I used to carry my 2 piece rods on trips but the last time was 2006. I've gotten to carrying my 3/4/5 wt rods on a fishing daypack along with flies, waders, jacket and sometimes my vest. This last time to Yellowstone, I put my 4 wt in my checkin along with my vest/fly boxes/wading shoes then had to contend with a lost bag in Wyoming. Fortunately United delivered my bag to the hotel 3 hrs later though I missed a half day of fishing without my flies, vest, wading staff, shoes and clothes. Sometime soon I'll switch to having all 4 or 5 pc rods and maybe a bigger pack to carry all my fishing stuff except my shoes. I did see someone in Jackson Hole get off the plane with a 2 piece rod tube so it may still be okay though that may count as one(1) piece of carry on. Next time I'm bagging the laptop and just carrying 2 carryons and 1 check in.