When I was a student a long time ago, I went to England for a semester and bought a guitar in London, rather than fly with the one I had back home. That one was an Eko Ranger 6, cost me 46 pounds, sold it back to the music store for 10 when I returned home (this was 1975). Since then I have flown with some nice guitars and they have come out unscathed. I do have one "flying guitar" with a Mark Leaf case with the interior custom fitted to just that guitar. You can put that case through a lot of abuse and nothing will hurt the guitar (usually).

If I were flying to the states now and thinking of buying a session guitar, I would look at yamaha or alverez or sigma price range. Do you know someone that you're visiting well enough to ask to borrow a guitar while you're here? We're going to Ireland in November to visit some old, dear friends and I was thinking of asking to do that, rather than fly (and carry) one over with me. Good luck.

I've heard the air handler horror stories and do not doubt their truth.   On the other hand, the late great Jethro Burns told me that he never asked for special handling when flying with his mandolin, always checked it in with his other baggage, and it always came out ok.