Unfortunately surfboards are large and unwieldy, which makes them tricky for airlines to deal with; subsequently flying with a board can be an expensive and complicated affair, with various hidden costs and fees. Some airlines are straight up about their fees, while others present a pretty face but hide further terms away in the small print on their websites: we’ve all heard horror stories of unsuspecting surf bums being charged more in fees to carry their boards than the original ticket price of the flight.
The Ultimate List of Airline Surf Baggage Policies
To help preserve your financial wellbeing and save your credit card a hefty hit, LUEX Surf Travel experts have investigated almost every airline flying to any surf destination you can think of, and come up with this nifty alphabetically ordered list. Simply check which airlines service your surf spot of choice, and scroll down to check their policy on surf boards.
Please note that while all information is correct at the time of publishing, airlines are free to change their baggage regulations at will, so it is always worth double checking before booking.
This article originally appeared on LUEX Magazine and is republished here with permission.
Airline | Accept Surfboards? | Cost | Details | More Information | URL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aeroflot | Yes | Free – €150 | Surfboards aren’t explicitly listed, but one boardbag should be included in your free baggage allowance (as with bikes/skis/snowboards). You must call Aeroflot to request carriage though. | Extra pieces of luggage and oversize/weight baggage will be charged. | More Info |
Aer Lingus | Yes | Free – €30/€40 | Boards fly for free to/from North America, or for €30 (each direction) to all other destinations if paid in advance; fees are €40 if paid at the airport. | Max board length 274cm on international flights, or max 204cm on regional flights. | More Info |
Aero Mexico | Yes | $40 – $50 USD | $40 if paid in advance, or $50 at the airport | More Info | |
Air Asia | Yes | Varies | Score a 50% discount and the option to add 15-40kg extra weight by booking online. Max Board length 274cm. | Paying at the airport costs more and limits you to 20kg extra weight. | More Info |
Air Berlin | Yes | Free | 1 boardbag can be taken as your free baggage allowance, though you must notify the airline at least 24 hours before flying. | If you exceed the number of pieces in your free baggage allowance, you’ll be charged €50-75. No sports baggage on JustFly tickets. | More Info |
Air Canada | Yes | $50 USD/CAD | Boards under the maximum linear dimensions can be counted as your free baggage allowance, but you will be charged a handling fee per board in each direction. | Boards must be less than 203cm long, and under 277cm total linear dimensions (lenght + width + height) | More Info |
Air China | Yes | Free – $150+ USD | Boardbags can be counted as your free checked baggage allowance if total linear dimensions (length + width + height) are less than 158cms. | If your board exceeds 158cm total linear dimensions then you will be charge an oversize baggage fee. Charge varies by route, size and weight, but will likely be $150+ USD. | More Info |
Air France | Yes | €55-100 | Boards 107-300cm long can be carried, though you’ll be charged €55-€100 each way, depending on route. | You must notify the customer service department at least 24 hours before flying, but you can only pay at the airport. | More Info |
Air India | Yes | Varies | Fees for board carriage are 50% of the normal excess baggage fee for the route. | It’s a good idea to call the customer service department and confirm fees when booking your flight. | More Info |
Air Malta | Yes | 30 | In principal surf equipment can be carried free in addition to your normal checked baggage allowance, though you should confirm this with the airline when booking. | More Info | |
Air Mauritius | Yes | Free – €200 | Boards under 200cms (length + width + height) and 23kg fly for free. | When applicable, charges levied vary by route – from €55 to €200 each way. | More Info |
Air New Zealand | Yes | Free | Boardbags up to 2 metres long can be taken as part of your free checked baggage allowance, plus multiple boards are allowed in one bag. | 200cm is the normal maximum length allowed, but occasionally items up to 250cm long can be taken (by prior arrangement). | More Info |
Air Pacific | Yes | Varies | You can take boards up to (total linear dimensions) 277cm, but fee (and currency) varies depending on route and destination. | Fees are usually around 50-100 AUD | More Info |
Air Seychelles | Yes | Free | Boardbags up to 158cm long and 15kg in weight fly for free. | You have to sign a waiver that Air Seychelles is not liable for any damage during transit. | More Info |
Air Tahiti Nui | Yes | Free | Boards up to 250cm and 23kg fly free (in addition to your normal checked baggage allowance) | More Info | |
