Hawaii Vacation - Uke Carry on

Kyle23

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Messages
1,025
Reaction score
2
Location
Buffalo, NY
So I am planning a Hawaii vacation for May, but I am worried about bringing my uke. I'll have a carry on bag, plus my uke in a gig bag. Do most airlines allow you to bring both?

Also, I plan on visiting the Ukulele Site, Koaloha and Kanilea. Are there any other fun ukulele places to visit on Oahu?
 
So I am planning a Hawaii vacation for May, but I am worried about bringing my uke. I'll have a carry on bag, plus my uke in a gig bag. Do most airlines allow you to bring both?

Also, I plan on visiting the Ukulele Site, Koaloha and Kanilea. Are there any other fun ukulele places to visit on Oahu?

You get 1 carry-on and one personal item. I've used a smallish backpack and a concert uke with no questions asked.
 
But if you don't take one it frees you up when you visit the Ukulele Site, Koaloha and Kanilea.
 
I didn't need even half a second to come up with an answer. I would never bring a ukulele to Hawaii. It's like that old expression, "Coals to Newcastle."

There are ukulele stores and builders all over the Hawaiian islands. Wouldn't it be nice to come home with a ukulele that you bought in Hawaii? You can buy a good one and have it shipped home. For playing there, you can buy a small, less expensive "utility uke." You could also bring a Waterman or Outdoor soprano. Be sure to arrange a tour with one of the makers.
 
The question should be "When bringing a new uke home from Hawaii..."

Honestly, check with the airline. They all have slightly different rules about what they consider a "carry on".

I would add the Kamaka factory tour to your list. Check their website for dates and time. I took the tour last year and thought it was great. I don't know how it compares to the others.
 
Just to let you know you may not be so lucky to buy a kamaka at any of the store or even less chance at kamaka factory
As soon as they are built they are sold to various shops around the world !
Ukulele site also can’t sell you a uke that requires full set up while you are there. You are limited to only what you see on display and the chance is they have been played by many tourists like yourself.
 
I agree that it would make a lot of sense to buy a uke, even a cheap beater, on island and bring it home. I'm surprised by SoloRule's statement as I found at least a few Kamakas at a few different stores when I was on Oahu in 2016. Their factory tour was really great although that was the only one I visited.

I had no problems coming home from Oahu or Maui with my carry on (small backpack that easily fits under a seat or overhead) and a new uke.
 
You shouldn't have a problem on a US flight. US DOT rules require US airlines to allow musical instruments as carry-on so long as they fit when you get on board. It doesn't have to meet the carry-on size so long as it fits in the overhead. So long as you're not on a small plane before the big flight that shouldn't be a problem.

https://www.transportation.gov/brie...ssues-final-rule-regarding-air-travel-musical

I frequently carry a baritone-uke-sized guitar on US carriers and have never had a problem from the airlines. I have gotten questions and fun conversations from fellow travelers.

Issues:
  • Make sure that you get on early. If there's no space left there's no space left and you'll have to check it. It can be worth upgrading to a seat that gives you pre-boarding if you don't have status to get that automatically (or travel with somebody who needs help, though it would have been cheaper and easier to upgrade the ticket than to have my wife bust up her knee just before the last trip.
  • Put the instrument in a hard case if you have one. It's hard to see a small instrument case in the overhead, especially for short people, and I've had several try to shove their rolly bags on top of my gig-bag.
  • Ask the flight attendants if they'd like the instrument in the 1st class coat closet so it takes less space. I'm about 50-50 on getting it into the closet and 100% on the flight attendants being helpful and friendly.
  • Put the instrument in the overhead on the opposite side of the aisle as you're on. It's easier to keep an eye on it when others are loading.
  • Look for other instruments to share space with. Several guitars can safely share the same bin, but be careful if it's not by your seat. I stowed mine with somebody else's a few rows in front of my seat, and then ended up exiting from the back. Good-natured passengers helped hand it back to me.
  • Don't be an asshole. This should go without saying. Flight attendants are much more likely to help if you're nice and respectful.

