Flying with a guitar in Australia is usually simple once you know which of four options your airline gives you: carry it on, check it in, gate check it, or buy it a seat. This guide compares Qantas, QantasLink, Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Rex, with every rule taken from the airline’s own page and checked on 1 November 2026.
We teach in Darwin, where most trips start with a long flight, so students ask us about this often. Airline rules change, and staff at the counter have the final say on the day, so treat this as a starting point and confirm with your airline before you book.
Quick answer
On the big Australian airlines a full size guitar is usually too big for carry on. Qantas says guitars generally must be checked in; Virgin Australia, Qantas (on most jets), Jetstar and Rex all let you buy an extra seat for one, each with its own limits. Use a hard case if it goes in the hold, keep spare batteries in the cabin, and confirm the rules with your airline before you fly (checked on 1 November 2026).
Airline rules for flying with a guitar compared
The table below summarises each official page as we read it on 1 November 2026. Sizes are length x width x depth, including the case. If your trip has a codeshare or partner leg, the operating airline’s rules apply, so check that page too.
| Airline | Small instrument as carry on | Full size guitar | Extra seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qantas (Boeing and Airbus) | Up to 7 kg and 142 cm total (85 x 34 x 23 cm), must fit the overhead locker; counts as part of your carry on. | Qantas says guitars usually do not fit and must be checked in. | Yes, on most flights: up to 7 kg, 158 cm total in Economy, needs a handle so it can be belted in; tell Qantas at booking (carry on page). |
| QantasLink Dash 8 | Up to 7 kg and 105 cm total (48 x 34 x 23 cm). | Check it in. | Qantas lists Dash 8 and E190 services as exceptions for bulky item seats. |
| Virgin Australia | Up to 85 x 34 x 23 cm (142 cm total); replaces one carry on bag and counts toward your carry on weight. | Treated as checked baggage and charged on actual weight; over 32 kg must go as freight. | Yes, bought in advance: up to 160 cm long and 30.5 cm deep, not in exit rows or Business; hard case recommended (extra seat page). |
| Jetstar | Flights before 2 February 2027: under 7 kg, 85 x 36 x 23 cm. From 2 February 2027: 40 x 30 x 20 cm as your underseat bag, or 85 x 36 x 23 cm with Priority Carry on or Business, max 10 kg. | Checked; an oversized item fee applies if it is longer than 1 m with packaging. Starter fares include no checked bag. | Jetstar says you may buy a seat for a larger instrument. |
| Rex | Small instruments such as violins, within the 7 kg carry on limits. | Check it in, or buy a seat. | Guitars up to 20 kg (25 kg on a Flex fare), booked through the contact centre at least 48 hours ahead, plus a $22 service fee (special requirements). |
A typical full size acoustic or electric in its case is longer than 85 cm, so it will not meet these carry on limits. Small travel guitars sometimes do. Measure yours in its case rather than guessing.
Cabin, gate check, checked or extra seat
Cabin. This only works if the guitar and case meet the size and weight limits above. Board early so there is locker space. On a Dash 8 or Saab the limits are smaller again.
Gate check. None of the pages above promise a gate check for guitars. Virgin Australia says that if the lockers are full, staff may check carry on bags at the gate. If you are offered one, take it only if the guitar is in a case that can survive the hold.
Checked. This is the default for most people flying with a guitar. Weight counts toward your checked allowance, and Jetstar adds an oversized item fee for items over 1 m. A hard case is the sensible choice here.
Extra seat. The most protective option, and the most expensive: you pay for a second seat. Book it at the same time as your own seat; Qantas says it cannot be added to an existing booking, and Rex wants 48 hours notice by phone.
Hard case vs gig bag, and loosening strings
A gig bag is lighter and fits a locker more easily, but it gives little protection in the hold. If the guitar may be checked, use a hard case and pad the headstock and neck so nothing moves inside. Fender suggests packing soft items around the neck and headstock until the case is slightly hard to close.
On strings, the makers disagree. Taylor Guitars says there is no need to detune because the cabin and the hold are pressurised, and that it has done its own drop tests; it also warns that heavily slackened strings for long periods let the neck back bow. Fender suggests loosening the strings. Our teacher view: normal tension, or a slight slackening if it gives you peace of mind, but not fully slack. If you use heavy gauges for a drop tuning, see our drop tuning string gauge guide before you retune at the other end.