Air Vanuatu | Depends on plane | Free | Boards up to 250cms can be carried free as part of your checked baggage allowance on international flights, and boards up to 150cms can be carried free on most domestic flights. However, some smaller planes on certain routes lack the capacity to take surfboards. | Call airline to check regulations on your route. | More Info |
Alaska Air | Yes | $25 USD | One boardbag containing up to two boards can be taken for the normal checked baggage fee. Size restrictions vary by route. | On Alaska Airlines flights 1-999 the boards up to max 292cm in length (alone) can be carried; on flights 2000-2999 and 3440-3499 the maximum combined linear dimensions (height + length + width) may not exceed 292cm. | More Info |
Alitalia | Depends on route | €75 – $260 USD | Boards up to 300cm can normally be carried for a fee, though the amount and currency charged varies by route. | Not all planes have room for boards, so you must check with the airline when booking. | More Info |
American Airlines | Yes | $42.50 – 150 USD | You can take boards up to 320cm total linear dimensions for a fee of $150 USD, other than flights to/from/through Brazil. | When travelling to/from/through Brazil, the first board is charged at $42.50 USD, and $85 USD for any extra boards. | More Info |
Ana | Yes | Varies | Boards up to 203cm total linear dimensions travel free (if within your checked baggage allowance). If you take a board in addition to your baggage allowance, you’ll be charged a fee (amount varies on route) calculated by weight rather than size. | You must call the airline when booking, as fees vary by route and not all planes can accommodate surfboards. | More Info |
Arikair | Yes | Varies | Surf boards can be carried subject to a fee, which depends on route. | Call airline to confirm chargs on your route when booking. | More Info |
Asiana | Yes | Free | One board can be carried free if within the weight and piece imit of your checked baggage allowance. There are no extra fees for oversize bags, but you will be charged if you breach weight limits. | More Info | |
Austrian Air | Yes | €50-100 | Boards up to 2m ilong can be carries for €50 (each way) within Europe, or €100 (each way) on intercontinental flights. | Not all planes can accommodate surfboards, so call the airline to check restrictions on your route when booking. | More Info |
Avianca El Salvador | Yes | $50-125 USD | You can fly with one boardbag with up to 3 boards (max 370cm long and 32kg) for $50 USD if travelling to/from Brazil, or $125 USD if travelling to/from America. | You can take a board bag on some routes to/from America for $100 USD. | More Info |
Azul | Yes | Free | You can take a boardbag upto 23kg for free, as long as it’s within your free checked baggage allowance. | More Info | |
Bahamas Air | Yes | $65 USD | You can take a boardbag up to 203cm, subject to a fee of $65 USD. | You must to pack the board in an official boardbag. | More Info |
Bel Avia | Yes | Free | As long as the total weight is within your free baggage allowance ( which varies by ticket class), one surfboard can be taken for free. | Only one board per passenger is permitted. | More Info |
Blue Wing Airlines | Maybe | Varies | Ticket price is calculated by how much you weigh personally combined with the weight of your baggage. | You should contact the airline directly when booking your flight. | More Info |
BMI Regional | Yes | Free – £30/€45 | One board can be carried free if within checked baggage allowances, or for £30/€45 if not (up to 20kg extra) per sector. | Any item between 21-32kg will be charged an extra fixed fee of £30/€45 per sector. | More Info |
British Airways | Yes | Free | One boardbag (up to a 190cm x 75cm x 65cm and 23kg) can be carried as your free checked allowance. | Board must be packed in a recognisable surfboard bag. | More Info |
Brunei Air | Yes | Varies | Baggage with total linear dimensions over 147cm are charged by volumetric equivalent weight, but the airline waives the first 5kg of that for surfboards. | Check exact fees with the airline when booking. | More Info |
Brussels Airlines | Yes | Free | Boards traevl free of charge if within your free checked baggage allowance. | More Info | |
Cape Air | Depends on route | Varies | Not all planes have enough room for boards, so you should call the airline when booking. | More Info | |
Carpat Air | Yes | $75 | You can take boards for a fee of $75 per board. | You must call the airline when booking to reserve space for your board. | More Info |
Cathay Pacific | Yes | Varies | You can take boards free of charge on some routes, and between Hong Kong and Doha even recieve an extra 10kg weight allowance. Free baggage allowance also varies by route; where free baggage allowance is calculated purely by total weight, boards may travel free if within limits. On routes where free baggage allowance is calculated by pieces and dimensions, an extra fee is levied, though costs vary by starting point and destination. | You should contact the airline directly when booking your flight. | More Info |
Cayman Airways | Possibly | Varies | Some sporting items can be carried as part of free baggage limit, irrespective of size, though surfboards aren’t explicitly listed. Fees of $150 USD normally apply to items over 157cm total dimensions, up to a maximum of 203cm. | You should contact the airline when booking your flight, to confirm fees and obtain written permission. | More Info |
