nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Never had a problem with TSA. I've carried a LowePro bag with body, 4 or 5 lenses, flash, spare batteries, memory cards, & charger on a number of trips. The bag went in the overhead. My laptop backpack went under the seat.

dr.juice

That's why I now drive (I'm retired and have all kinds of time to do that). I used to fly everywhere.

Last month and early this month, the first time since I retired, I recently flew to and from England (business class ticket paid for by a corporation). NO issues with the camera gear from TSA or the airline involved, so I just breathed out and opened my current book which I started reading on my outbound flight and finished yesterday in a doctor's office on my 9th day back. By the term "NO issues", I mean that I didn't even have a single question from the TSA about my camera gear, though they were fully loaded with questions about my meds for which I had letters from my doctors detailing every single one plus its dose and the reason for taking each particular one. The two they gave me the hardest time about were both meds I'm taking as part of a clinical trial and nobody in the TSA side of the world had a foggy clue about them. The Brit equivalent of TSA knew about both of them and zipped me right through the checkin process to come home. I think that might have had something to do with my VERY muddy shoes and jeans from my former PhD students' dig that I'd worked on for 9 days ;~)

But, I got no questions on either safety check about my photo gear (Sony 700 + 2 lenses + filters (tripod supplied in England), the related computer gear, the computer and case, digital drives (HUGE memory sticks that all were eight 256GBs (in a giant pill bottle) for a total of 2TBs (every one labelled) and blank outbound, full coming home)).

Personally, I felt like having COMPLETE documentation readily available and being organized about it was the most important reason I didn't get more hassles.

Hope this helps somebody else prepare for security checks. PS - the book was only about about 330 pages and very slow reading for a non-genetics person.

virginia

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

Carry on! Never had a problem with lenses, batteries, cables, etc. When traveling the parks, don’t overload yourself with gear. A good zoom and a wide angle should do it.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Light meters especially. I had a hell of a time explaining mine a few times. Though, it's never been an exceptional problem.
--Bob

Dossile

I never check body or lenses. I have checked luggage packed with a tripod, chargers, cards, cleaning supplies, rain covers, beanbags,etc. NEVER BODY OR LENSES. I golf and lost a nice wedge to TSA. I know photographers with professional levels/amounts of gear check their cameras and lenses with Pelican cases, but I can carryon what’s essential.

Going through a TSA line with camera gear is hardly an issue. Have fun.

steve49 Loc: massachusetts

I have never had an issue with carry on ... either in the USA or abroad.
Checked seems like a really bad idea to me...
having recently waited 4 days for my luggage from Air France!

AircraftGuru

Be sure to visit Zion National Park .... you’ll never forget it. Enter from the southwest side .... and also go out the east side .... that road will have a visually interesting path including going through a mile long tunnel in one of the mountains made in the early 1930’s.

KLambar Loc: New Jersey

I always carry on. Have never had a problem with TSA.

FotoHog Loc: on Cloud 9

NEVER EVER CHECK YOUR PHOTO GEAR !!!
Checked luggages is brutally handled and vulnerable to getting lost or stolen. I just came back from south america. On two occasions, when transferring, I was required to check my carry-on because the smaller planes lacked sufficient space in the overhead compartments. Anticipating that possibility I packed all my gear so that I could quickly take it out of the carry-on and transfer it to my rucksack. I was glad I did because on disembarking I could not get my carry-on immediately but had to go to the general baggage claim where everything came tumbling down in total chaos - DON'T DO IT!

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

EdU239 Loc: The Northeast

I have taken about one flight per year for the last ten years, either to Europe and in the U.S. I have never had any problem or questions about my camera gear from security. I would strongly recommend carrying your camera, lenses, etc. in carry-on and preferably in something that fits under the seat rather than in the overhead. Airlines occasionally limit what you can carry if the plane is full.

photoman43

Carry on cameras and lenses, batteries, laptop, etc. Put tripods and ball heads in checked baggage with a note on top as to what they are. Some TSA agents think ball heads and tripods are weapons and therefore cannot be in carryon luggage. That being said, many photographers place them in carryon luggage and never have a problem.

See if Grand Junction airport meets your needs. I used it for one trip to Arches as I recall.

Have a great trip.

photoman43

Carry on cameras and lenses, batteries, laptop, etc. Put tripods and ball heads in checked baggage with a note on top as to what they are. Some TSA agents think ball heads and tripods are weapons and therefore cannot be in carryon luggage. That being said, many photographers place them in carryon luggage and never have a problem.

See if Grand Junction airport meets your needs. I used it for one trip to Arches as I recall.

Have a great trip.

willaim Loc: Sunny Southern California

Carry on. Checked baggage is roughly handled. Your camera and gear goes through X-ray and most TSA agents won't ask you to open your camera bag and if they do, they won't touch your camera, etc. They'll ask you to. I never had a problem..Enjoy your trip.

RainierView Loc: Eatonville, WA