I was flying from Las Vegas to New Orleans with Spirit Airlines, and this time everything went smoothly when declaring and checking my firearms.
Declaring at the Counter
When I got to the counter, I told the agent I was declaring firearms. Using the right terminology and being polite always seems to help the process move along. It also signals to the airline staff that you’ve done this before, even if they haven’t.
Most of the time, the agent will fill out the declaration card and have you sign it, but occasionally they’ll hand you the card to fill out yourself. That card goes inside the gun case if you’re checking it by itself, or on the outside of the case if it’s packed inside another piece of luggage. Once that’s done, you lock the case back up and they send your bag down the line.
TSA and Baggage Handling
After check-in, your firearm case goes through TSA screening just like the rest of your checked luggage. Some airports will have you wait 10 to 15 minutes in case TSA needs to open the case. This is more likely if you don’t use TSA-approved locks, which I don’t. If TSA doesn’t flag anything, you’re free to head to security.
When it comes to baggage claim, the process can vary. If your lockbox is inside a larger piece of luggage, it usually just shows up on the baggage carousel with everything else. If you checked the lockbox by itself, it could still come out on the carousel, but more often it gets walked to the airline’s baggage office. In that case, you’ll have to show ID to pick it up. Like a lot of things with air travel, it depends on the airline, the airport, the staff, and maybe even how the stars are aligned that day.
Why Document This?
Flying with firearms can be intimidating for people who haven’t done it before, and every airport or airline can handle things a little differently. By recording these experiences, I want to show what the process looks like in real life. Sometimes it goes smoothly, like it did here, and other times there can be hiccups. Knowing what to expect makes traveling with firearms much easier.
Final Thoughts
If you follow TSA’s guidelines and your airline’s policies, flying with firearms doesn’t have to be stressful. Spirit Airlines and the Las Vegas airport staff handled the process quickly and professionally on this trip.