China Airlines | Yes | Varies | Normally boards cannot be carried as part of the free baggage allowance. Boards up to 277cms total dimensions will be charged at 100% of the applicable excess baggage, while larger boards will be charged at 150% of the fee, which applies per board. | On flights to/from/within the SW Pacific boards can be carried as part of your free baggage allowance. If they exceed the free allowance, a board up to 277cm total dimensions will be charged at the applicable rate for 5kg of excess baggage, or 8kgs if longer. | More Info |
China Eastern | Yes | Varies | Surfboards are not included in the free checked baggage allowance, and will be charged 50% of the applicable fee if below 277cm total dimensions, or 100% of the applicable fee if larger. Only one board per passenger is entitled to the discounted rate. Any additional boards will be charged at the applicable excess baggage charge (by weight): one board up to 277cm total linear dimensions will be charged at the applicable rate of 5kg of excess baggage, or or 8kg if longer. |
The discounted rate is not applicable to passengers travelling to/from/within: American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati (Canton and Enderbury Islands), Nauru, New Caledonia (including Loyalty Islands), New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna Islands. |
More Info |
China Southern | Yes | Varies | Fee varies by route and number of boards, but you must contact the airline to get permission to take a board when booking. | More Info | |
Condor | Yes | $65-78 USD | Boards must be pre-booked with the airline. You’ll be charged $65 if you register the board 30 or more days before the flight, or $78 USD if if less. | More Info | |
Copa Air | Yes | $50-100 USD | One boardbag with max two boards can be taken to all destinations for $100 USD, other than São Paulo and San Jose (where only $50 USD is charged). | More Info | |
Corsairfly | Yes | Varies | You can take boards for free if within the applicable free baggage weight and dimension limits (which vary by route). | You should contact the airline to check exact fees when booking. | More Info |
Croatia Airlines | Yes | Free | One board up to 200cm can be taken as part of your free baggage allowance. | You have to pre-book the board with the airline. | More Info |
Czech Airlines | Yes | Varies | You can take a board for free if within the applicable free baggage weight and size restrictions , or fee a fee if exceeding them. | You must notify the airline at the time of booking. | More Info |
Delta | Yes | $100-150 USD/CAD or €105 | Two boards can be taken in one bag for $100 USD when travelling to/from Brazil, or for $150 USD/CAD (or €105) on all other routes | More Info | |
Easyjet | Yes | £35 | One surfboard bag can be taken for a fee of £35 per leg. | If the surfboard bag is your sole piece of checked luggage, it can weigh up to 32kg. If it is in addition to other checked baggage, you recieve an extra 12kg weight allowance. | More Info |
Egypt Air | Yes | Varies | One surfboard up to 200cm can be taken as checked baggage, but is not included in the free baggage allowance. Fees are calculated at 50% of applicable excess bagage rate. | More Info | |
Emirates | Yes | Varies | Board bags up to 300cm total dimensions can be taken for the applicable oversize baggage fee for the route. | No items exceeding 300cm total dimensions can be carried, with no exceptions. | More Info |
Etihad | Yes | Free | Boards up to 300cm can be taken for free. | More Info | |
Ethiopian Airways | Yes | Varies | You can take boards up to 200cm for €40 within Europe or for €80 on intercontinental flights. Boards over 200cm are subject to a fee of €80 on European flights or €160 on intercontinental flights. | More Info | |
Finnair | Yes | Free – €150 | Boards under 190cm long and 23kg fly for free if within checked baggage allowances, otherwise (and for larger boards) a fee of €150 applies. | More Info | |
First Air | Yes | $70 USD | Boards between 161 and 292 cms (length + width + height) can be taken for a fee of $70.00. | More Info | |
Flybe | Yes | £30 | Normally boards can be taken for £30, though size restrictions apply on some routes. | Call the airline when booking to reserve space for your board. | More Info |
Frontier Airlines | Yes | Varies | Boards can be carried, though fee depends on route and travel class. | You should check the exact fee with the airline when booking. | More Info |
Garuda Indonesia | Yes | Free | You can take a board for free, if within the checked baggage allowance applicable to your ticket. | Call the customer service department to confirm fees when booking. | More Info |
Georgian Airways | Yes | Varies | Normal bagage restrictions are up to 158cms linear dimensions, but surfboards are listed as an exception. Excess fees are calculated by weight. | Check with the airline when booking. | More Info |
