Ski Baggage Allowances on Major Airlines:

Claire Weiss |
Boeing 777 and mountains.
Boeing 777 and mountains.

Are you already planning your next ski trip to Europe or South America?

Or you’re going to conquer Corbett Couloir?

You may want to know about allowed luggage and fees.

United Airlines

United accepts one item of ski or snowboard equipment per customer as checked baggage. Equipment must be securely encased in a suitable container.

An item of ski equipment consists of:
– Up to two snowboards in one bag
– Up to two pairs of snow skis and associated equipment in one bag and one ski boot bag.
If the combined weight of the ski bag and boot bag is over 50 pounds (23 kg), applicable overweight charges apply.
A boot bag without an accompanied ski bag is considered one bag and normal baggage fees apply.
First or second checked bag service charges may apply.

Ski equipment in addition to the baggage allowance will be assessed at the current excess baggage charge for a single piece, whether or not it is presented as a single piece.

Ski and boot bags weighing more than 50 pounds (23 kg) that contain other items in addition to or in place of appropriate ski equipment will be subject to the applicable overweight checked baggage service charge.

American Airlines

You can take:

1 pair of skis or a snowboard
1 bag containing a pair of ski or snowboard boots

You’ll be charged the checked bag fee of your destination and the following items will be treated as a single item: one pair of skis, snowboard, one boot bag with only boots/bindings, helmet and life preserver
Your boot bag can be up to 45 inches (length + width + height) and must contain only boots/bindings, helmet and life preserver. If you put anything else in your boot bag, you’ll have to pay an excess baggage fee. You may be asked to open your bag at the airport.

When you’re traveling to, through or from Brazil, once you’ve used your free bag allowance, your ski equipment will cost $28.05.

One pair of skis/snowboard up to 126 inches and one boot bag containing boots/bindings only and not to exceed 45 inches (length + width + height)

Portillo. Photo Credit: Andrei Morozov
Portillo. Photo Credit: Andrei Morozov

Alaska Airlines

For these sports-equipment types, you may check the following multiple pieces as one checked piece. Unless otherwise noted, all standard, overweight, and oversize fees apply.

Skis/snowboards
1 piece of ski/snowboard equipment is defined as 1 pair of skis with poles or 1 snowboard, plus 1 boot/helmet bag. If boots/helmet are checked in a bag that also contains clothing or additional items, standard checked baggage fees will apply to the bag. Ski/snowboard equipment may exceed 62″ (linear), without incurring an oversize fee.

Air France

Make sure your equipment weighs no more than 23 kg / 50 lb (or 32 kg / 70 lb in the Business or La Première cabins) and that its total dimensions are 300 cm / 118 in* or under. You will need to get prior approval from our customer service department in some cases. This approval is always required when traveling as a group (10 or more passengers). You must submit your request at least 48 hours before your flight’s departure.

Different rules may apply on flights provided by our partner airlines.

* On some planes, there are space restrictions in the hold, which means that equipment longer than 180 cm / 70 in is not permitted.

KLM

Airline allows the following as checked baggage: snowboards, a set of (water-) ski or snowboard equipment may consist of one of the following: a board (in a bag: max. length 300 cm/78 in) and a pair of snowboard boots, a pair of (water) skis, 2 ski poles and a pair of ski boots.

You can bring one of the above sets instead of a suitcase or instead of an extra suitcase bought in advance. 

An avalanche rescue backpack can be taken instead of a piece of hand- or (extra arranged) check-in baggage, or packed inside your hand – or check-in baggage. You always need to reserve for its transportation via telephone. On flights to, from and via the United States, avalanche rescue backpacks with an explosive trigger mechanism are not allowed in hand – or check-in baggage.

 Lufthansa

When travelling with Lufthansa you also have the option of taking ski baggage with you on all routes except those from/to the USA, Mexico and Central America. Please note that this rule only applies to flights operated by Lufthansa.

You can take additional piece of ski or snowboard equipment at 32 kg if you’re flying by First or Business class and 23 kg if you’re flying by Economy.

But additional pair of ski or snowboard will cost you 50 EUR on continental flight or 100 EUR on intercontinental flight.

Southwest

Snow ski equipment, including skis or snowboards, ski boots, and ski poles: including one pair of skis or one snowboard, one set of poles, and one pair of ski/snowboard boots encased in a container(s) acceptable to Carrier. When substituting ski equipment for a free bag, Southwest Airlines allows up to two bags (containing one set of snow skis, ski poles, and ski boots) to count as one item, even if they are packed and tagged separately.

Japan Airlines

Sports equipments will be handled as normal baggage and will be charged extra baggage fee under JAL regulations if weight or size is over free baggage allowance, which is three bags by 32 kg for First and Business class and two by 23 kg for Economy.

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British Airways

North America. World Traveller (Economy) = FREE checked baggage allowance is now one bag per person weighing a maximum of 23kg. If you check in a second bag (max. 23kg), then you pay £65 at the airport (or £60 on BA.com prior to online check-in stage) – this charge is each way. Sports equipment can be carried as part of (but not in addition to) your free checked baggage allowance or as part of an additional purchased allowance if required. We’ll even accept some types of equipment over our standard checked baggage size.

Only accept sporting equipment if it is packed appropriately (to avoid damage) and meets the given size and weight restrictions. Items over 23kg may incur a heavy bag charge. See our advice below for details of specific types of equipment.

Delta Airlines

Ski and snowboard equipment are allowed as checked baggage. One ski/pole bag or one snowboard bag and one boot bag is accepted per person. The combined weight of the ski/snowboard bag and the boot bag may not exceed 50 lbs. or excess weight charges will apply. Linear dimensions may exceed 80 inches (203 cm) without excess size charges. All standard baggage charges apply.

 

Thinking about skiing or snowboarding in Hawaii from Mauna Kea? 

Hawaiian Airlines

You can take: one pair of skis or one snowboard,one pair of ski poles, one pair of ski or snowboard bindings, one pair of ski or snowboarding boots. Normal fees and restrictions apply. 

And don’t forget sunscreen and swimming suit!

LAN Airlines

You can travel with golf clubs, a bicycle, surfboard, skateboard and other sports equipment. To be able to check these items, they need to be well protected and packaged adequately within a bag or box for their safe transportation.

Weight allowance:
Each bag can’t exceed the weight limits, which varies from 23 kg to 32 kg depending on the route.
You can travel with a heavier item if you pay an excess baggage fee; in this case, the maximum is 45 kg.
On flights with connections with Iberia, British Airways, Qantas and on flights to and from Europe or Oceania, the maximum weight is 32 kg.

Your special baggage cannot exceed the following dimensions (the sum of height + width + length):

Brazil and South America: 292 lineal cm
North America and Europe: 158 lineal cm

Larger items like windsurfing sails, kayaks, canoes, oars, hang gliders, vaulting poles and javelins can only be transported by LATAM Cargo.

Ski (snow or water): You can travel with one pair of snow skis, one pair of boots and one pair of ski poles, one pair of water skis or even a monoski.

 

 

Summarizing, most of the airlines allow one pair of ski or snowboard and ski boot bag in checked-in luggage.

But our advice – take you boots into the cabin, as airline sometime can lose your bags..


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