I've taken my bike on aircraft about a dozen times and except for one trans-Atlantic flight I've always taken it with just the bars turned, pedals off and tyres deflated. Aer Lingus don't require you to box but may supply you with a large plastic bag to put it in at no extra cost.

For Canadians reading this thread, Air transat is only 30 dollars each way for the bike, and they supply a free bag.

Do not be surprised if airlines start reducing the current 62 inch limit on baggage. Right now, most airlines have a size limit on baggage of 62 inches (length + width + height) ... over that, and the bag/box becomes oversized. And then there's an upper limit over which they won't take the item at all. That has been the case for quite a few years.

A normal bicycle will not fit within the 62 inch limit ... it will be oversized and will incur either the oversized fees or the bicycle fees ... or both.

Folding bicycles will fit ... but just.


There are two reasons we suspect that a reduction in that 62 inch limit is looming ...

1) Baggage is getting smaller. If you go hunting for suitcases from luggage shops etc., it is not easy to find really large suitcases anymore.

2) Virgin Airlines has reduced their limit to 140 cm (55 inches)
Checked baggage allowance | Virgin Australia


Just something to keep an eye on. It is always good to check and double check your baggage info.

Check frontiers current baggage policy, they charge extra for everything, even a carry-on is charged extra. The only thing Frontier allows is a single personal item. The worst of it is that Frontier is the only carrier for one of the segments on a regular flight I make.

They annoy me so much I am considering getting a baggage coat.

It looks like they have gotten worse, but I think that for my packing style they still are better than most. The bike is still $75 and the second bag is $30. So if you need both it is $105. I find that I can get my bike and gear into a soft case and still stay within the weight limit so I can still get by with just the bike bag and a total fee of $75.

When/if I need to carry on a little bit of clothing or gear, I find that rather than pay for a carry on I can get by with taking my 18 liter backpack as a personal item. That helps make it easier to get by with just the bike bag as the only checked baggage. On non-biking trips I have been known to travel with only the little backpack as a personal item and no other baggage. I am kind of a minimalist though.

I usually fly Southwest since my local airport is a Southwest hub so I don't generally have to deal with other airlines, but it sounds like Frontier would still work OK for me.

Air Canada charged me $50 for a regular-sized bike packed in a soft-shell case last month. I had to wheel the case half way across Vancouver Airport when I changed planes there (and cleared Canadian customs), but it all went very smoothly.

Air Canada has just started charging $25 for the first piece of checked luggage ... and because they foresee that people may want to take more carry-on luggage because of that fee, they are cracking down on the size restrictions for carry-on luggage.

Air Canada carry-on crackdown blindsides passengers - Business - CBC News

Air Canada starts trial crackdown on carry-on bags - The Globe and Mail


IMO, that's good. Although it may present some further challenges for cycletourists.


We didn't fly Air Canada on our recent trip, but 3 out of the 4 flights between Vancouver and Hobart were full to capacity with passengers ... each bringing with them a mountain of carry-on baggage. I had checked the restrictions before we flew and so we each had a small bag but even so it was difficult finding a place for our bags on at least 2 of the flights because so many other people brought so much more on board. In one instance, we were among the last to board, and the frustrated flight attendent informed Rowan that if a spot for his bag could not be found somewhere in the overhead luggage, he would have to check the bag. Umm. No. Someone who brought 2 big bags on might have to check one, but not us. And on that flight checking a bag would have cost >$150. The flight attendent found a spot for Rowan's bag, but mine went under the seat leaving me with restricted leg room. Fortunately it was a short flight ... only about 3 hours.


As I've said before ... check, check, and double check the baggage restrictions. Even if the information with your ticket says one thing, the situation may have changed when you walk up to the airport. And in addition to checking the airline information, don't forget to check the airport information. Airports restrict the amount of baggage (especially carry on) from time to time too. Heathrow did that a few years ago, and I've heard LAX might be doing that as well.

If you ride a small framed bike.

Allegiant Airlines: 80 in at 40 lbs.

80 in. is a huge upgrade from 62 in. 40lbs is rough. I had to carry-on my pedals, chain, tubes and one tire.

On my flight back from Las Vegas there were a couple of bikes on board. Ironman LV was the previous weekend.

Edit: The company sponsors a race team based in Vegas.

I'm following this thread in hopes of settling on the best airline for a May trip from Oklahoma City to Milan and return from Brussels (probably). Budget will be a major issue so cost is a significant consideration but so is getting the bikes to Milan intact. I'm just getting into shopping around a bit and United keeps popping up as an option. I know they lots of negative feedback from cyclists but I'm not sure why? Any advice appreciated.

You may have done this already, but if not, have a read of this page: Airline Baggage Regulations For Bicycles

Then go to the sites of your top 2 or 3 choices and read their baggage information. Read it all ... all about checked luggage, oversize luggage and bicycles. Read about size/weight restrictions. Read about the fees.

Then you can make an informed decision.


Personally, I wouldn't fly with any US airline if I could avoid it. Unfortunately it is not always avoidable. That said, I did fly internationally with United a decade ago and they were OK. My more recent experience has been domestic flights and those are like flying in a city bus.

I did read the suggested post but it seems old info might not be of much value as things are changing regularly?

That site keeps reasonably up to date ... just about every time I post a link to it here, they've updated something. And it provides a bit of background and history behind what has been happening with airlines and bicycle fees.

But once you have looked at it, it is a good idea to check the actual airline websites to be sure you've got the most up-to-date information.

In your case, if I were flying to Europe, I'd be tempted to check British Airways.

Anyone ever do this on a US domestic flight? I see it mentioned fairly often, but assume it is a non US thing.