German Wings | Yes | 50 | You can take your board for a €50 fee. | Boards must be pre-booked with the customer service department. | More Info |
Go Air | Yes | Varies | Surfboards can normally be taken, but are possibly subject to an oversize baggage fee. | Call the airline to confirm fees when booking. | More Info |
Gulf Air | Yes | Free | A boardbag (up to 190cm and 32kg) can be taken for free as your checked baggage allowance. | More Info | |
Hawaiian Airlines | Yes | Free – $150 USD | Two boards( up to 292cm) can be carried in one bag. Fees vary by route, ranging from free (to Australia and New Zealand) to $150 USD. | Some planes have limited cargo capacity, so call the airline to reserve space when booking. | More Info |
Iberia | Yes | $60 USD – €150/$150 USD | You can take boards up to 250cm for €150/$150 USD, other than flights to/from Brazil, where only $60 USD is charged. | Carriage is subject to available space, so you must contact the airline when booking. | More Info |
Iceland Air | Yes | €62 – €87 | Price varies between routes to/from Iceland, Europe and North America. | You must pre-book your surfboard. | More Info |
Interjet | Yes | Free | You can take a board bag for free if under 50kg (yes, really!). | More Info | |
Japan Airlines | Yes | $50-150 USD | Price varies massively between routes, but you can take up to two boards per boardbag. | Call the airline to check fees on your route when booking. | More Info |
Jet2 | Yes | €39 per flight | Max length 182cms. | You have to pre-book your board. | More Info |
Jetblue | Yes | $50 USD | $50 USD each way, one board per case, which counts as one piece of your checked baggage allowance. | No size restrictions, but must be under 45kg. | More Info |
Jetstar | Yes | Free | A board can be taken free as part of your checked baggage allowance. | Surfboards (including the bag) must not exceed 1.9 metres for Jetstar flights operated by an A320, A321 or B737 aircraft, and 2.77 metres for Jetstar flights operated by an A330 or 787** aircraft. | More Info |
Kenya Airways | Yes | Varies | Surfboards over 107cm long must ALWAYS be pre-booked. A charge will always apply, but it varies by route. | Call the airline to book your board and check fees before booking. | More Info |
KLM | Yes | €55-100 | Fee varies by route, but you have to pre-book any boards 107-300cm long. | Normally you have to take the boardbag as your sole piece of checked luggage. | More Info |
Kulula | Yes | Free | You can take boards up to 190 x 75 x 65cm for free. | Anything over 20kg will be charged extra, but its simple to add extra weight and pieces to your allowance. | More Info |
LAN Airlines | Yes | Free | You can take boards up to 300 linear cms for free | More Info | |
Lion Air | Yes | 200,000 IDR | You should call the airline to confirm fees and board carriage when when booking. | More Info | |
LOT Polish Airlines | Yes | €12-100 | Boards can be taken for €12 on domestic flights or €100 on intercontinental flights. | Not all planes are big enough to accommodate boards, so call to check with the airline. | More Info |
Lufthansa | Yes | €50-100 | Boards up to 2m long can be taken on continental flights for a fee of €50, and on intercontinental flights for €100. | You must call the airline to register your sports baggage before flying. | More Info |
Luxair | Yes | 50 | Boards up to 30kgs can be taken for €50. | More Info | |
Malaysia Airlines | Yes | Free | One board up to 2.5m can be taken free of charge, if within your free checked baggage limits. | More Info | |
Mango Airlines | Yes | Free | Call the airline when booking to reserve space in the hold. | More Info | |
MEA | Yes | Free | First item of sporting equipent (up to 20kg) travels free of charge. | Due to different regulations over different routes, you should confirm carriage with the airline when booking. | More Info |
Meridiana | Yes | €90-190 | Boards can be taken for €90 on domestic flights, €100 on international, and €190 on intercontinental. | More Info | |
Monarch | Yes | £24.99/€29.99 | You can take baords up to 182cm for a fee of £24.99, which also grants an extra 20kg weight allowance. | More Info | |
Nauru Airlines | No | More Info | |||
Oman Air | Yes | Varies | You must call the airline when booking, as not all planes can take boards. Charges vary by route and ticket class. | More Info | |
Penair | Yes | Minimum $50 USD | It’s likely that your board must travel as cargo. | Fees vary by route, so call the airline to confirm. | More Info |
Philippine Airlines | Yes | 1120 PHP | You have to call to book your board, but the fee entitles you to an extra 15kg weight allowance. | More Info | |
Qantas | Yes | Free | Boards up to 277cm and 32kg can travel free as part of your checked baggage allowance. | More Info | |
Qatar Airways | Yes | Free | 1 boardbag up to 32kg can be carried free as part of your checked baggage alowance | More Info | |
Royal Jordanian | Yes | $30-200 USD | Fee varies by route, but there is always a fee for boards. | More Info | |
Ryanair | Yes | €50/£50 | €50/£50 per flight, with a 20kg weight limit. | We recommend you call the airline to confirm max dimensions when booking. | More Info |
