I brought my firearm on a girls trip to Florida recently. While standing in line to check our luggage, my friend leaned closer and muttered under her breath, “Just don’t get us kicked out of this airport.” I looked at her in surprise but before I had a chance to respond I heard, “next please!” I stepped up to the counter, told the employee I needed to declare a firearm, signed my name three times and I was done. It’s that simple.

If you plan to fly with a firearm, here are a few things you need to know.

Before your trip

1. Make sure the destination recognizes your concealed carry permit and learn the concealed carry laws for that state. Even within the United States, this can vary.

   • I like to reference this book because it not only tells you what states recognize your permit, but also gives you an overview of specific State laws that may be different from yours.

   • You could also check USCCA’s Reciprocity Map.

   • Pro tip: When checking online, make note of the date the information was published, as laws periodically change.

2. Check your airline’s firearms policy and procedure. If the information is not easy to find, try typing “firearms” into the website’s search bar. Guidelines can vary between airlines, but they could look something like this:

“The guest is at least 18 years of age and is not traveling to an international destination. The guest declares the firearm to be unloaded and signs a Firearms Declaration tag. If the hard-sided locked container is inside another piece of luggage, the tag shall be placed inside the luggage next to the locked container. Ammunition must be securely packed in boxes or other packaging specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition. Ammunition clips and magazines must also be securely boxed. Firearms and properly packaged ammunition may be carried in the same hard-sided container.”

When you fly

1. Store your firearm and magazine(s) unloaded, in a hard, lockable, TSA approved, box that you place inside the bag you plan to check. You should be the only one with the key or combination. I use the Vaultek Lifepod. To read more about it, click here.

2. Ammunition should be stored in a small box that was designed to store bullets. Depending on airline rules, this could be locked in the same TSA approved box as the gun, or locked in a separate TSA approved box also placed inside your checked bag. Do not store ammunition in your firearm, magazine, or spare magazine.

3. Pro tip - When you check your luggage, make sure to ask where you can pick it up. During this trip, my suitcase appeared on the conveyor belt just like all the other luggage. However, on a previous trip, my bag was separated from all the other luggage and I had to request it from an employee behind counter. I was shocked to see they had also secured it with zip ties, so be aware this could happen. Note to self: anyone in the baggage area with zip ties on their luggage may be a friend I haven’t met yet.

4. This is obvious but I’ll say it anyway. Never, ever, leave your firearm (or knife, or pepper spray) in a carry-on bag. This actually happens in the U.S. a surprising number of times every year. I suppose busy people may forget to check their brief case or purse for the gun they habitually carry there. Don’t be that person.

On the way to our gate, my friend asked, “Was that it?” Apparently, she was preparing for a siren to go off and airport employees to grill me on my intentions for bringing a gun.

I’m happy to say, that although it takes a little preparation, it’s much simpler than that!

“Chime-In!”

Have you ever flown with a firearm? Share your experience in the comments below!

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