How to pack, check, and generally take a flight with downhill skis?
I will be taking my first downhill ski trip soon, and am planning to bring my own skis.
What are the tricks involved in doing this?
I will be staying in the USA, and might fly with Spirit Airlines to Denver, so Spirit specific advice would be a plus.
Best Answer
I'm flying to Denver to ski too, but on United. United lets me have a ski bag with up to two pairs of skis, plus associated equipment (I guess that means poles), together with a boot bag (I'm presuming I can put helmet, gloves, balaclava, ski pants, etc. in boot bag). The ski bag and boot bag together count as one piece of checked baggage. Travel agent emphasized not putting clothes or non-ski stuff in ski bag. Have fun!
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How do you check skis for a flight?
Call ahead. Contact the airline ahead of time, either by phone or by social media, to confirm skis and ski equipment can be checked on the flight. If your travel includes multiple airlines, different restrictions may apply, so reach out to each airline to verify details.Can skis be checked baggage?
The good news is that winter sports gear is actually one of the cheapest items to check. Unlike bicycles and surfboards, skis and snowboards usually do not come with extra, oversized baggage fees. In fact, on most airlines, your snowboard or skis and your boots will both be considered one regular checked bag.What is the best way to travel with skis?
We believe that a wheeled ski bag or snowboard bag is the best. Not only do wheeled bags make it exponentially easier to traverse airports, but they also tend to have extra room to pack your other miscellaneous ski and snowboard gear for airline travel(i.e. boots, outerwear, poles, etc.).How do you travel with ski boots on a plane?
Some airlines offer a free first checked bag, which would allow flying with your skis and boots at no added cost. In this case, separate ski bags and boot bags are often accepted as just one checked bag. Other airlines may charge oversized baggage fees that will require you to shell out additional dollars.How to Pack for Your Snowboard or Ski Trip / Traveling and Flying with Your Snowboard or Skis
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