Tips for traveling by plane with your ski and snowboard equipment
Let’s be clear, ski holidays are more and more expensive: not even to mention ski passes, accommodation or even ski lessons for children, the simple fact of traveling with your ski equipment contributes to inflate the final note! Indeed, wanting to travel to the resort with your own equipment (skis, boots, snowboard, etc.) sometimes involves additional costs when booking your train (or plane) seat or even your car rent. Let’s list together these expenses directly related to the transport of your board sports equipment and see how it is possible to reduce their impact on your ski vacation budget.
Ski equipment must always be carried in checked baggage (in the hold). It is necessary to protect the skis + poles or snowboard with a specific cover with a maximum length of 3 meters and the boots can be placed in an individual bag. The two pieces of luggage together (blanket and bag) are considered as one piece of luggage.
United Airlines may charge a fee for accepting transport of your Ski equipment. Your board bag should cost you $ 150 or $ 200 traveling outside of the United States and Canada. You will have to settle your surplus on the spot, allow some time to manage this. But as announced on their site, surfing has become the new official sport of the State of California and to celebrate this event, customers traveling to and from California with a surfboard, paddleboard or wakeboard do not. will not be subject to charges applicable to baggage exceeding standard dimensions.
Some tips for traveling less loaded (and therefore cheaper …)
Between skis, boots, poles, helmets, masks, gloves, safety glasses, jackets and pants, the least we can say is that in terms of size, the equipment necessary to practice the ski is undoubtedly in the “oversized baggage” category, to the point of discouraging more than one when it comes time to pack up your bags to go skiing on the other side of the country. Here are some tips and tricks to reduce the number of your luggage and optimize its storage in order to save space and therefore money:
– Be realistic
The temptation is great to bring your latest trendy jeans or that jacket that looks so good on you, but will you really be wearing them during your stay in the resort? Is it really worth carrying three pairs of shoes? Take only what is necessary, favor practical clothing that you can wear regardless of the context.
– Do not be fooled by deceptive appearances
Don’t be fooled by the volume of your neatly folded ski gear in your closet. Most snow clothing is very light and easily compressible. Slowly fold the jackets and pants, making sure to squeeze out all the air in them. The pants can be rolled up and pulled down to the size of a coffee packet. Likewise, jackets can be significantly “compressed”. Another tip: fold your jacket / anorak a few days before your departure and put your suitcase on it. This will expel the air from it and considerably reduce its volume.
– Fill your ski bag to the maximum
Unlike shoe bags, the use of ski bags is not exclusively reserved for transporting skis. So you can slip in some additional items / clothes / accessories. Put on as many small ones as possible (hat, gloves, socks, après-ski…) but also why not your ski outfits (jacket + pants). This will save space in your suitcase.
– Check rental offers on site
Some destinations / hotels offer free or discounted equipment rental when you book accommodation, A great way to avoid unnecessary clutter.
Can you ship your equipment in advance?
We have seen all the options for traveling with Ski equipment on a United plane, but what about the shipping options? If it is comfortable to arrive at the hotel and find your equipment all ready, previously shipped a few days earlier, this option is much more expensive and you must obviously pack and ship your equipment at least a week to ten days before your ski departure.
By choosing to fly with United, each passenger is entitled to carry one Ski item / equipment (sometimes free and other times chargeable, depending on the destination), and which can be either a Water Ski item, two snowboards + a bag of Ski boots. You are also entitled to two pairs of alpine skis or other associated equipment that must be stored in the same bag.
United advises its passengers that charges are applied if the total weight of the items exceeds 23kg (50pounds).
You should also know that the shoe bag is considered a bag, so the passenger will have to pay excess baggage fees to transport it by plane.
United accepts no responsibility for any damage or damage that may occur while carrying your Ski equipment on board its planes, for various reasons.