Saudi Airlines | Yes | $130-440 USD | You have to pay to take your board, but the fee varies by route. | You should call the airline to check fees on your route when booking. | More Info |
Singapore Air | Yes | Varies | Surfboards can be taken for free if within size limits, which vary by route. | Call the customer service department to confirm max dimensions and fees when booking your flight. | More Info |
Sky West | Maybe | Varies by route | Charges vary by route and flight, and as not all planes have sufficient capacity for boards you should call the airline when booking. | More Info | |
Solomon Airlines | Maybe | Varies by route | You must call the airline when booking, as not all planes can take boards, and charges vary by route and ticket class. | More Info | |
South African Airways | Yes | Varies | On most routes boards under 200cms fly free, if within the free baggage allowance. | You should call the airline to check fees on your route when booking. | More Info |
SouthWest | Yes | $75 USD | You can take your board for $75 USD each way. | It’s advisable to confirm exact fees and dimensions with the airline when booking. | More Info |
Srilankan Airways | Yes | Varies | Free if within the checked baggage limit (32kg) | Exceeding the checked baggage allowance on your route will incur fees, which you should confirm with the airline as they vary by dimensions, weight and route. | More Info |
Sriuijaye Air | Maybe | Varies | Surfboards should fly for free if under 20kg. | There is some ambiguity, so confirm with the airline when booking. | More Info |
Suncountry | Yes | $75 USD | You can take boards for $75, but only up to 152cm. | More Info | |
Sunwing Airlines | Yes | €80-100 | Fee varies by route, but you must pre-book your board with the airline. | More Info | |
Swiss | Yes | €50-100 | You can take boards up to 2m long for a fee of €50-100, depending on route | More Info | |
TAP Portugal | Yes | €35-75 | Boards fly for a small fee, but you MUST pre-book them. | More Info | |
Thai Airways | Yes | Varies by route | Can be included in checked baggage allowance for free if flying to/from Australia/New Zealand, otherwise fees vary by route. | You should call the airline to check fees on your route when booking. | More Info |
Tiger Airways | Yes | Varies | You can take boards under 190cm and 10kg as your free checked baggage allowance. | More Info | |
Transavia | Yes | Free | You can take boards for free, but you are NOT allowed to pack clothes/etc in the board bag. | You must call the airline to pre-book your sports baggage before flying. | More Info |
Trans Maldivian Airways | Yes | Varies | In order to take oversized baggage like surfboards you must charter a flight, as there is no room on scheduled flights. | Contact the airline, as charter costs vary by route and number of passengers. | More Info |
United | Yes | $150-200 USD | You have to pay $150 (each way) to take a board on flights between the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and $200 (each way) for all other destinations. | More Info | |
US Airways | Yes | $150 USD | You can take boards for $150 – PER BOARD. | You must call the airline when booking the flight, as not all planes can take surfboards. | More Info |
Virgin America | Yes | Normally $50USD | You can normally take your board for $50, but oversize weight fees (which vary by route) can apply. | You should call the airline to check fees on your route when booking. | More Info |
Virgin Atlantic | Yes | Free | You can take boards under 23kg and 277cm for free, IN ADDITION to your standard checked baggage allowance. | More Info | |
Virgin Australia | Yes | Varies | Boards can be take as part of your free checked baggage allowance, but maximum permissable dimensions vary by route and plane. | You must call to confirm board carriage before your flight, as not all planes are large enough to accomodate them in the hold. | More Info |
Viva Aerobus | Yes | 400-550 MXN | You can normally take a board, but the charge will depend on route and how/where you pay it. | Confirm fees with the airline when booking. | More Info |
Volaris | Yes | Free | You can take boards under 2m for free, as long as you don’t exceed your free baggage allowance, which varies by route and ticket class. | We advise you to call the customer service department to confirm fees when booking your flight. | More Info |
Vueling | Yes | €45 | You can take a board for €45 each way. | You have to pre-book sports baggage before flying. | More Info |
Westjet | Yes | Varies | You can take boards under 3m, but expect to pay as all applicable excess/oversize baggage fees will be applied. | We advise you to call the customer service department to confirm fees when booking your flight. | More Info |
Wizz Air | Yes | €30-80 | You can take a board, but fees vary between €30-80 deoending on route and ticket class. | More Info | |
Yemenia | Maybe | Varies | Not all planes can accommodate boards, so we recommend you call the airline to confirm board carriage and fees when booking. | More Info |