List of airline surf baggage fees

© Trans Maldivian Airlines

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.

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.



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