I’ve probably taken a bike on a plane 150 times over the last 20 years. I have a a Ritchey breakaway as well as regular full size road and men bikes.

I’ve had TSA ruin a wheel set, a derailleur, damage frames, remove items and generally be a pain. However through this, I have learned what to do and not to do. Much of the advice in earlier notes is spot on - ask to watch the inspection if possible, take the derailleur off, take the chain off. Pipe insulation is cheap and light.

If you limit what is in the case to bike and bike related items, you should be fine. Food items, hydration powders, anything that is petroleum based is a no no. Also a CO2 cartridge will be confiscated and you will get a notice from TSA in the mail.

In terms of tracking an air tag is nice to have. I’ve had airlines lose my bike, as well as left the bike at a connection.

Put a copy of your itinerary and record locator in your bike case, with contact info.

Old thread resurrected after two years.

Any advice on what to do with bike case while on the riding tour?

If travelling long distance and flying in and out of the same airport, it is sometimes convenient to book a hotel nearby where you can assemble your bike and rest up before your first riding day, then do the same prior to departure. Check ahead with the hotel, but many are willing to store your bike case during your trip and offer an area where you can assemble and disassemble/pack your bike once your trip is over.

I don't really have anything nice to say about TSA. We have been on many flights both domestic and international with our bikes the last 5 years and TSA has opened our bike cases each and every time. The very first time they did so, when they repacked the bike, they managed to get the dropout wedged in an unprotected part of the case between foam and it got bent. The frame was a steel frame without a replaceable dropout, so I had to go through considerable gyrations to get the bike fixed to ride. Subsequent to that, we pack the crap out of the bikes and *only* put bikes into the bike case - or in your case, the box. Keep it simple - TSA has enough problems with that. You need to make your packaging idiot resistant. FWIW, I'm also on Delta a lot and I travel a lot.

My suggestion:

1. You will need to get something to put in the dropouts of the fork and the rear frame. That's where you can do real damage if they crush the frame from the side. Frames are super strong, but only if you protect the dropouts from being crushed.
2. Remove the RD and pad it. See the next couple of steps below.
3. If you can, remove the rear dropout AND have a spare. There are things you can get from your LBS that fit in this and is how they ship the bike. If you can't remove the dropout, then cut a piece of PVC pipe the length of your thru-axle and put that between the dropouts with the thru axle inserted (that's what we do). Do the same on the fork.
4. Protect the rear triangle with one of these protectors from SCION. You can take the RD and pad it and stuff it in the frame in this thing and it will be seriously protected and it will do a lot to protect the rear end of your frame if they toss the case/box and it lands on that corner. I don't take the chain off, I just make sure it's out of the way and strapped down.
5. I'd also get one of the various foam kit to protect the frame. They're reusable and worth it. Stops damage to components from rubbing. We use the one from Orucase and have for years.
6. We've found it to be really important to only put the bike in the bike case. If there is more stuff and it's kind of a puzzle to put it back together, you're going to exceed the capability of an impatient TSA agent. I bet they hate seeing bikes.
7. Remove rotors and pack them in cardboard inside of some Amazon foam envelopes.

We've done more than 25 segments this way in the last 5 years (all Delta/KLM/SAS) and nothing has been hurt. That said, I do carry some spare parts just in case - seat post collar for my wife's bike, a spare headset so if they ding the top or bottom during shipment, and extra RD hangers for both our bikes.

Agree with this 100%. TSA are not your friends.