Sweet talking the airline lady at check-in to try and get your quiver of surfboards on the plane at no charge doesn’t really work these days. Also, arguing with the airline staff at the check-in counter about golfer’s not being charged for their clubs doesn’t help and will only get them more fired up! For those who would prefer the convenience of traveling without surfboards, a lot of surf resorts now offer a large selection of epic boards to choose from, like the Nemberala Beach Resort in Indonesia (boards pictured above). But for the rest of us who need our own boards, our friends at Surfer Magazine recently published some 2013 rates on airline surfboard baggage fees.
|
AIRLINE
|
FIRST BAG
|
ADD’T. BAG
|
SURFBOARD
|
NOTES
|
| Aeromexico | $0 | $0 | $76/bag | Max length: 9′ |
| Air Canada | $0-$25 | $35-$100 | $50/board | WILL NOT accept bags over 6’6″ |
| Air France | $0 | $75-100 | $55-150* | *Depending on destination |
| Air New Zealand | $0 | $150 | $0* | *Free if only checked bag, otherwise $150/bag |
| Air Pacific | $0 | $0 | $50/bag | Max length: 9’6†|
| Air Tahiti Nui | $0 | $75 | $0* | If under 6’6″. If over, $150/bag. |
| American (US or PR) | $25 | $35 | $150/bag | Max weight: 70 lbs. |
| American (to/from Mexico) | $0 | $40 | $150/bag | Max weight: 70 lbs. |
| American (to/from Europe) | $0 | $60 | $150/bag | Max weight: 70 lbs. |
| Alaska Airlines | $20 | $20 | $50/bag up to 6’6″, $75/bag 6’7″+ | Max length: 115 in (length X width X height) |
| British Airways | $0 | $0 | $0* | *WILL NOT carry boards over 6’3″ |
| China Airlines | $0 | $0 | $150/board for under 9′, $225/board for 9′+* | Varies slightly by destination |
| Continental (US, PR, Canada) | $25 | $35 | $100/bag* | *$200 if over 70 lbs.; Max length: 9’6″ |
| Continental (International) | $0 | $40 | $200/bag* | *$400 if over 70 lbs.; Max length: 9’6″ |
| COPA | $0 | $0 | $75/bag* | *Two boards max per bag |
| Delta Airlines (within US and Canada) | $25 | $35 | $150/bag* | *2 boards per bag max; Max size: 9’6″ and 70 lbs. |
| Delta (to/from Caribbean) | $25 | $40 | $150/bag* | *2 boards per bag max; Max size: 9’6″ and 70 lbs. |
| Delta (to/from Europe, S. and Central America) | $0 | 40-$100 | $150/bag* | *2 boards per bag max; Max size: 9’6″ and 70 lbs. |
| Delta (to/from Brazil) | $0 | $0 | $100/bag* | *2 boards per bag max; Max size: 9’6″ and 70 lbs. |
| Hawaiian (interisland) | $17 | $17 | $25/bag | *Two boards max. per bag |
| Hawaiian (to/from North America) | $25 | $35 | $100/bag* | *Two boards max. per bag |
| Hawaiian (International) | $0 | $0 | $100/bag* | *Two boards max. per bag |
| Interjet | $0 | $0 | $0 | (None) |
| JetBlue | $0 | $30 | $50/board | (None) |
| Korean Air | $0 | $0 | $200/bag | (None) |
| LAN | $0 | $0 | $0* | *$50 if exceeds 50 lbs. |
| Qantas | $0 | $0 | $0* | *If included in baggage allowance. Cannot exceed 9′ |
| South African Airways | $0 | $0 | $0* | *WILL NOT carry boards over 6’6″ |
| Southwest | $0 | $0 | $75/bag | (None) |
| TACA | $0 | $0 | $125/bag* | *Three boards max. per bag. |
| United Airlines (Domestic) | $25 | $35 | $100/bag | Max length: 9’6″ |
| United (to/from Europe) | $0 | $100 | $200/bag | Max length: 9’6″ |
| United (to/from Mexico) | $0 | $40 | $200/bag | Max length: 9’6″ |
| United (to/from other international destinations) | $0 | $0 | $200/bag | Max length: 9’6″ |
| US Airways (Americas) | $25 | $35 | $200/board | (None) |
| US Airways (Transatlantic) | $0 | $100 | $200/board | (None) |
| Virgin America | $25 | $25 | $50/board | *Additional charge if more than 50 lbs. |
| Virgin America (Domestic) | $25 | $25 | $50/board | *Additional charge if more than 50 lbs. |
| Virgin Atlantic (International) | $0 | $60 | $0* | *If included in baggage allowance. |
| Virgin Australia | $0 | $0 | $0* | *If included in baggage allowance. |
*Be sure to note which airlines charge PER BAG and which charge PER BOARD. (Fees are accurate as of 1/17/13)
Surfboard Baggage Chart Source: Surfer Magazine
If you don’t see your airline listed above, check out SurferLiving.com for more airline surfboard baggage fees.