Our friends at Surfline.com recently posted an article with updated pricing and information about airline boardbag fees. The pricing below is subject to change at anytime by the airlines and we always recommend contacting the airline you will be traveling with prior to your departure to see what their current fees are for checking-in surfboards.
| Airline | Price | Notes |
| Aer Lingus www.aerlingus.com 516-622-4226 |
Free | Free if it’s within your checked baggage allowance on flights between Ireland and North America. No charge if you’re in Business class. Surfboards are subject to a fee of €30 ($40) payable online prior to departure or a fee of €40 ($55) payable at the airport. Can’t be larger than 110 in. |
| Aero Mexico www.aeromexico.com 800-237-6639 |
$76 | One-way per board, maximum length 9ft packed. Sorry guys, you can’t include this as your free carry-on. If you purchase over the phone, it’s $70. |
| Air Canada www.aircanada.com 888-247-2262 |
$50 | Per board, one-way. Must pre-register when booking. Each board counts as one piece of checked baggage. Max linear dimensions (length + width + height): 109 in. Max length: 80 in. No paddleboards. |
| Air Emirates www.emirates.com 800-777-3999 |
Free | Included in your checked baggage. Remove fins and wrap tail and nose in bubble wrap. Must be less than 10 feet. |
| Air France www.airfrance.com 800-237-2747 |
Free | Free, kind of. If it’s less than 6.5′ it’s included as checked baggage, but in economy you only get one bag. If it’s bigger than 6.5′ and more than 50 lb, it’s €200 ($273 USD) and you need to call ahead. |
| Air New Zealand www.airnewzealand.com 800-262-1234 |
Free | One surfboard can be considered as one standard piece of baggage (they have a limited checked bag allowance though). Max of 70 lbs and 8.2′. For one additional bag it’s $25, for two it’s $87. |
| Air Pacific www.airpacific.com 800-227-4446 |
$50+ | Each way per surfboard bag. Variable Excess Baggage Charge + $50 “Bulky Item” charge. Must be less than 50 lbs & 115 in. |
| Air Tahiti Nui www.airtahitinui.com 877-824-4846 |
Free | Must be under 50 lbs. One board, one bag. Each additional board is $150 each. |
| Alaska www.alaskaair.com 800-252-7522 |
$20 | The board can be included as a standard checked bag, but checked baggage fees apply ($20 per bag). Max length is 9.5′, max weight is 50 lbs. |
| American Airlines www.aa.com 800-433-7300 |
$150 | One-way. One board per person. Max weight and size: 70 lbs, 10.5 ft. |
| Bahamas Air www.bahamasair.com 800-222-4262 |
$50 | Must be less than 5′. One-way per board. Remove your fins. |
| British Airways www.britishairways.com 800-247-9297 |
Free | As part of your checked baggage. Otherwise it’s $43 under 51 lbs. and $60 between 51-70 lbs. Boards must be smaller than 75in x 29.5in x 25.5 in (6’6”). |
| Cathay Pacific www.cathaypacific.com 800-233-2742 |
$600 | Any board bag totaling 80 inches or more in total dimensions (l+w+h) gets charged, which means every surfboard. |
| China Air www.china-airlines.com 800-227-5118 |
$150+ | $150 per board if it’s under 9′. Over 9′ is $225. |
| COPA www.copaair.com 800-359-2672 |
$75 | One-way per bag, 2 boards per bag/passenger. Only $50 to São Paulo and San Jose. Must be under 115 ins and 70 lbs. Remove fins. Can’t be more than 115 inches or 70 lbs. |
| Delta* www.delta.com 800-221-1212 |
$150 | Per board. Must be under 70 lbs. or pay additional fees ($125). Surfboards over 115 linear inches will not be accepted. To/from Brazil is $100. Between Honolulu and Maui, it’s $20. |
| EasyJet www.easyjet.com +44 843 104 5454 |
$40 | Per item, per flight. Boards can be added while booking online, which is the easiest and cheapest way to do it. Total max weight of 72 lbs. |
