Starting this because I had to do a bit of research online and fly twice to work things out.
Also @Spartan65 was asking about this.
From reading, I found 4 ways of doing this:
1. Checking a hard cooker.
Positives: easy.
Negative: have to find a size that fits + around 12lbs will be the cooler. If flying first class with Delta, you can check up to 2 70lbs bags. So this might not be an issue - but one of those 2 bags will probably be your gun.
2. Carry on (1) - backpack cooler. A few companies make these. No weight limit.
Negative: can get expensive. But not bad if you will be traveling often.
3. Carry on (2) - in your suit case inside a collapsible cooler or packed between clothes. No weight limit. Some collapsible coolers can get expensive when buying several.
4. Checked bag with a collapsible cooler inside.
I prefer #3 and #4. I found it to be the easiest way.
Sometimes flying first class is cheaper than paying an overweight fee, so when I went to michigan I flew first class and checked all the meat.
When flying to FL the first class upgrade was stupid expensive, about double the ticket cost so for this trip I am checking part of the meat and carrying a cooler in my carry on with 10lbs of meat.
After a lot of research, I chose the Ice Mule coolers. They are on sale once in a while. I found several videos of the coolers holding ice, in the sun, for over 12hrs. From Michigan to MA, the meat was not frozen, I put it in the cooler around 6pm and didn't get home until almost 2am. I out some ice in the cooler (fine when checking the bag), and the ice didn't melt by the time I arrived home.
Now I am packing to fly back to MA. 3 of the 4 coolers in the checked bag.
FUTURE UPGRADES:
Instead of a hard side checked bag, I will put the coolers in a duffel bag. That will give me around 8-9lbs of additional weight I can use.
Almost 2 pigs. Rest are in my carry on. I could fit the 2 pigs, but I would have had to pay for overweight.
Also @Spartan65 was asking about this.
From reading, I found 4 ways of doing this:
1. Checking a hard cooker.
Positives: easy.
Negative: have to find a size that fits + around 12lbs will be the cooler. If flying first class with Delta, you can check up to 2 70lbs bags. So this might not be an issue - but one of those 2 bags will probably be your gun.
2. Carry on (1) - backpack cooler. A few companies make these. No weight limit.
Negative: can get expensive. But not bad if you will be traveling often.
3. Carry on (2) - in your suit case inside a collapsible cooler or packed between clothes. No weight limit. Some collapsible coolers can get expensive when buying several.
4. Checked bag with a collapsible cooler inside.
I prefer #3 and #4. I found it to be the easiest way.
Sometimes flying first class is cheaper than paying an overweight fee, so when I went to michigan I flew first class and checked all the meat.
When flying to FL the first class upgrade was stupid expensive, about double the ticket cost so for this trip I am checking part of the meat and carrying a cooler in my carry on with 10lbs of meat.
After a lot of research, I chose the Ice Mule coolers. They are on sale once in a while. I found several videos of the coolers holding ice, in the sun, for over 12hrs. From Michigan to MA, the meat was not frozen, I put it in the cooler around 6pm and didn't get home until almost 2am. I out some ice in the cooler (fine when checking the bag), and the ice didn't melt by the time I arrived home.
Now I am packing to fly back to MA. 3 of the 4 coolers in the checked bag.
FUTURE UPGRADES:
Instead of a hard side checked bag, I will put the coolers in a duffel bag. That will give me around 8-9lbs of additional weight I can use.
Almost 2 pigs. Rest are in my carry on. I could fit the 2 pigs, but I would have had to pay for overweight.
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