No, I wasn't going to check it. I've done a little reading and I don't think it will be a problem to carry it on. Suggestions I found were if there is no overhead compartment to put it in to nicely ask a stewardess if it can be put into the crew closet. It's only a week long trip, but I am still in that romance stage with my uke and I play it every evening, sometimes all evening. I can't see being without it on the trip. Evenings are boring and this would keep me entertained all evening long. Not to mention the solitude will give me private time to try out singing, I am horrible right now. In a weeks time I should be playing a new song with that much time!