Pure Travel
  • About
  • Destination Inspiration
  • Tips & Advice
  • Guide
  • Travel Writing
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
  • Conservation
  • Privacy
  • Travel Writing Competition 2025
  • Reviews
  • Travel Resources
  • T&C
  • Contact Us
  • Conservation
  • Privacy
  • Travel Writing Competition 2025
  • Reviews
  • Travel Resources
  • T&C
  • Contact Us
Pure Travel
Pure Travel
  • About
  • Destination Inspiration
  • Tips & Advice
  • Guide
  • Travel Writing
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
  • Travel Resources

Tips for Flying with Skis & Snowboards

  • January 6, 2020
  • Jules

 You’ve carefully planned your ski and snowboarding holiday, but you’ve got to think about your gear now. If you’re a beginner and you haven’t settled into your skis yet, you could rent all sorts of kit including skis, helmets, boards etc at your destination, somewhere like the ski shop Melbourne. But if you’re a seasoned skier, you’ll want to take your own skis or snowboard that’s just right for you. We’ve put together our five top tips for flying with skis and snowboards that take the headache out of getting your ski equipment to your destination.

Tip #1: Know your airline’s baggage policy

Before you do anything else, get in touch with the airline you’ll be travelling with to ask about their policies around flying with skis and snowboards. Not all airlines’ policies are the same around weight restrictions and whether you can check-in two snowboards in a single bag or skis and a snowboard in a single bag. Some do allow this while others require you to check each item separately. So contact each airline you’ll be travelling with ahead of time to avoid any bumps in the road.

For instance, British Airways counts ski equipment as one piece of luggage toward British Airways’ free checked baggage allowance. If you are travelling on a hand baggage only fare or your checked baggage allowance includes one bag only, you will have to pay extra to fly your ski equipment. In addition, any items weighing more than 23 kilograms may incur an overweight baggage charge. You can check-in ski and snowboarding equipment up to 190 centimeters or 75 inches in length, so long as it’s packed in a recognized ski or snowboard bag, and ski poles are packed with skis, and boots packed separately from the skis or snowboard.

On the other hand, Air France treats ski equipment as a standard checked baggage item and is included at no extra charge in the baggage allowance if it’s the only baggage that you’re checking-in or one of the two pieces of baggage that is allowed for Business and La Première cabins. Fees to check an extra bag vary by route, but usually cost 20 percent less when purchased online. These rules do not always apply to Light and Basic fare tickets.

Tip #2: Get the price

The weight restrictions we mentioned, along with the number of bags you will need to check in, will have an impact on the price you pay for flying with skis and snowboards. If you have a choice of airlines and you travel regularly with ski equipment, you’ll want to fly with the airline that has the most reasonable check-in policies and fee structures. Also ask about loyalty programmes that allow you to earn frequent flier perks like free checked bags, which means your skis could fly free.

Tip #3: Choose your bag

The bag you choose will come down to how much money you want to spend and how much physical energy you want to expend on hauling your bag to and from the airport.

You’ll pay a higher price for a good-quality, light-weight high-density polyethylene ski and snowboard travel bag but you’re less likely to have to deal with damaged equipment at some point. Your other choice is whether or not to go with wheels or without wheels. A non-wheeled bag is cheaper but it’s also more difficult to lug around. A well-padded and wheeled bag is going to make your life a lot easier when getting your bag through airport terminals and parking lots.

Tip #4: Pack like a pro

Take only what you need. You’d be surprised how little you can live with. Don’t work harder, think smarter. Like removing the binding from your skis to reduce your ski bag’s weight (some airlines will allow you to pack your bindings and boots as carry-on luggage). Remember to use tip covers or foam pipe insulation and rubber bands to stop your ski pole tips from puncturing your ski bag. When packing clothes, roll up as many items as possible and pack them into all the vertical space you have in your ski or snowboard bag. This reduces creasing and is a great space saver.

To avoid a case of one missing sock, pack these items and underwear into waterproof bags. It’s also a pro tip for separating your used underwear from those that are still clean. There should be another separation between your ski clothes and your street clothes. With your skis, poles, avalanche gear or your snowboards up the middle, pack your ski clothes on one side and your street clothes on the other. Another pro tip is to use your bindings as dividers for different categories of clothing so you won’t have to search for anything.

Now your bags ready for a luggage label that clearly lists your name, address, phone number and email. It does happen sometimes that a luggage label can get damage so put a card inside the bag with all your details on it. Last thing, take a photo of your baggage during checked-in. This will help if your bag is lost.

Tip #5: Plan an airport transfer

Check if your airport transfer can get you and your ski equipment to where you’re going without any unnecessary upsets or accidents. If you’re renting a car, opt for one that is fitted with a ski rack or even better – a roof box that offers more protection even though it’s a more expensive option.

Before you hit the slopes, check out our YouTube channel or our website. We are a Snowboard shop in the UK that offers next day delivery of the world’s best snowboards.

Share
Tweet
Related Topics
  • flying with skis
  • ski
  • ski tips
  • ski vacations
  • skiers tips
  • skiing
  • skiing holidays
  • travel with skis
Jules

Previous Article
  • Travel Resources

Cool Water Sports You Need to Try

  • January 2, 2020
  • admin
View Post
Next Article
  • Travel Resources

The Best Places to Visit During Your Time in Russia

  • January 6, 2020
  • admin
View Post
You May Also Like
Drone shot of a beach
View Post
  • Travel Resources

How to Plan a Trip That Balances Rest and Fun

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
A view of Cannon Beach Oregon
View Post
  • Travel Resources

Adventure Together: Creative Ideas for Your Next Family Trip to Cannon Beach

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
A young man looking out over the mountains while on a hike.
View Post
  • Travel Resources

How to Add More Outdoor Fun to Your Family Travel Plans

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
View Post
  • Travel Resources

Family Travel Made Easy: Tips Every Parent Should Know

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
Close up of a guitar
View Post
  • Travel Resources

A Local’s Guide to Live Music in Howard County Maryland

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
Long tail boats in Thailand
View Post
  • Travel Resources

5 Unique Activities to Try in Thailand

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
A just married couple walking down the beach
View Post
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel Resources

Planning a Wedding Abroad? Here’s Why a Destination Wedding Planner Might Be Essential

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
View Post
  • Travel Resources

Where to Catch Adrenaline in Riga: Extreme Activities in the City and Nearby

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
Pure Travel
  • About
  • Destination Inspiration
  • Tips & Advice
  • Guide
  • Travel Writing
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Pure Travel
Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}