spectastic

I've never brought my bike with me on a plane, and I'm set to visit my parents for the holidays, for 2 weeks, which is more time that I'd like off from training. Unfortunately, the flight I'll be on are on united and american, the two worst airlines for bicycles, charging $150 each way. Do they usually measure oversized bags? what if I put it in a soft case that doesn't really have a dimension, and tell them it's a "therapy machine?"

If there's no way to get away with it, I'll settle for running

spectastic

hmm, what's the cheapest way to ship it?

jefnvk

Yes, unless you get very lucky with a dumb, not caring, or otherwise uninterested gate agent. Unless you can pack it into 62 linear inches, you're stuck with the fee. Otherwise, the bike fees are likely cheaper than oversized baggage fees anyhow, and you're unlikely to get a regular bike into anything that may pass the eye test.

Machka 

I have taken a bicycle on a plane many times.

In the old days, the oversized luggage fee was less expensive than the bicycle fee. Therefore, some people tried to call their bicycles "artwork" or something in order to avoid the bicycle fee and just pay the oversized luggage fee.

That has changed.

Now the oversized luggage fee is more than the bicycle fee. Now it is better to say, "Yes, I have a bicycle in here!"

And yes, even if the bicycle is in a soft-side case, it still has dimensions.


You will be paying a fee one way or the other ... it's up to you to decide which one. And if you are rude and make a fuss ... they could charge you both fees.


But this is why it is a good idea to investigate airlines and pick one that has the best total price (you and your bicycle and whatever other luggage you've got).


I just had a look at American Airlines and they charge $150 for the bicycle OR $200 for oversized luggage ... your choice.

Lucillle

See if you can rent a bike. It's only two weeks, even if you don't find the perfect bike to rent, it will still keep you riding.

FBinNY 

Shipping it in advance by UPS, should come out much less than $150.00.

However, I NEVER declare a bicycle when flying. I remove both wheels, fork and handlebars and fly either of two ways.

1- pack the entire bike and padding into a large duffel bag, along with some of my clothes as padding, and keep my mouth shut as I (sometimes) get charged the oversize fee which is usually much less than the bike specific fee.

2- pack the wheels in one duffel, and the frame and rest of the bike in another, padding both out with the rest of my stuff. I usually don't have enough so I pad with either paper towels or toilet paper, especially when going to Cozumel.

When packing in two bags, I very rarely have been charged the OS fee, so my total cost is the 2nd bag fee, which is waived if I use miles for a 1st class upgrade (often cheaper than paying for the luggage).

BTW to ensure that it all travels well I line my bags with 1/2" foam plastic sheets. Also be sure to pad each part separately rather than depending on loose padding because TSA guys are terrible packers, and you'll find scrambled eggs when you unpack. I also stick a note inside on the top of each bag explaining what they're looking at. It seems to satisfy them a bit, and the eggs aren't scrambled so much.

CliffordK

Do you need your bike at the airport? You could probably ship UPS or Fedex for less than $100.

Folding bikes or S&S Coupled bikes? Unfortunately they're expensive.

Where are you headed? Borrow a bike from parents, friends, or family?

You may well be able to buy a used junker for less than $300 transport fees. Could/Would you store it for future use?

BigAura

+1 to shipping UPS/FedEx should be cheaper. Plus I trust them to be more gentle than airline baggage handlers & TSA.

spinnaker

In my experience FedEx ground is a bit cheaper than UPS (in the United States). Be sure to do your homework. Get your box well in advance an measure carefully. There is a significant charge for oversize boxes even at FedEx. If you think you can get your bike in a smaller box then by all means pick up one of those.

Squeezebox

Isn't there a "WE ship bicycles" company that's cheaper? Or do they just pack and ship UPS?
Do a google search, there are several.

B. Carfree

I've used one of those a couple of times to ship bikes between home and a frame builder. They're cheaper than UPS or FedEX even though they actually just have it shipped by one of those carriers. I box it up, pay and print out the label, take it to FedEx and it gets where I want it pronto.

https://www.bikeflights.com/?gclid=C...ZoMhoC8xrw_wcB

Doug64

+1

We shipped our bike FedEx from Oregon to Michigan. My wife's small framed bike fit into a box that was near the upper end of their price break. Hers shipped for $68. My 58 cm bike needed a slightly larger box that exceed the arbitrary threshold by only a few inches. It cost me $165 to ship it. It was still cheaper than shipping both bikes with the airlines.

BobG

UPS and FEDEX measure boxes by length + girth. That's L + (2 x W) + (2 x H). The key is to keep that number within 130 inches. Many bike shop boxes are just over 130 inches, many are just under. Measure carefully. Believe me I found out the hard way! You'll pay a big premium with either shipper if you exceed 130 inches length + girth. I'm guessing that Doug's box was over 130" and his wife's was under.

The "Crateworks" re-usable boxes are 127.5 inches length + girth. Not by accident that's just under 130 inches. Above dimensions don't apply to airlines as most will accept a much larger box (for a fee) measured L+W+H in linear inches (not girth).

The downside of just taking your bike to the LBS for packing and shipping is that they may use whatever box size that's handy without concern that it may exceed 130 inches.

spectastic

bikeflights quoted me $42 for one way.. pretty sweet

Rowan

You could always take it aboard the planes as carry-on luggage and put it in the overhead lockers.

Or is that idea just a little too far fetched.

spectastic

you have a good memory for an old man

Rowan

Take it as a compliment. Some of your threads have been hugely memorable. Just remember, you park in my space, and your tyres won't be able to drive you away.

Rowan

Actually, to be fair, it's great that you've settled a bit and are a jetsetting bicycle tourist now. I always thought you'd get there sooner or later.

spectastic

happy to make the memories.

andrewclaus

Glad you found bikeflights. I've been happy with them. I don't know how they do it.

indyfabz

Yes. I have used them three times with great success.

indyfabz

Makes you wonder how much profit FedEx makes off people who ship without using them.

Tourist in MSN

Great.

I have heard that in Europe people have done that with Birdys.

Trakhak

A couple of decades ago, when I last worked in a bike shop, the cheapest shipping was by bus using Greyhound Package Express (https://www.shipgreyhound.com/e/pages/Home.aspx). At that time, anyway, there were no size restrictions that applied to boxed bikes. Prices were about half of UPS or FedEx prices.

fietsbob

Folding Bikes FTW ! Bike Fridays's travel bikes fit in a suitcase, and they engineered the suitcase trailer to let you tow the case.

Devotees of VBQ got a lesson from Japan, 'Rinko' where they took their road bikes apart to make it able to go on the public transit there..