As for getting a new ukulele home if^H^Hwhen you buy, prepare your travel partners not to overpack and to carry it home for you if you buy one, or budget to have it shipped. If you're looking at expensive ukuleles you don't want to be forced to buy something immediately because you didn't bring one along, and I wouldn't want to play one that I could afford to throw away (YMMV).
 
Thanks guys... but let me say, you guys are a bad influence lol. I will probably end up buying a uke in Hawaii -_-
 
You really need to check the airline you are flying. Airlines have different policies. United allows a carry on, a personal item, PLUS a musical instrument. Some consider it your personal item or carry on. Some make you buy a seat if it exceeds carry on sizes.
 
I actually read that rule and they don't require it be allowed regardless of size if it exceeds airline size guidelines, it requires they accept the instrument as long as it doesn't exceed size specs.
 
I agree that it would make a lot of sense to buy a uke, even a cheap beater, on island and bring it home. I'm surprised by SoloRule's statement as I found at least a few Kamakas at a few different stores when I was on Oahu in 2016. Their factory tour was really great although that was the only one I visited.

I had no problems coming home from Oahu or Maui with my carry on (small backpack that easily fits under a seat or overhead) and a new uke.

I must be there at the wrong time. I have seen people asking for kamaka at several shops along Waikiki such as the one at Sheraton, inside Hyatt . Same answer no inventory. Same with HMS in the north shore. Went to kamaka factory , we were told you can place an order but nothing in stock.
 
Thanks guys... but let me say, you guys are a bad influence lol. I will probably end up buying a uke in Hawaii -_-
I hope to someday visit Hawaii and purchase a Hawaiian-built 'ukulele. It doesn't matter to me if I have it shipped back, but I'd like to pick it out while I'm there.

It does matter to me that it be made in Hawaii. I don't see any point in bringing home an 'ukulele imported to Hawaii. I already own several imported 'ukuleles purchased from other sources. Travel to Hawaii will cost me too much to come home with an import I can purchase elsewhere. YMMV.
 
I agree that it would make a lot of sense to buy a uke, even a cheap beater, on island and bring it home.

When I visited the Big Island in 2002, I bought a cheap uke at an ABC store. That's a "genuine Hawaiian ukulele" :D , and I'll never get rid of it. It was my first ukulele, and it got me started on this adventure.
 
I visited Oahu in November and the Kamaka and Koaloha tours can de done on the same day Kamaka in the morning KoAloha in the afternoon as they are a short bus ride from each other and time enough for lunch in between. And yes indeed not all Hawaiian stores (I visited 13 stores there last year on three islands) have new Kamaka stock. But the two I visited in Waikiki - Bob's Ukulele in the Royal Hawaiian Centre, and The Ukulele Store in Waikiki Beach Walk on Lewers had several models of all sizes. I ended up buying an old beat up Lili'u at Bob's. The number of ukes from luthiers that I have never heard of in these stores was impressive. I did not get around to visiting Kanilea, but their ukes are also fairly common in stores throughout the islands.

Oh and taking the uke in an old case as carry-on was no problem at all with WestJet, though I was worried a lot.
 
I brought a ukulele back from Hawaii this past fall. I bought it at the Ukulele Site (fantastic place!). I flew United Airlines. When I got on the flight from Honolulu and again on my connecting flight I carried my tenor uke in a soft gig bag as one of my carry on items (a backpack being the other). I had a window seat on both flights and I was able to put the uke on the ground between me and the wall without problem. No one gave me any trouble about it.
 
Hi merlin66

When you say “old beat up” at bob’s does that mean secondhand? I also have a trip to Hawaii in my five year plan but I was planning by on buying from hms and have them set up and ship; I just wanna strum before I buy to make the optimal choice. But if the stores have second hand that opens up way more choices
 
Hawaii is not a good place to carry uku on.

 
Last edited:
I already have many great ukuleles. I don't need another one. The trip to Hawaii is enough for me, I don't need to have an extra "but i got this uke there!". I'd be happy bringing my favorite Hawaiian made uke back to Hawaii and playing it there and then coming back home with it.
 
Top Bottom