If you are constantly travelling with surfboards, don´t miss our tips on how to fly with surfboards.
It isn´t easy to do ranking of the best airlines for surfers. There are a lot of them and personally we don´t know the service with all of them. So here we have an analysis that will be focused on the economical side and what each one will cost for travelling with surfboards.
Europe
AER LINGUS
Is an Irish airline. They have good connections with United States.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
International max length: 2.77m
Regional max length: 2.05m
Check in fee: To US included in the fare. Other destinations is 40€ per board
AIR BERLIN
You can check in free, except with the JustFly rate, you surfboard as long as it is within the established requirements.
Max weight: 23kg
AIR EUROPA
Requirements:
International price: A fee of 150€ per luggage piece and journey
AIR FRANCE
The airline will let you check in your surfboard as luggage except in Light and Basic rate.
Requirements:
Max weight: 23kg
Max length: Less than 3m
Fees: Free up to 125€, depending on your route.
AZORES AIRLINE
Necessary to do a pre-reservation
Requirements:
Additional assignation: 10kg for surfboards
Maximum length: 2.4m
BRITISH AIRWAYS
The airline will let you check in your surfboard as luggage
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Max length: 1.9m
EASYJET
This company will let you check in surfbords but you will pre-reserve.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: Small sports equipment 20kg
Large sports equipment 32kg
Fee: 42€ approximately for small equipment
51€ approximately for large equipment
FLYVE
This airline travels between UK and Ireland
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 20kg
Maximum length: Depending on the plane, between 1.67-3m
Fee: 34€ approximately, per journey you´ll have to pay in the airport.
IBERIA
The Spanish airline has two distinctions when giving the possibility to checking in surfboards. One is for short and medium flights (Spain, rest of Europe, Middle east and Africa except South Africa) which will have an extra fee. Another is long flights (America, Asia, South Africa) which in this case the surfboards can be checked in with no further fees as normal luggage.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Maximum length: 3.5m
Fee: 45€
Iceland Air
It’s important to do a reservation the day before the flight.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Maximum length: 2.5m
Fee: 67€ (for flight coming from UK and final destination Iceland)
KLM
The airline lets you check in a surfboard free and pay for another board.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Maximum length: 3m
Fee: 68€ (handbag and surfboard)
Lufthansa
The airline lets you check in a surfboard per bag.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 34kg
Maximum length: 2m
Fee: 70-250€ depending on the route
Norwegian
Requirements:
Payment the moment you reserve
Maximum weight: 25kg
Maximum length: 2.5m
Fee: Short flights approximately 39-51€ (paid online), 51-79€ more or less (paid in the airport). Long flights is 68€ depending on the exchange rate of the currency (piaid online), 79 € approximately (paid in airport).
Ryanair
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 20kg
Maximum length: Strandar size
Fee: 62€ approximately per journey for large sporting equipment.
TAP Air Portugal
The good thing about this company is that you can bring longboards. When other don´t let you because of its excessive size, with this airline its possible.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 32kg
Fee: From 50€ to 100€ per journey
Vueling
The airline only lets you check in one piece per special luggage. Also its necessary to reserve beforehand and specify that it is sporting material.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 32kg
Maximum length: 2.7m
America
Air Alaska
This airline lets you check in two surfboards per luggage.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Maximum length: 2.92m
Fee: 66€
Air Canada
Choosing this airline is one of the best options for travellign to Hawaii or Central America. With you ticket you can check in a travel cover with surfboard as luggage.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Maximum length: 3m
Maximum width: 0.6m
Fee: 66€ approximately
American Airlines
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 32kg
Maximum length: 3.2m
Fee: 132€ approximately
Avianca
Requirements:
Maximum weight:32 kg
Maximum length: 3.7m
Fee: 88-110€ depending on the destination
Copa Airlines
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 32kg
Maximum length: 2.92m
Fee: 66€ for flight in South America, Central America and the Caribbean. 44€ for flights to São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and San Jose.
Delta Airlines
This airline lets you bring two surfboards per luggage.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 32kg
Maximum length: 3m
Fee: 132€ approximately
Hawaiian
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Maximum length: 3m
Fee: Inter-isle 30€ approximately. From Hawaii to US is 88€ more or less. The price varies from 0€ to 132€ depending on the destination.
LATAM
The company lets you check in you surfboards as luggage, when it complies with the requirements and there are fewer than three boards in the cover.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg (national flights and South America, except Colombia, Peru and Bolivia) and 32kg (international flights, North America and Europe)
Maximum length: 2.92m (National flights and South America, except Colombia, Peru and Bolivia) and 1.58m (international flights, North America and Europe)
International fee: Surfboards are treated as luggage.
Southwest
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 32kg
Maximum length: 2m
Fee: 66€, approximately per trajectory
Asia
Air Asia
This airline from Malaysia has excellent connections to Indonesia. They let you bring a surfboard free (Maximum size: 2.74m. Maximum weight: 15kg)
Requiremntes:
Without prior reservation: Maximum 20kg
The board has to be packed in a cardboard box.
Maximum weight: 32kg
Maximum length: 2.77m
Fee for the pre-reservation: 13-31€ depending on the weight.
Emirates
The airlines lets you check in a surfboard and also give you a cardboard box for you board.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Maximum length: 3m
Etihad Airways
The company lets you bring your surfboard as luggage if it complies with the requirements.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 32kg
Maximum dimensions: From/To Canada and US is 1.58m (50x70x38)
Maximum dimensions: From/To other destinations is 2.07m (45x72x90)
Garuda Indonesia
The airline lets you check in your surfboard as luggage.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Maximum length: 3m
Malaysia Airlines
If you are looking for a way to travel from Malaysia to Indonesia, this is an interesting option since they let you check in your surfboard as luggage with no additional costs, if it complies with the requirements.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 30kg
Maximum length: 3m
Qatar Airways
This airline lets you check in your surfboard as luggage. So if it complies with the requirements it won’t accrue additional costs.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 30kg
Maximum length: 3m
Sri Lankan
This airline give you the option check in your surfboard as luggage complies with the requirements.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 32kg
Maximum length: 3m
Thai Airways
With this company its possible to bring a surfboard without any additional cost when it complies with the requirements.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 30kg
Maximum length: 2.7m
Fee: 88-176€ approximately
Oceania
Air Calin
This company gives you the option to bring your luggage and a surfboard cover with your surfboard.
Requirement:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Maximum length: 3m
Air New Zealand
If you choose this airline, remember that you have to reserve prior if you want to include an additional bag.
Maximum length: free between 2 and 23kg. With fee if its 23 to 32kg.
Maximum length: 2.5m
Air Tahiti Nui
One of the most interesting options if you are thinking about travelling to French Polynesia.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Maximum length: 2.5m
No fee: one bag
Qantas
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 32kg
Maximum length: 2.7m
Africa
South African Airways
The airline lets you transport you surfboard as luggage when you comply with the requirements.
Requirements:
Maximum weight: 23kg
Maximum length: 2m
As you can see, prices vary a lot depending on the ariline. We recommend that prior reservation, you consult the cost depending on the size of your board and the number of boards that you want to travel with. Don´t be tempted by a more economical flight without considering these extras for transport, since this can end up being the difference and you´ll be deciding between one company or another based on its extras.
Once you´ve chosen your airline we go to the next step. How to protect your surfboard so that they reach their destination in one piece. A good tavel cover like the Quad Coffin from Ocean & Earth and a few tips when packaging your boards will avoid problems.
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