Should I buy my huge wedding dress a plane ticket?

Have you called the airline to see if they have any suggestions? I think if they allow it I'd buy a ticket just for the comfort that you can have it right next to you and not worry about it getting damaged or lost...

Absolutely breathtaking dress BTW!!

Wear it on the plane!

Okay, seriously, unless you have it vaccum packed, I don't think it is going to be able to fit carry-on dimensions, so you are going to have to trust it to checked baggage with some agent probably rifling through it and have to pay the $25 or $40 checked bag fee (unless of course you go with SW Airlines where bags fly free!) BTW, that is one magnificent dress.

Thank you! I know, I must love it because it is such a pain to tote any where I called Southwest and got some dude on the phone... he had no clue. But I think taking it on the plane at least one way is smartest (if that's a word) and safest... BUT it will NOT be fun toting it around two airports... hubby will have to deal. And when I go through security, they better not put their dirty hands on my dress! There is no way it is going to fit through the x-ray scanner!

Jennifer: It is sooo big it won't even fit in a suitcase. I am flying Southwest so I wish it did! So I may have to just get a ticket for it and sit it in the seat beside me! lol!

Talk to a manager at Southwest, My very close friend and MOH got married last Feb in Disney World, and we live in Buffalo, She flew on Southwest, she had a HUGE ballgown very similar in size to yours and they let her carry it on, what they did for her was hang it in the stewardess area on the plane. So I'd call and see if you can do it that way. It was a pain but in the end it was worth it and she looked beautiful in it.

They usually will let you carry it on and will put it in the crew closet. I also would buy my dress a decently priced ticket way before i shipped it and hoped and prayed it actually arrived in tact and on time!

Yeah a one way ticket for the dress is $155, and to ship it one way would be at least $350 and then it has to get home too! So you can see that I would save a lot of money just dealing with it and dragging my beloved monstrosity through the airports! haha

I wonder if it would work in one of those air shrink bags? Where you hook the vacuum to it??? I think it will entertain the other passengers seeing you lug a dress around- at least it would me.

I had to transport my dress from Australia to the Uk where i got married - I checked with the airline before but i was allowed to have the dress as a carry on item as well as my carry on suitcase!! my dress wasnt anywhere near as big as yours and i must say it was still a hassle lugging it round the airports but it was well worth the piece of mind that noone was tredding on it or ruining it etc!! The air stewardesses hung my dress in the first class hanging closets. if its as heavy as you say it is (and looks) just make sure you get one of those airport trolleys to help you with it!! but i dont think it needs its own ticket!! if your still in doubt - maybe try going to the airport and talk to the people at the information desk for your chosen airline - the people on the phone dont do the work so wont necessarily know but the ground staff will have more of an idea!!

Hey girl, just wanted you to know that I checked with my mom about this (she has worked for SWA for about 20 years) anyway, she said that it's going to be a toss up if they have room in the steward area to hang it and she wouldn't recommend it incase something accidentally gets spilled on it or it gets caught on something (even if it is in a nice bag). She said that you don't have to have it in an actual suitcase, she said to find a nice box (cardboard/shipping box) that you can get it into and just wrap it up well with tissue and plastic wrap. They will take it like that no problem, just make sure you write your name and address on the box 2 or 3 places.

It seems like a lot of hassle to fly or ship it. I guess if it was me in this situation I would just drive it. #1 i dont fly and #2 i wouldnt trust it being checked on an airplane or shipped. So if it were me, I would just pack it up and drive to where I am going.

Thank you ladies for all your thoughts and suggestions. The vacumm bag is something I may consider! I'm still leaning towards buying a ticket for it. I'm sure I'll get some looks with this over-stuffed huge garment bag, but you only live once! Good idea about the airport trolley is a good idea too otherwise my sholder will be killing me! I cannot wait to post pics of this thing and me in it of course in it's own element.

Well Amanda, I would rather sit next to your dress than sit next to a "talker". Good luck.

Amanda - i just wanted to let you know that I had my mom double check with her supervisor and they do NOT have any closets up front. The best suggestion they had is to get an empty big screen TV box or soemthing similar that your dress can lay flat (you might be able to get one by calling around electronic stores) in and put in some styrofoam blocks then check it as an oversized luggage. They will charge $50, but it's better than shipping it or buying it a seat. Second option is to use one of those vaccum seal bags and try to suck enough air out that it will fit in a large suitcase. I've seen comforters go down pretty flat and all you should need to do is make sure there is someplace you can have it steamed (for any wrinkles) once you get to NO.

Wow that's pretty!

I would talk to your bridal salon about packing it in a carry-on size box. UPS sells carry-on boxes if the salon doesn't have any. I bet the dress shop has done that before. You will have to steam it once you get to NO but you would probably have to do that anyway.

I'm confused - would the dress bag just sit upright in the seat next to you? I would think that would be a safety hazard - you can't even have your purse sticking out from under the seat in front of you by an inch for takeoff. I guess I just don't get how buying a ticket for the dress would actually work....

Personally, no way in hell's bells would I ever check my wedding dress as luggage. I've yet to lose any luggage, but it would suck for my wedding day to be the day.

I'd find a way to pack it down/carry it on, or ship it.

I would just buy it a ticket.

Carole has a great point.

I had the same thoughts as Kris S. I would check with the airline to ensure you could actually leave something sitting in the seat. I fly at least once a month and most flight attendants are very strict on FAA regulations concerning proper storage of carry-ons.

Wow this is truly something I would have NEVER thought about..haha

Amanda H. Did you ever buy your dress a plane ticket? How is that working out? Your wedding is soon!!