Packing step by step
- Measure and weigh the guitar in its case, then compare with your airline’s row in the table.
- Photograph the guitar, its serial number and the case before you leave home.
- Pad the headstock and neck; put a soft cloth between the strings and the frets.
- Move string cutters and truss rod keys to checked baggage, as Taylor suggests they may not clear screening.
- Label the case inside and out with your name and phone number.
- Print the airline’s policy page and keep it with your boarding pass.
Batteries, pedals and power banks
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority says spare lithium batteries and power banks must travel in the cabin, never in checked baggage, with the terminals protected. Batteries over 100 Wh need airline approval, and over 160 Wh are not allowed in passenger baggage. Devices with batteries fitted must be fully switched off.
For guitarists that means rechargeable pedals, wireless systems and tuners should be switched off, and spare batteries go in your carry on. Airlines may set tighter limits than CASA, so check your airline too.
Climate change on arrival
When flying with a guitar, the flight itself is rarely the problem; the change in climate at the other end can be. Flying from Darwin to a cool, dry city in winter, or the reverse, can move the action and make fret ends feel sharp. Let the guitar sit in its closed case for a while before opening it. Our guides to guitar care in humid weather and guitar care in cold, dry weather cover what to watch.
Insurance and damage claims
Airline liability for checked baggage is limited, and the details vary by airline and ticket, so read your airline’s conditions of carriage. Many home contents and travel policies exclude or cap musical instruments, so check whether yours covers the guitar away from home and in an aircraft hold.
If the guitar arrives damaged, open the case at the carousel and report it before you leave the airport. Fender’s advice is to get a written report and the staff member’s name. The second page of our checklist has a record for photos, serial number, bag tag, report time and reference number.
Shipping instead
Australia Post limits domestic parcels to 22 kg and 105 cm on the longest side, and many full size guitar cases are longer than that. Couriers and freight services can take larger items; get a quote and check their insurance terms. For most people, flying with a guitar as checked baggage in a good hard case is simpler than shipping it.
Free flying checklist
Our two page checklist puts the airline comparison card (checked on 1 November 2026) on page one, and a packing list, airport day list and damage claim record on page two. Print it before flying with a guitar, fill in your flight details and keep it in the case.
Download the free Flying With a Guitar Checklist (PDF)
If you are travelling to play, our guides on preparing for your first gig, playing online versus live gigs and making money as a guitarist may help. Still learning the basics before your trip? Try our online beginner course.
FAQ
Can I take a guitar as carry on with Qantas?
Only if it fits the small instrument limits: 7 kg and 142 cm total on jets, or 105 cm on Dash 8. Qantas says most guitars do not fit and must be checked in, unless you buy an extra seat (checked on 1 November 2026).
Does Virgin Australia let a guitar have its own seat?
Yes, if you buy the seat in advance. Virgin Australia’s limits are 160 cm long and 30.5 cm deep, and the guitar cannot sit in an exit row or Business.
Will Jetstar’s musical instrument rules change in 2027?
Jetstar’s page says that from 2 February 2027 a small instrument must fit the underseat size unless you buy Priority Carry on or Business. Check the page again close to your trip.
Should I loosen my strings when flying with a guitar?
Taylor says there is no need; Fender suggests loosening. In our view, normal tension or a slight slackening is fine; avoid leaving it fully slack.
Can I take pedal batteries on the plane?
Spare lithium batteries and power banks must go in the cabin with terminals protected, according to CASA. Switch devices fully off, and check your airline’s limits.
Airline rules change often. Everything here was checked on the airlines’ own pages on 1 November 2026, but your booking conditions and the staff on the day decide, so confirm before flying with a guitar.
Image credits
Qantas Airbus A330 at Darwin International Airport, photo by Kgbo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY SA 4.0. Perth Airport Terminal 2 baggage carousels, photo by Orderinchaos, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY SA 4.0. Travel guitar in a gig bag, photo by Tim Walker, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Checklist preview by Maxim’s Guitar Workshop.
