Airline Baggage Rules

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You would be well advised to click on the relevant baggage rules link below for the airline that you will be traveling on and print out the actual policy to take with you on your trip since the airline baggage rules vary on what snowsports equipment (skis, poles, boots, bindings, snowboard, snowboard boots, helmet, ski bag, ski boot bag) counts as one item and/or is allowed. Snowboard boots are not specifically addressed by most baggage rules.

Be aware that you may be charged for an extra bag if you decide to risk packing other items in your boot or ski bag since airline baggage rules do not specifically address in most cases the allowability of anything else beyond skis, boots or poles. You will be totally dependent upon the goodwill of the person checking you in.

The chart below summarizes the luggage policies but you should click on the relevant baggage rules link at the bottom of this page to get the latest information. Size limitation (inches) is length + width + height. Extra bag fees vary depending upon the number bags, overweight fees depend upon the weight range, and oversize fees may have individual dimension limitations in addition to the total size limitation. All of these fees may be additive so it would be possible to be charged an extra bag fee, an overweight fee and an oversize fee just for one bag.

If you are flying in a higher class than economy, allowable weight and/or number of checked bags may be greater than the information in the table below. International baggage weight limits usually increase to 70 lbs/bag but may vary depending upon the airline.

Airline	Contact #	Ski Equipment / Snowboard Equipment Definition	Carry-on bag	Checked Bags	Extra Bag Fees	Overweight Fees	Oversize Fees
American	800-433-7300	Ski Equipment: (1 pair of skis, poles, boots, and bindings) OR Snowboard	1 @ 45 in / 40 lbs	2 @ 62 in / 50 lbs	$80/bag: 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd; $105/bag: 4^th, 5^th, 6^th	$25/bag: 50-70 lbs; $50/bag: 70-100 lbs	$80/bag up to 115 in
Continental	800-525-0280	Ski Equipment: (1 pair snow skis, poles, boots and bindings) OR snow board	1 @ 51 in / 40 lbs	2 @ 62 in / 50 lbs	$80/bag	$25/bag: 50-70 lbs; $50/bag: 70-100 lbs	$80/bag up to 115 in
Delta	800-241-4141	Skiing equipment: (one pair of skis, one pair of ski poles, one pair of bindings, one pair of ski boots) OR Snowboard	1 @ 45 in / 40 lbs	2 @ 62 in / 50 lbs	$40/bag: 1^st; $80/bag: 2^nd, 3^rd; $105/bag: 4^th, 5^th, 6^th	$25/bag: 51-70 lbs; $50/bag: 71-100 lbs	$80/bag up to 80 in
Northwest	800-225-2525	Ski Equipment: (1 ski bag containing up to 2 pairs of skis and 1 boot bag, or 1 snowboard, or 1 snowboard bag containing up to 2 snowboards)	1 @ 45 in / 40 lbs	2 @ 62 in / 50 lbs	$80/bag: 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd; $105/bag: 4^th, 5^th, 6^th	$25/bag: 50-70 lbs; $50/bag: 70-100 lbs	$80/bag up to 160 in
Southwest	800-435-9792	Snow ski equipment: (one pair each of skis, ski poles, and boots) OR Snowboard equipment (one snowboard and one pair of boots)	1 @ 50 in	3 @ 62 in / 70 lbs	$40/bag: 1^st, 2^nd; $60/bag: 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th	$45/bag: 71-100 lbs	$45/bag up to 80 in
United	800-864-8331	Skiing equipment: (1 pair of skis and 1 boot bag)	1 @ 45 in / 50 lbs	2 @ 62 in / 50 lbs	$80/bag	$25/bag: 50-99 lbs	$80/bag up to 115 in
US Airways	800-428-4322	Snow ski equipment: (1 pair of skis, poles, bindings, boots, helmets )	1 @ 45 in / 40 lbs	2 @ 62 in / 50 lbs	$80/bag: 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd; $105/bag: 4^th, 5^th, 6^th	$25/bag: 50-70 lbs; $80/bag: 70-100 lbs	?/bag up to 115 in

* Northwest - Note: When travel is wholly within/between the US/Canada, Northwest will allow the ski/boot bag to contain more than one pair of skis/boots - but if the bag exceeds published weight restrictions normal excess charges will apply.

** Southwest - Sporting equipment: One sporting equipment item in addition to 3 piece free baggage allowance

Baggage Rules Links (If there is more than one link for a given airline, the first link defines ski equipment/snowboard equipment and the second link defines excess baggage.)

American

http://www.aa.com/content/customerService/baggage/baggageAllowance.jhtml

Continental

http://www.continental.com/travel/policies/baggage/sports.asp?SID=8EE57FB1106D4776AEAB1232672FB5CA

Delta

http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/baggage/special_baggage/fragile_bulky/sporting_goods/index.jsp#skis

Northwest

http://www.nwa.com/travel/luggage/specialitems.html#ski

http://www.nwa.com/travel/tips/baggage.html#excess

Southwest

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/sports_equipment.html

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/baggage.html

United

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,50773,00.html#snow

US Airways

http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/traveltools/baggage/baggagepolicies.aspx

Snowsports Baggage Problems

If you have had any snowsports baggage problems, please advise us via email with a description of the problem, date, airline, flight number and if possible, copies/summaries of any correspondence/phone calls with the airline and the airline's response. Please email Diane Stearley (FWSA Airline Committee Chair) and copy Scott Bowker (FWSA VP Public Affairs) at your convenience. Also, if any baggage information on this page needs to be updated, please advise Diane Stearley and copy Scott Bowker.

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