🔫 Firearms

This is treated as a serious criminal offence in every country, not a simple mistake. The firearm will be immediately confiscated, law enforcement will be called, and you will face significant legal consequences — including potential arrest — regardless of whether you intended to bring it through.

China is the only region that prohibits civilians from transporting firearms in checked baggage entirely, making it a hard no for all travellers. The UK, EU, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand impose strict licensing requirements that make air transport of firearms heavily restricted or practically impossible for most travellers, even when technically legal.

In the US, you must verbally declare the firearm to the airline agent at check-in — not at the security checkpoint — and the agent will give you a declaration card to place inside the hard-sided locked case. The locked case is then screened separately, often with a TSA officer present. Attempting to check a firearm without declaration can result in federal charges.

The firearm must be unloaded and secured in a hard-sided locked case with a lock only you hold the key or combination to. Contact your airline in advance, as carriers impose their own policies beyond federal requirements, and some airlines refuse firearms on certain routes. Arrive earlier than usual to allow time for the separate screening process.