Thinking of flying to a race for the first time
Considering sending my bike ahead in the same cardboard box I received it in
I thought it might be less of a hassle than going though baggage check-in etc
Anyone do this?
Any reasons not to?
Or other suggestions?
EDIT: cost is the same to send round trip as it is to take on the flight
Cost. It’s pretty expensive to ship a bike these days. Also if you’re going international you have to deal with customs. they only time if’s ever really worth shipping your bike is if you are going somewhere else for a couple or weeks and you just dont want to lug it around. Then you just ship it home and it cant get lost for a couple of days and you dont really care.
For me with Bike Flights its is the same cost as an over size bag on the airline. It’s also domestic so no customs
Always flown with, but do chose flights/airline with the cost of the bike and the seat factoring into the choice. For example I know we were travelling and we went with an airline that was ukp200 more for the seat, but you got the bike bag (and extra weight) included compared to others that then were stung with UKP300 per flight for the bike.
Equally, I’ve favoured routes that limit the changes, and indeed if you get really smart you can even see where the bike will stay on the plane even if there is a refuel where you need to get off for a few hours.
Define oversize cause as long as it’s under 50lbs it’s just a checked bag.
It is under 50lbs.
From looking at a few airlines It’s the dimension which is the problem
What airline do you suggest which doesn’t charge extra for a usual bike case?
Where are you traveling between? Air New Zealand is excellent for sporting good carriage, but of course doesn’t help for most global trips.
Last time I took mine, Delta didn’t charge. Just be careful about the actual plane. They do limit the number of bikes on some of the regional jets,
Maybe something worth considering is which has better insurance. Airlines are difficult to deal with. If I’m forced to pay and it’s the same price, I’d sooner ship the bike. I’ve had to file claims with shippers in the past and these went smoothly compared to filing a claim with an airline.
Also, f*ck Lufthansa.
haha I only flew on them once… and I felt the same way..
Delta, United, Southwest. All them are fine with any standard bike box.
I hope that is true
I’m seeing as of May of this year those 3 carriers changed their standard checked bag dimension to only 62”
I flew United in August with Evoc Pro Road bag which is quite big and there was no fee for me.
It seems like the Airlines here in the USA are way more focused on WEIGHT then getting out the old tape measures when it comes to bikes. I havent seen anyone do anything then check weight in a couple of years.
I’ve done both and if cost is the same I’d for sure opt to send it vs. fly with it. If you’re sending it, you have to factor in transport time. Shipping it to a hotel or wherever you’re staying is nice that it is ‘there’ when you show up. Then you have to arrange for pickup or drop it off at a Fedex/UPS on your way out… but not a huge deal either.
Generally it is less hassle to send it vs carry it.
Did you check their baggage policies for sports equipment? I know for a fact that Delta and American both allow up to 115 inches in total bag dimensions when taking a bicycle as part of your checked bag allowance on the plane without charging oversize fees. Can’t speak to the other airlines but should be easy to google to confirm.
Anecdotally, I’ve flown on Delta multiple times with my massive EVOC Road Bike Bag Pro (just shy of 111 inches in total dimensions) without paying any additional fees.