Airlines Surfboard Charges vs. Renting at Your Destination

[surfboob]

Anybody have any good ideas on getting around surfboard baggage charges. I'll be flying from San Diego to Oahu.
I flew to Australia last month on Virgin Airlines. TWO surfboards for FREE!
Bummer they don't fly to Hawaii. Delta is $175.00 each way... per board!

[Crash904]

Another option is to have them shipped. UPS will ship a boards anywhere in the world for anywhere from $100 - $250 as long as the board is under 7'6" I believe. This would be a cheaper alternative then delta for sure plus you don't have to worry about carrying it all the way through the airport and UPS will insure the package, if the board breaks they pay for it.

[mike hunt]

brought my board with me on the way to santa cruz, (flew contential) charged $100 for oversized bag fee.


shipped it fed ex back and it was only $55.

[gnargnarshredda]

when you shipped back through fed ex how did you pack it or did you have a bag/case?

[MikeMarley]

Hey,

I have traveled both ways, travelling with my boards and renting boards once i get there. It really depends on if there is a reputable place to rent, what it costs, and what kind of boards are available to you.

For Oahu, you can't go wrong with renting. There are lots of options, the best I have found is www.hawaiisurfboardrentals.com. Check out the site, they have a nice board selection, their rates are great, for a 10 day trip its less than $200 bucks, and you don't have to worry about your boards not making it or getting beat up by careless air handlers.

I am actually going ot Oahu on Friday and already have my board reserved. They will also swap our your board for you and deliver and pick up the board to where ever you are staying.

It beats paying the United Airlines rate of $175 each way per board!

Hope this helps!

[rhdodson]

Am on Oahu now leaving for Maui Friday - I used to fly my boards over here from mainland when it was reasonable but.....only once out of three times was I able to use it right out of the bag on this end. The baggage guys here are brutal on incomming boards and my boards were in heavy travel bags with insulated rails, padded deck and bottom, etc. 2 out 3 times they still managed to screw 'em up which made ding repair necessary over here. I have relatives here so I finally bought a board here and leave it here as well as on Maui. I agree with Mike on this one as there is no given that you'll be able to use yours once you pay those chumps at Delta 175 per direction. The other airlines are charging 100 and I managed to fly to Cabo and back twice this summer with a 3 board coffin bag containing 3 boards, and was only charged 100 on US airways the first time and Alaska the second. I don't fly on Delta. Have a good time.

[idiotyaker]

It is airway robbery. US Airways charges 100 each way and I believe that is the most reasonable. I know a slalom boater who competed in the Beijing Olympics. He told me that China air tried to charge him $500 dollars to return home with his boat. He missed his flight because he refused to pay. He got it down to $300 on the next flight.

One alternative to renting would be to buy a used one and then sell it before you leave. I haven't tried this but you could come out ahead depending on the demand for used boards. Some of the local shops may even do that as an alternative to renting with a deposit.