When I started playing a year ago, going a week at a time without playing was killing any chance I had at being the next Clapton (as if). I decided on the Yamaha steel string travel model in a soft gig bag.
The closer to the deal was when the Guitar Center salesman produced a letter from the TSA stating that musical instruments DO NOT count against your "one carry-on and one personal item" limit when passing through the security checkpoint. The airline, however, is under no obligation to allow you on board with three items. Since I airline up to six times a month (!!??!!), I go through security with roll-aboard, chart case, and guitar (whether in uniform or not) and then gate check the large roll-aboard if the gate agent asks me to (about 60%). I WILL NEVER check the guitar and it fits in every overhead bin flying including EMB and Canadair RJ's and fits perfectly in the forward lav of the G-IV.
The other nice thing about the Yamaha, it is a solid body guitar designed for travel and would take a crowbar to warp and I don't worry about the guy in the room next door hearing me butcher "Lyin' Eyes" again.
Now, If I could only figure out how to play a barre chord......
