I think this is the 3rd thread on the subject. But yes we’re all excited.

I’m a bit confused. I’m flying with a bike for the first time to 70.3 Boulder in August. I’m flying United. On their site it says as long as a bike is within the standard weight (50 lbs) and dimensions for a check bag then you just pay the $30 check bag fee. So what “bike fees” are there?

Well, does you TT bike fit in a standard sized bag (a clothes suitcase, not a standard bike suitcase). My guess is not unless you’re riding a Ritchey Breakaway.

Otherwise they will charge you $150/bike each way, even if you have status and fly business/first class. I’m UA Plat and only fly 1st, and I have to pay the bag fee about 4/5 flights.

Negative. United has “standard dimensions” for checked luggage. The Scicon bag I’ll be using is within those dimensions. So unless I’m missing something I don’t see how it’s not gonna be $30.

Okay. Let me know how that goes after you’ve checked the bag.

Are you sure? What are the dimensions of your bag? I’ve always had to pay on United

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the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning

Are you sure? United only allows 157cm or 62inches of total summed dimensions. Even their pocket bag is way over that.

Unless there has been a recent change United does not have a “bike fee” per se. Instead, they have an oversized bag fee. In the case of bikes it’s 62 linear inches. The SciCon bag/box does NOT meet the 62 inch rule. Thus the oversized fee applies which is $150 each way.

https://www.united.com/...ports-equipment.html

EDIT: I fly United exclusively with my bikes using a SciCon bag, including tomorrow from Houston to Spain, and have lots of experience with this. Per their rules you will be charged but sometimes I get lucky and an agent looks the other way.

I admit. I misread the linear inches part. I didn’t realize that’s TOTAL in all dimensions. $150 it is.

I believe it’s $200 for oversized. And if you’re oversized and overweight you have to pay both fees.

If my tri bike weighs 50 pounds packed in a Scicon bag then I have done something terribly wrong.

*like*

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80/20 Endurance Ambassador

I’d assume you mean the soft one. Hitting 50 with the plastic version isn’t hard at all.

I had my case (huge Thule case, not a scicon) loaded up to 81 pounds for my last trip. If I am paying for an oversized bag, it damn well will be oversized. The trip before that I flew on Interjet to Cozumel. $0 bike fees (or bag fees in general) as well as free beer/tequila on the flight.

Yea the soft one

In my experience, with a soft bag < 50 lbs on United, it's $150. You will be oversize because it's the sum of the linear inches, as another poster discussed. When they ask what's in the bag, tell them it's "bike parts" -- that seems to increase my odds of not paying. Also, get to the airport early. Sometimes you have to take the bike bag to a different part of the airport for special screening (e.g., in Atlanta, for example), and you don't want to risk you bike missing the flight.

With a hard case it's both oversize and overweight, and they charge $200. I sold my hard case for this reason. I love my Evoc Bike Bag Pro. It actually feels safer for the bike, because it's so light and less likely to get mishandled/dropped.

I've had great success with the Armored Hen House the past 3-4 years on Southwest. It's only just this year that I've started getting charged for flying with my bike. SW is only $75 (each way). With AA's announcement I decided to take the fight to SW.

I received a call this morning from SW stating that their senior management will review the matter. The person I talked with also stated that the more folks that request a policy change, the better the chance the policy gets changed.

So, if you fly Southwest... or even if you don't but want to fight bike fees in general... head on over to https://www.southwest.com/...-CUSTOMER-CONTACT-US and let them know that bikes have feelings too.

I use a Trico Iron Case. 48.6 lbs everytime. Once I whittled it down to that point, I took inventory of EVERY LAST BOLT and item in the box. So if I forgot, I would refer to the document with itemized parts. Keep it on your computer as reference or print it out & put it in a drawer in the garage--somewhere you'll remember to look when packing. Tape it on the wall even, or put it back in the empty box when not using it.

It's $200 1 way. I just fly with my bike using a cardboard box and well below $50 lbs.

Then why does their website say $150 I wonder

Yes totally agree. I was uncertain so when checking in 24 hrs ahead said I had 2 "bags" of which one I knew would be the bike case. Then paid for it at that time. I didn't trust that might get charged twice. Also I learned that the bike box was opened and taped 2x. 1st by a United person who then then taped it and gave it to a TSA guy who broke the tape & did the wiping with the tissues. Then taped it with TSA tape. The also ripped the lid off rather then left it as it was intended. I don't know why they couldn't just open it once.