. This one will cradle your electric guitar in the case and keep it free from movement. Its TSA lock will keep your instrument secure.
Inside the case, your instrument fits well and the neck is cradled in place. There’s an extra-large storage compartment for all of your accessories. You can use the wheels in this model to move it around in the airport.
10. Gator Molded for Classical Guitars
- Type: Hardshell flight
- Material: Metal/plastic
- Locking: Yes
- Best for: Those that have a classical guitar
The Gator Molded for Classical Guitars case cradles your delicate nylon string guitar. It has a plush interior to protect the instrument. Outside there’s a locking mechanism to secure it, and it has a high-quality handle and latches.
✅ Solid case
✅ Good interior
✅ TSA-approved lock
✅ Secure latches
❌ Does not fit other acoustics
❌ Expensive
Why I Recommend It
If you have a nylon string classical guitar, I recommended this case. It has a TSA-approved lock, so your instrument is secure. The guitar is cradled mostly in the side with a soft interior.
The case has a small compartment, but there is enough room for some small accessories. The outside features hard impact plastic, so your guitar won’t suffer damage while you go through the airport.
Best Guitar Cases for Flying Brands
Here is a list of the best guitar case brands that are ideal for taking on a flight.
These brands have well-designed cases that can take the abuse they go through on a flight.
Gator Cases
Gator Makes a wide range of guitar cases for both electric guitars and acoustic guitars. They have quite a few suitable models for a flight with rugged exteriors, soft lining, and locks to keep your guitar protected.
Fender
Fender features a wide range of accessories, including hardshell cases that you can take on a flight. Their cases are well-constructed and have locks along with solid handles and good interior lining.
SKB
SKB has a large assortment of molded plastic guitar cases. These cases offer ample protection, locks, soft interiors, and the superior protection you need for any expensive guitar you want to take on a flight.
Guitar Case for Flying Aesthetics & Build
There are a few things to look for in a guitar case that’s specifically designed for travel guitars on a flight.
Material
Make sure the case is made with quality materials. It should be resistant to damage and have good hinges, a solid handle, and proper protection inside. You should avoid cheap cases and gig bags as these are not ideal for flights.
Storage
You get more storage with a gig bag and not as much with a hardshell case. You’ll have to make do with the smaller interior storage compartment that most flight cases have.
Locks
If you plan to fly, make sure your case locks. This prevents people from looking inside the case to see what you have. The lock makes theft less tempting. If you have an expensive guitar, you can lock it in your flight case.
Handles/Hinges
You want a case with a solid handle. These are usually leather or high-impact plastic. A hardshell case is heavy, so it needs a quality handle. The hinges on these cases usually snap together for a solid fit.
Wheels
You may want a case that has wheels. This makes it easy to move your guitar through the airport. Flight cases tend to be a lot heavier than a regular gig bag or even a standard hardshell case.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are some frequently asked questions about guitar flight cases to help you make an informed buying decision.
How Much Do Guitar Cases for Flying Cost?
Guitar flight cases range from $150 to $350 and up. These cases offer maximum protection, and you want to ensure you’re using a high-quality case with good protection.
Do I Need a Lock?
You should have a lock if you;re on a major flight. Your guitar is valuable to you, and a lock ensures that no one can look inside. The lock keeps prying eyes out of the case. You are at risk without a good lock.
Can I Use a Softshell Gig Bag?
On a major flight, avoid the gig bag as it’s not sturdy enough. If you’re on a short local flight, the gig bag is probably fine. On major airlines, the gig bag won’t cut it. Protect your guitar with impact plastic.
What Are the Best Guitar Cases for Flying?
Here are my top picks for the best guitar cases for flying. All of these cases offer great protection for your instrument and will keep it safe with a lock while flying.
Fender Molded Guitar Case: Best for Strat/Tele Guitars
I have a Fender Molded Case, and it offers great protection for a Strat or Tele style guitar. The handle is solid, and it has good hinges with a lock in the middle. The interior is soft with a roomy storage compartment for accessories.
Gator Titan Les Paul Case: Best for Les Paul Owners
The Gator Titan Case is ideal for Les Paul style guitars as they have an odd shape. This case offers maximum protection with solid plastic, a sturdy handle, a lock, and inside padding.
SKB Acoustic Guitar Case: Best for Acoustic Players
The SKB Acoustic Guitar Case offers great protection for acoustic guitars. It’s made with high-impact plastic and has a good handle and a lock. The interior is soft with a storage compartment for small items.
Where Are the Best Guitar Cases for Flying Made?
The best guitar cases for flying are made in the USA. These cases have everything you need to protect your guitar on a major flight.
Where to Buy Guitar Cases for Flying
There are a few places where you might consider getting a proper guitar case for flying. These locations are my top picks for buying guitar cases for your expensive instruments.
Amazon
You’ll find plenty of instrument flight cases on Amazon. They have an excellent selection, fast shipping, good customer service, and you can read reviews before ordering a product, so you know what you’re getting.
Online Music Retailers
Two other online music retailers include Guitar Center and Sweetwater. They both have good customer service, fast shipping, and a wide selection of musical products, including flight cases.
Your Local Music Store
You may also be able to pick up a flight case at your local music store. They might not have all brands in stock, so you may have to wait for a case.
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In Conclusion
Thank you for reading this guide on the best guitar cases for flying. It’s important to protect your instrument when you’re on an airline. Make sure you have a case with high-impact plastic and a locking mechanism.
We look forward to hearing from you. Please like, share, and leave a comment. Now, go pick up a high-quality flight case for your guitar for your next travel adventure.