If there is room you will be able to hang it. Since fewer people are checking bags, there is often less room. That said, flying to the VI people don't usually bring much that needs hanging. There are no guarantees there will be space available, but I'm sure people on board will try to be helpful. In any case, you can always have the wrinkles steamed out of the dress when you arrive.

Hand carry your dress as well as making sure that you carry any important wedding day things in your carry on! I am almost sure you will not run into any problems at all on your plane. No need to upgrade your ticket either, you will be able to hand it to a flight attendant and she will hang it for you! Good Luck and enjoy your wedding day here in the Virgins! Congrats! (tu)

I flew with my wedding dress (not to the VIs) on Continental, which had the same policy. I was able to hang it on the first flight, but had to put it in the overhead bin on the second flight. Honestly, the hanging closets were so short that I'm not sure it was any better off hanging (and squished between everyone else hanging items and 1st class suitcases) than it was nicely folded in an overhead compartment all by itself. Either way, you'll want to board early to get the best space available - being very friendly and nice to the flight attendants will help a lot!

Thanks for the information. Our flight is non stop to St Thomas. I checked the business class seats and only 2 were taken. I'm thinking we make friends with one of those passengers and get them to hang the dress for us. Also, friendly to the flight attendants might help.
But there is no way that gown is getting squished anywhere!! I hope.

You are worrying too much. I am sure they will take it from you as you get on the plane, business class or not.

My daughter is also getting married in STT on 6/18/2009 and we are flying next week on Delta. I contacted them and they said they cannot guarantee that there will be space. They also said it will be counted as a carry on. I was told by a dry cleaners, the best way to transport is to place between plastic and roll up, and place in carry on. Regardless the dress will have to be steamed. I would also love any input on this subject. We are flying on 6/12/2009.
Thanks,
Nancy

We've been on several flights with brides carrying their dresses. From what I've observed, the flight attendants have been pretty accommodating and the dresses have been placed in the first class closets. On a flight to the islands there should not be too many coats going in that closet. I think they have to say they can't guarantee anything but I still think they will try to take care of you. You might want to have your seats at the back of the plane so you are in the first or second boarding group and get on while there is still lots of space. We once had a bride-zilla on our flight that was an absolute horror - very demanding, knew eveyrthing, regaled the entire rear of the plane with how much research she had done and how they were staying at the absolute only best place to stay on the island. She told people who were staying at other places what big mistakes they had made in choosing their accommodations. She had a copy of St. Thomas This Week and went through it schooling all of us on what to do and where to go and what to avoid, assuming everyone around her was an island newbie like herself. Those of us who had made many trips to the USVI got a real kick out of listening to her and what she thought she knew - lol. She demanded that the flight attendants notify her of any open seats as she did not like where she and her fiance were seated and wanted to change - it went on and on with her call light chiming on quite a bit. She was THE BRIDE and let everyone know it - lol. Still, the flight attendants took care of her dress and were very nice to her and tried to make her happy. The rest of us wanted to re-seat her out on the wing but the attendants remained very understanding - lol. My point is that I think the flight attendants will make every effort to accommodate you and make sure you have what you need. Have a wonderful time!

Are you sure it wasn't the husband to be asking to change seats -- maybe to an Exit Row with an opening window?

Hi!

First, let me say that I am NOT the bridezilla that Margy is referring to! LOL

My hubby and I were married on STT 3 years ago, on Magens Bay. We flew AA and I hand-carried my dress. It did count as a carry-on, and was not the lightest thing to carry, but I still carried it with me. I did not want to risk packing it in checked baggage and then having something happen to it, and everything was fine. We flew coach. On the day of our trip there, after going through airport security, I went up to the counter at our gate and told them that I was carrying my wedding dress on (someone had advised me to do this). I asked them if it would be o.k. to put it in the first-class closet and they said that if there was room, that would not be a problem. So on board we went, and as soon as I saw the first flight attendant at the door of the plane, I asked her about putting my dress in the closet, and she was very helpful and said it was not a problem. She said that it might be a little cramped, but that I could hang it in there. It all worked out fine. The closet was small, but my dress was just fine. We had a layover in Puerto Rico, and I did the same thing when boarding the plane from there to STT. It all worked out great! When we got to our hotel (3 days before our wedding), I opened the garment bag for my dress and let my dress "spread out" so that it could release any wrinkles it may have had. I actually had to do very little steaming in the end.

Hope this helps! Lots of couples have destination weddings and airlines are used to these types of requests, so try not to worry. And don't waste your money upgrading tickets just for the dress...everything will work out fine. 🙂 We loved our destination wedding and so will you! Enjoy!!

Ditto what the others have said. I was married on STJ in November and I had no trouble carrying my dress on and having it hung in the first class or flight attendants' closet.

That said, do remember that depending on the aircraft, the closet may still be small relative to the dress. And there may be other brides looking to do the same thing (on my Charlotte-STT leg there were 2 of us). You may not be that much better off than if you were to lay it in the the overhead on top of your other carry-on luggage.

My dress fared quite well and I was able to let it hang for a few days when we arrived without requiring any additional attention, but then, the top layer of my dress was chiffon. If your daughter's gown is a heavier material, you may want to pack a steamer or ask your coordinator to have pressing/steaming services available.

When you carried on your dress, did that count as a carry on, so then you could only carry on your purse or sometthing simiilar to that size.? I am just wondering how the gown is counted? Is it a carry on or a personal item? I know they also let you carry on a coat, in addition to 1 carry on and 1 personal item, but a dress is much bigger than a coat? Just wondering???
Thanks,
Nancy

Folded in layers of tissue paper is better than plastic. Plastic sweats.

If I remember correctly, I carried my dress and one tote bag that had my small purse, a bag of toiletries, snacks, and a book inside of it. The bag was big enough to carry all of that, yet small enough to fit under the seat in front of me. Because it was a wedding dress (not that small), I believe it counted as one carry-on item, and my tote bag was my personal item.

We just returned from my daughters wedding in STT. I folded her dress (it was still in the thin zip up carry bag from the bridal shop) and I placed in alone in one of those small carry on size suit cases with wheels and a handle. Even though there was plenty of space in the suitcase, I just carried the dress in there by itself. When we arrived, much later (from Michigan) I took out the dress and hung it up. We arrived on Friday and the wedding was the following Thursday. The dress was perfect and we didn't even have to have it steamed! It was much easier carrying the dress this way, rather than trying to carry in a bag, and it would have been hot trying to carry thru airports - we had one stop. I would recommend this way of transportation!

Just returned from my daughter's most amazing St Thomas wedding. I would like to thank all of you who gave me good advice on the wedding gown transport. AA was great, everyone including security was wonderful and the flight attendant on AA scooped the gown out of my daughter's arms into the closet. Kleinfeld Bridal in NY packed it perfectly and it arrived without a wrinkle.
AA did lose some luggage of our guests, as did Delta, so I would never recommend checking a gown. Just smile, be nice and everyone will help you. They are used to this even if you are not.
We truly love St Thomas, everyone we met was wonderful, and although sad to leave, I can't wait to go back. No stress, just fun.
Thanks again.
jcbridesmom

Thanks for your updated post! So happy your visit and wedding went without a hitch! We all hope to see you back someday! (tu)