How to Travel with Bagpipes: Essential Tips for Flying with Your Instrument

Flying with bagpipes? It’s totally doable – but it takes a bit of planning.

Whether you're heading to a competition, performing overseas, or just can't bear to leave your pipes at home, traveling with a musical instrument can feel a little nerve-wracking.

Will security understand what it is?

Will your reeds survive the flight?

And what happens if you’re forced to check your pipes?

From airline rules to packing tips, security, reeds, and customs, here’s how to fly with your bagpipes safely – whether you're headed across your home state, or across the world.

Are Bagpipes Allowed on Planes?

Yes. You can fly with bagpipes. Most pipers take them as carry-on.

That said, every airline has its own baggage rules. Some are strict about size and weight. Others are more relaxed. You’ll want to double-check your airline’s policy before you get to the airport – a little bit of research will give you a lot of peace of mind.

If your case is close to the limits, consider switching to a smaller case.

Quite a few suppliers sell backpack-style cases that are popular with traveling pipers because they’re compact and airline-friendly. Check out your local bagpipe supply store for the types they carry. 

TIP: Airlines can overbook flights, and will often so for the best chance of getting your pipes into the cabin with you, let the gate crew know you're carrying a fragile item, and line up to board early to avoid having to check your carry on suitcase.

How to Pack Your Bagpipes for Air Travel

Whether you’re carrying them on or checking them in, packing your pipes properly is key.

Although they're usually made of (hard)wood, which can expand and contract with extreme environmental changes, bagpipes are tough.

But the reeds and joints? Not so much.

Here’s how to protect your instrument:

If carrying on:

• Choose a durable, padded case. Backpack straps make it much easier to manage.

• Wrap your drones and stocks in soft cloths or bubble wrap to stop them from rattling and risking any chips to the wood or ornaments.TIP: wrap them in t-shirts or socks you're taking for your trip to save space!

• Store your chanter and reeds in a separate reed case. Keep this with you in your personal bag under the seat, not your main case, to avoid it moving around during the flight.

• If you use moisture control systems, like a Ross or Canmore zipper bag, make sure nothing is leaking or overly damp.

• You could also get a large ziplock bag to store them in (inside of your carry on) – this will minimize humidity changes in the dry air of the cabin, especially if you're on a long haul flight. 

• If you usually carry a knife or scissors for hemp etc in your pipe case or maintenance kit, make sure you move this from your bagpipe case / carry on into your checked luggage, or you're likely to lose it going through airport security!

If checking your pipes:

• It's not ideal to check your pipes, but it's also not the end of the world (and if you have polypenco / plastic bagpipes, which aren't as affected by environmental changes, it's usually totally fine).

• If you must check your pipes, use a hard-shell suitcase if at all possible. 

• Wrap your pipes in clothing for padding and store them in a large ziplock bag to minimize humidity changes.

• Keep reeds, chanter, and any fragile parts with you in your carry-on.

TIP: Lost luggage happens – pop an AirTag or tracking device in your case so you know where it is at all times. 

Getting Through Airport Security with Bagpipes

For the most part, you won't have any issues travelling with bagpipes through security in your carry on.

But bagpipes look weird on a security scanner. To security staff who haven't seen them before, they can be confusing at best and suspicious at worst.

They can also be tricky to explain to an airport employee who speaks a different language to you, especially if you're exhausted after a long flight halfway across the world. 

If you do get stopped, here’s how to avoid delays:

• Say clearly: “This is a musical instrument – bagpipes.”
  TIP: It can be helpful to know the word for bagpipes in the language of countries you'll be travelling to, or through (eg: dudelsack, cornemuse, biniou, gaita, etc). 

• Be ready to open the case and explain what each part is.

• Separate reeds and keep them in a labeled container.

• If your bag has tubing or valves, explain their purpose calmly.

• Stay patient and friendly. Security staff are usually curious, not hostile.

How to Travel with Cane Reeds and Drone Reeds

Cane doesn’t love flying – it’s sensitive to dry air and pressure changes.

To protect your reeds:

• Use a small, hard reed case with padding.

• Keep them in your personal bag. Not your pipe case.

• Avoid exposing them to extreme temperature changes, like leaving them in a hot car after you land.

• Give them time to rest and acclimatize once you arrive.

• Always carry backups.

Some pipers travel with synthetic reeds just in case – they’re more stable in rough conditions, and if you’ve got a big performance soon after you land, you’ll be glad to have options.

Customs, CITES, and International Travel

Most of the time, bagpipes don’t raise red flags at customs. But sometimes they do – especially if you have older pipes made with ivory, rare woods, or abalone mounts.

Some materials bagpipes are made from are restricted in some countries, to prevent illegal trading of things like ivory (yes, even if it's on a musical instrument that dates to the 1820s and was handed down the generations of your family and you have no intention of selling it). 

The simplest solution here is not to travel with bagpipes that are made from these materials. Some players choose to buy a second, cheaper set of plain blackwood or polypenco (plastic) pipes just for travelling, or you can borrow a set if you have a generous friend or bandmate willing to trust you with them! 

But if you do have to travel with bagpipes made from rare materials like ivory, check for CITES requirements. CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) regulates travel with certain materials. You may need special documentation to avoid fines or confiscation.

The government of the country you're travelling to, and your own country's government should have resources that can help you with the requirements for customs (going there and coming home), or ask around with bands in your area who travel often to see if they know the latest rules. 

TIP: Rules around travelling with ivory and rare materials can change, so even if your bagpipes were compliant when you travelled to the Worlds 10 years ago, it's worth checking next time you travel too so you don't have to surrender your beloved heirloom set of pipes and become the headline horror story for future pipers to read about. 

Jet Lag, Tuning, and Pipe Maintenance After You Land

Temperature and humidity changes can mess with your tuning, and it's not just your actual instrument that needs to rest and acclimatize – your body needs time to stretch, rest and recover from jet lag to be able to play at your best too.  

Post-flight bagpipe care checklist:

• Let your pipes acclimate to the environment for at least 12–24 hours before heavy playing.

• Check for moisture build-up and wipe everything down.

• Give your reeds time to settle – you may need to tweak bridles or reed seats.

• Allow time for a full retune before your first practice or performance.

• Hydrate yourself too – dry air from flying affects you just like your reeds.

• Be ready for changes to your setup — your destination’s climate and altitude can make your pipes feel very different to play. If possible, give yourself a few sessions to adjust and get comfortable in the new conditions.

Final Tips: Keep Calm and Carry Pipes

Traveling with bagpipes doesn’t need to be stressful. Although you may have heard horror stories, most issues you might encounter can be avoided with solid prep and a calm attitude.

Here’s a recap:

• Know your airline’s rules.

• Carry your pipes on whenever possible.

• Pack carefully and protect your reeds.

• Be friendly and clear at security.

• Give your pipes time to adjust when you land.

Whether you're heading to Scotland for the Worlds, playing a gig in another city, or piping on a beach somewhere sunny (from where we'd rather be!) – I hope this primer gives you some guidance to help you travel confidently.