Tips you need to get your gear to the slopes on time and in one piece
According to The Transportation Security Administration, about 400 million Americans travel through the nation’s airports between December and February —- the height of ski (or snowboard) season. If you intend to fly you want to make sure your gear gets to your destination intact. Here is how you can do it, and keep an eye on affordability along the way.
Traveling with all of your ski or snowboard equipment can be a daunting task. Knowing the easiest way to pack your equipment, how best to store it for the flight, and which airlines offer the best and most affordable deals are key to making your winter sports travel as easy as the bunny slopes.
Let’s start with the basics:
THE BAG:
Ensuring you have the right luggage to bring your skis and snowboard is an important first step. Generally, any padded ski bag will prevent damage to your equipment and tears. A less expensive option includes Amazon generic-type bags, while higher quality bags—like those from L.L. Bean, particularly the Adventure Pro Rolling Ski Bag Double—also work and will likely last longer.
Roller bags are frequent flier indicators to experienced skiers and snowboarders. Those make it much more convenient. It’s so much easier getting your skis or snowboard from your car to your gate and from your gate to the slopes. Many of the roller bags come with compartments specifically designed to store your helmets, gloves, and jackets, and even have a hard protective exterior—like the Sportube Series 2 ski case from REI.
Of course, the boots are an important item, and while some bags have compartments for those too, carry on accessory bags or boot bags that fit your boots work with ease and fit under your seat during the flight.
THE PACK: There are certain packing methods that can condense your items even further, such as rolling tightly your clothing items before placing them in the suitcase.
Another good idea is to pad your equipment with your clothes. You can place a layer of clothes on the bottom, place the skis and poles in the bag, and surround them on either side with more clothes.
This works to help you bring less luggage and provide more protection to your skis, poles, or snowboard. Importantly, your carry on or personal item can serve as extra storage, so do not be afraid to shove clothes into your small duffle bag and keep it under your lane seat.
THE AIRLINE:
Check your airline’s ski and snowboard luggage policy before heading to the airport. It is better to check your bag ahead of time online to avoid long lines at a kiosk with your luggage, where you can simply drop the bag off at the check in counter. Many, if not all, major airlines offer deals that treat the ski bag and boot bag as one checked bag item. The difference between airlines in their ski or snowboard bag policy is that sometimes there is a caveat that the weight of the bags combined be under a certain number.
Certain airlines like Frontier have historically had a 25 pound weight limit, while Delta Airlines have a policy that allows for up to 50 pounds. These policies are often adjusted, however, and you have to be sure to check the policy and weigh your bags beforehand, or be ready to pay a bit more to fly with your luggage if your bag is over the weight.
Of course, this is a better and cheaper deal than having to pay for two checked bags, but the poundage can be a challenge to get under if you are a heavy pack particularly with those winter clothes. Skis, ski poles (or snowboard), and boots as one checked bag is the way to go.
Ultimately, these tips are here to help you fly to your next winter vacation conveniently and allow you to focus on enjoying the destination and the sport.