I think if you use something like this: Mountain Bike Cycle Luggage Carry Bag Travel Case | eBay

and disassemble your bike well enough fit even smaller than the bags limits (I ride a 60cm road conversion, it's not tricky to do), you can get away with the size guidelines and pay the regular checked bag fee (25-50, maybe free if its your only item).

it may not be durable as say a Pelican case, but you can pad it accordingly to part with simple styrofoam, clothes for the trip, cardboard. You know how easy this can be.

I have used a soft case with good results, but no bike with either 700c or 26" wheels that I know of fits in case that is under the L+H+W=62" or less restriction, unless it has couplers in the frame. Even with couplers it is a very tight fit.

I did manage to get all of my gear in the one soft bag with the bike, but it required packing pretty light to keep it under the 50 pound limit. It still was an oversize bag though.

Ah yep, just tried the frame I'm taking to San D compared to my smaller frame. It's just 2 or 3 inches over the limit every component disassembled and packed tight in the soft case. Maybe I can woo the airline and get away with it, though SOUTHWEST seems to have the best deal, 75 per way (for any one oversized bike), then you're carry on and two other bags go free.

Which is not so bad considering the tickets to and from themselves totaled right around 200. I think if I go the camping route (it'll be warm during late winter I'm guessing), it should be a good trip and I'll get to see the city in the way we here love to see it. Two weeks of otherwise Midwest misery well spent. Who knows, I may even find winter work and make it into a second home!

MESSAGE TO OP: Fly Southwest Airlines and get that ticket early!

There is a chance they won't measure, but that probably isn't likely.

Oh and the bike counts as one of the two checked bags. So it is 75 for the bike, ONE free checked bag, and a free carry on and personal item. So pack accordingly. It shouldn't be a problem to get everything into the bags just don't plan on the bike and two bags or you will be hit with a charge for an extra bag.

One hint I have found helpful is that for a point to point trip buying a $6-7 thrift store suitcase and discarding it at the airport when you get to your tour start works well.

Not sure what your planned route is, but a lot of passes in the West aren't plowed out until late June or July many years. Also even late Spring snow isn't unusual. I wouldn't plan on crossing the Rockies in late winter unless you go way South to do so.

Or are you flying from the midwest to the coast? Either way it is likely to be pretty wet on the coast in late winter. I'd consider going much later if you have the option. That or maybe ride inland on along the southern border on the AC Southern Tier or some parallel route.

Sorry if I am misinterpreting your plans...

I'm flying directly to the city, then spending a whole week camping and exploring within a 50 mile radius of the coastal downtown (not into the ocean of course ) I think the furthest I may get away is into the Cleveland Nat. Park area for a day or two, but pretty much all up and down and around th major outlying areas of the city. I think it'll be fair weather from looking at the almanac. Though some storms could be fun. Day 5 of Omaha to Chicago and me and my friend ran into a tornado and ice storms so we kicked it under a bus station shelter with some locals in a very small town. Shared some smokes, guitar playing, and then got asked by the police not long after it got dark to please leave or be gone by morning so no bus passengers would complain. We biked all night, found a school, napped til noon, then spent the entire next day finishing crossing Illinois and reaching Chicago during the midst of Puerto Rican festival. The city was going nuts!!!

Ive been to LA once by car, didnt notice much or sight see, only there a day. Bad time, poorly planned. Chicago was the only other big city I've visited besides living outside of Nashville and now in Omaha for several years. San Diego should be a real treat. Excited to try as many new fast food joints as I can.

San Diego is the kind of place I avoid when on tour. The parts of the coast away from the cities are more my cup of tea. Have a great time though.

Ah you go above and beyond the typical rural route! I can appreciate that, there is lots of rarely trekked ground in this country. It must be beautiful to get that far out.

Yep, we flew British Airways in 2013 to Paris with bikes in boxes. No charge. Huge difference with the $800 in charges we racked up flying Delta to the same destination in 2010 (total charges for two bikes)

I just researched this extensively for an upcoming trip to Zurich, including looking at the web-site linked in the prior post and the following site (there were others I looked at too, but I can't find them now):

International Bicycle Fees Chart | AirlineBagFees.com

The general breakdown seems to be: international airlines have more reasonable policies, domestic carriers suck.

We are fortunate enough to be flying out of San Francisco, so I had a choice of a variety of international airlines. I confirmed that SAS, British Airways, and Virgin Atlantic will all accept a bicycle free of charge, so long as it meets the 50 lb weight limit. We ended up getting tickets on Turkish Airlines, because the overall ticket cost was $1000 less than SAS, and $1700 less than than British Airways or Virgin Atlantic. As it turns out, for logistical reasons we decided to just bring our kids' bikes and rent bikes for ourselves. I'm pretty confident we can fit our daughter's 20" bike and our son's 16" bike in a bag that will meet the 62 linear inch requirement. If we can't, then Turkish Airlines will charge 90 Euro each way for bikes.

Not very often - usually related to either a shortage/absence of bike boxes or connecting to an international flight:
- I flew Hawaiian air from Hilo to Honolulu w/o a box - because they didn't have boxes in Hilo
- I flew United from Portland, OR to San Francisco - because they didn't have boxes in Portland
- I flew United from Houston to Austin - because the flight originated in Bangalore and started w/o a box
- I flew JFK to Denver (forget carrier) - because the flight originated in Amsterdam

So I have a few examples where either because a box was unavailable or because the bike was already not in a box - that the bike flew through US airports w/o a box - but most all other times it was in a box.

I flew Western Airlines (later bought by Delta) on domestic flights years ago. They would give you a large plastic bag for your bike. On one of those flights, they pretzeled one of my wheels. Fortunately, it was on the way home.

I once flew United from Asia to San Francisco without a box (before I got my Bike Friday). After I went through US immigration and customs, United wouldn't take my bike for my connecting flight until I put it in a box (which they gave me at no charge).