I have been doing some flying recently and take my EDC with me. Experiences with TSA and Gate Agents vary widely. Up to this point, I have a TSA lockable case which I put into my luggage and check just one bag. If everyone involved wants to snoop through the bag, I have to open it up and then get out the gun case. Repacking the bag after the inspection is a time-consuming PITA. My airline credit card has a perk that lets me check 2 bags for free. I have a fairly large TSA case that would accommodate the gun, spare mags, ammo and holsters. So I ask the group: Would you use the large TSA case as a second checked bag? No need for rooting through my underwear in order to get to the pistol case. No re-packing. Easier to let everyone and his TSA brother inspect the gun case if they want to. I am concerned about the TSA case being a target for thieves, but my firearms insurance (Lockton) would cover me if the case gets ripped off. Is this a good idea? Or should I just keep on going with one bag? My usual carrier is American, if that matters. Thanks in advance!

I think the 2 bag option is smart. CompartmentaLize and keep the TSA out of all your other stuff.

Is there a way you can pack your single bag so that the pistol case will always be on top? Maybe cable or rope or tie-wrap the case to the top of the bag somehow?

My usual bag is a Maxpedition Fliegerduffel. No real way to tie down the case in the bag. I just would prefer to keep TSA out of my luggage if I can.

I use a small bicycle cable to attach the guncase to the ribs of the suitcase and I put an Apple tracker into the bottom of the guncase.

Yep, some places tear everything apart, and some just throw the whole bag into the scanner. I carry a pistol and ammo in a locked case inside my hard suitcase, it sits in a mesh pocket I can slip my hand into and extract the case easily. Never had to open the gun case once I show the airline attendant it’s u loaded, and some don’t want me to open it, just tell them that it is.
I also throw in an Air tag under the foam of the case just because.
I e flown Delta, American and Southwest mainly. Interestingly, my daughters luggage has been lost, but mine always arrive where I’m going and on time.

Yep. Airtags are in the gun case and bag too. Cant hurt!

I just use my Pelican 1720 as my suitcase and pack everything inside. No foam.

I so far have avoided flying with a firearm because I don't trust any of the folks at the airports.
I would prefer to keep the locked gun case hidden except for the actual examination they like to do. So, I personally would not have something that obviously looks like a gun case as the primary visible case. It's locked, sure, but it's just way too easy to have someone pick it up and walk off with it. The PD I retired from bordered our international airport and I have been down in the baggage handling areas of the basement with all of the conveyors and there are a bazillion opportunities for someone to grab it and stash it out of sight. It would be less likely to happen if it's hidden inside a regular looking suitcase. A couple friends who do fly with theirs use a locked cable to attach the locked gun case to the frame of the suitcase as someone above mentioned. I think that's a good idea too.

There is an issue with putting the pistol case into your checked bag: The checked bag is then marked with a special green and white striped bag tag that lets the baggage handlers know to send it to the baggage service office where you have to show ID to get the bag. So... Everybody knows whats in the bag and its just as easy to snatch the whole bag if a thief is so inclined.

I figure the bigger the bag, the easier it is to see shenanigans on the security cameras. I’m of course assuming the baggage handling areas have security cameras.

I take one of those clamshell with cable lock boxes and loop the cable through the frame of the suitcase and lay the box on top of the clothes. I travel with my firearm a lot and have only had to open the box once so a nosy TSA grunt could see what I had.

when i fly i usually take 2 guns, i have used a medium sized pelican case for years, checking it separately without any issues. I have flown all over the country with it and only had one or two irritating experiences, both involved the airport somehow knowing what it was and making me go to the manned baggage claim to get it.

I think that picking up your guns at the Baggage Service Office is now routine.