| Hawaiian Air www.hawaiianair.com 800-367-5320 |
$100 | One-way, per bag. Allowed two boards per bag. Max height 11ft, max weight 50 lbs. Price drops to $35 between islands. Goes up to $200 for travel to most Asian countries. |
| Iberia www.iberia.com 800-772-4642 |
$150 | One way. One board per passenger. Max size: 8’2″. MUST make request 24 hours before flight via phone. Keep in mind: “Various charges, taxes or duties may be applied, in accordance with the legislation of each country.” |
| Interjet (Mexico) interjet.com.mx 866-285-9525 |
Free | Max weight per passenger is 55 lbs domestic and 110 lbs international. Anything over that will have a fee of $5 per kg (2.2 lbs). |
| Japan Airlines www.jal.com 800-525-3663 |
$150 | Price is per bag. Two boards allowed per bag. Must call in advance. |
| Jet Blue www.jetblue.com 800-538-2583 |
$50 | One-way. One board per bag. No surfboards allowed on flights to Santo Domingo or Santiago. Can’t be over 100 lbs. Counts as your checked bag. |
| Korean Air www.koreanair.com 800-438-5000 |
$25 | One way, per board. Must be under 70lbs and/or 109 total linear inches (L+W+H), which would be about a 7’2″. Varies based on destination – outside the US is more. |
| Lan www.lan.com 866-435-9526 |
Free | Free, kind of. But it cannot exceed 300 linear cm (9’10” total linear dimensions) or 50 lbs. Excess baggage fees range completely by destination. |
| Lufthansa www.lufthansa-usa.com 800-645-3880 |
$100-$200 | Must be less than 70 lbs and/or 6’7″. Within Europe: $100, Europe to intercontinental: $200. If it’s over 6’7″, the fees are doubled. You need to register sports baggage 24 hours before the flight. |
| Malaysian www.malaysiaairlines.com 800-552-9264 |
Free | Can be included as your checked bag if it’s under 9’10”. If larger, excess baggage fees range from around $110-$150. |
| Qantas www.qantas.com.au 800-227-4500 |
Free | Free as part of your checked baggage. Must be in a bag and may not exceed 70 lbs and 9 ft. If it’s bigger, excess fees range from $22-$150 depending on destination. |
| Singapore www.singaporeair.com 800-742-3333 |
Free | As part of your two bag limit. After that prices range from $84 to $550 depending on destination. |
| South African Airlines www.flysaa.com 800-722-9675 |
Free | As part of your two bag limit, not exceeding 6’6” or 44 lbs. Larger boards must go as cargo. |
| Southwest www.southwest.com 800-435-9792 |
$50 | One-way per bag. Fins must be removed. |
| SriLankan Airlines www.srilankan.lk 661-250-8287 |
Free | You can bring one surfboard for free as part of your checked bags. Can’t exceed 70 lbs. |
| TACA www.taca.com 800-400-8222 |
$125 | One-way. Up to 3 surfboards in one bag per passenger. Up to 70lb and 12 feet in length. Fins must be removed. Prices vary based on takeoff location/destination. From Brazil it’s $50. |
| TAP Portugal www.flytap.com 800-221-7370 |
$50 | Each way per surfboard bag up to 10 kgs. Domestic, Europe, Morocco & Algeria is apx $50 (EUR35). Intercontinental are apx $100-$140 (EUR75-100). |
| Thai www.thaiairways.com 800-426-5204 |
$60 | If it’s over 9′, it’s $119. Each additional board is $119. |
| United* www.united.com 800-864-8331 |
$100-$200 | North America, national: $100 each way between the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and $200 each way for all other travel. Max of 50 lbs. & 109 in. |
| US Airways www.usairways.com 800-428-4322 |
$200 | One-way per board. Remove your fins. |
| Virgin Atlantic www.virgin-atlantic.com 800-862-8621 |
Free | Free, limit one per customer. Must not exceed 9 feet and must not exceed 50 lbs. |
Article Source: Travel section of Surfline.com