My dad and I took a trip to Rainy lake Ontario this past summer and I can tell you that from now on I will ship my rods anytime I need to travel with them.

On the way up Northwest lost both my dads rod box and mine. We were in Canada for a fishing trip with 12 reels and no rods. We were able to buy one spinning rod each at Walmart in International Falls but they didn't have any casting rods. We were able to find casting rods at a sporting goods store in Canada and we reluctantly paid $120 each for two Berkley lightening rods (these would have probably been $30 back home) the kid at the sporting goods store said that Northwest looses or breaks rods on almost every flight (we observed rods coming off of our flight that had been packed in the cardboard shipping tubes that were broken tube and all) We fished with our newly bought rods for the first two days when our rods were delivered to the dock and our outfitter went in to get them.

Now to the trip back we checked our luggage made the trip home and when my rods were carried around to us (they wouldn't ride on the conveyor) my airline approved rod box had a dog leg in it.
I walked over to the counter and opened the box...My two Kistler LTX's were broken as well as my St Croix Legend Elite. Over $1,000 dollars in rods broken in two and I was told that this was "normal wear and tear" They had also lost my suitcase and broken my dads tackle box.

It was a great trip but a nightmare traveling

I my self have lost 600 in rods through airline [censored] heads. I had the metal case rod holder at 7+ feet long and they managed to bend it so bad all the rods broke and guides were snapped off, this was from the side's crunching in. They found a way out of the insurance. I have forgotten how but they did. Goodluck to you. My 2 cents ship through ups or fedex dont fly them there.

Oh ... another one ... my last two trips to Maine I flew NorthWest and they lost my rods on both trips into fish. I did get them the 2nd day. Luckily my buddy in Maine is not rod poor! I carry my reels in my carry-on luggage. And it is always when I fly thru Detroit (NW's midwestern hub) that they loose mu stuff ... too dang lazy to carry the rod case to the baggage cart.

Ok, I have changed my mind again. My dad shipped up an extra spinning rod and I am going to buy a casting rod when I get up there and give it to my dad. He can keep it and ship it back with his rods.

We just went on a fishing trip in Ontario and shipped our rods UPS to a hotel there. We were surprised to be charged customs duty of about half the rods' value. Based on your post and others in this thread, we assumed that there is no duty on shipping rods for personal use. UPS says there is unless we receive the rods personally in Canada. UPS has referred us to Canadian customs about the problem and denies responsibility. Is it UPS's fault or ours? What are the rules?

There are some very high quality pack rods being made that break down to 3 pieces and would fit in an overhead bin. Carry them on with you and avoid the risk. What little, if any, rod sensitivity you'd lose would be made up in peace of mind, IMHO.

Even if you used them once or twice a year, in a couple years their cost would more than make up for the VERY HIGH risk associated with using the airline's baggage system for your Kistlers, St. Croix's, Loomises, etc..