Guides › Booking and tracking flights for a touring band
Booking and tracking flights for a touring band
Updated October 7, 2026 · 3 min read
Flying a band means more than buying seats. You need correct passenger details, a plan for instruments and excess baggage, and flight details everyone can find.
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Band and crew contact sheet
Names, roles, phones, emails, emergency contacts, dietary needs and passport dates in one place.
Gear inventory list
Make, model, serial number, case, owner and replacement value, with flags for insurance and travel manifests.
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Step 1: Collect passenger details
For everyone flying, collect full name exactly as on their ID or passport, date of birth, and any frequent flyer numbers and seating needs. Keep these private and share them only with the person booking.
Step 2: Plan instruments and baggage
Check each airline’s rules for instruments in the cabin and checked baggage limits. Budget excess baggage fees, which can be large for a full backline. Consider whether renting backline at the destination is cheaper than flying it.
Step 3: Book together when possible
Booking everyone on the same flights simplifies ground transport and check-in. For large groups, airlines sometimes offer group bookings.
Step 4: Prepare a manifest
For gear, keep a manifest with item, serial number and value. You may need it for customs or claims. See the gear inventory guide.
Step 5: Share flight info
Give everyone their flight details: airline, flight number, route, departure and arrival times, confirmation number, and who’s on the flight. Put flights on the day sheet.
Step 6: Arrival plan
Plan ground transport from the airport to the hotel or venue, and allow time for baggage and oversized items.
Checklist for travel day
- Confirm everyone has their booking reference and ID the night before.
- Weigh cases at the hotel if you can; overweight bags are cheaper to fix before the counter.
- Arrive early. Oversize items and instrument checks take time, and group check-in is slower.
- Put fragile items in hard cases with "Fragile" labels and your contact details inside and out.
- Carry in-ear molds, laptops with show files, and anything irreplaceable in hand luggage.
- Photograph checked cases and their contents before drop-off, in case you need to make a claim.
When things go wrong
Flights get delayed and bags go missing. Have a plan:
- If a delay threatens a show, tell the promoter immediately and look at alternatives (a later flight, a drive, a train).
- For lost bags, file a report at the airport before leaving and get a reference number. Keep receipts for essential replacements.
- If gear doesn’t arrive, ask the promoter about local backline rental and update your stage plot and input list for what you’ll actually use.
- Keep the gear manifest handy for the baggage report.
Budgeting flights
Flights are often a tour’s single biggest line after crew pay. Include seats, seat selection if needed, checked bags, excess and oversize fees, airport transfers, and the occasional change fee. Book early when routes are fixed; keep flexible fares for legs that might move.
How TRMNGR helps
TRMNGR’s Flights page in Production Office stores each flight’s date, airline, flight number, from, to, confirmation, departure and arrival times, with passengers picked from your Crew list. Flights also appear in the Flights box on that day in Day View. The Gear page exports a Manifest PDF of items marked for the manifest.