200$ Delta each way international... is there any way around this charge?

Where you going? Might be cheaper to just buy a board at your destination. You can do that in PR no problem at all. You can even store it while you're gone for fairly cheap.

 

Nope... In my experience enforcement of surf charges are spotty at best. I've checked in multiple times and gotten through for free, but I've also been charged the full amount. Once I was charged $100 while my friend at the next counter over got through for $25. Just be friendly to the ticket agent and see what happens.

I assume it's too late to change your flight? Last time I flew jet blue it was $75 per board and I believe American is $100. Luxury airways are sometimes worth the extra coin if you're bringing boards too. Qatar air to Indonesia was free as of this spring, and that's the opposite side of the globe!

One other thing you can do is put a bunch of boards in the same bag. I have never been asked to open my bag in 10+ trips, so if you are traveling with friends you can all save some cash this way. If they ask just tell them that it's one surfboard. Make sure you keep if under 50 lbs though or you'll be paying extra for that too.

Best of luck!

 

from years of travel i remember delta as one of the worst and def one to avoid and for this reason.

 

you didnt know this up front????

 

Just buy your own plane and learn to fly it like a real man would

 

I just flew from houston to Liberia CR 2 days ago and I paid the price to fly with no regrets but there's lots of nice boards for sale or rent out here. Good names and good prices.

 

there used to be a big scam in CR where shops rented lightly glassed boards that broke easy leaving you on the hook for the full price.

 

Damn that is fuked up but a brilliant way to make money!

 

My friend works at Delta. He said that the fee sounds correct. But some of the gate agents are uneducated about the fee and mistakenly charge the bag fee of $25

 

Jet Blue is $50 each way, try them next time

 

That scam is real.

 

that's the best advice.either buy used boards or rent a board when ur there,then give it to the local kids when u leave.next time u come around u will be greeted with open arms and probably get shown some secret spots.200 bucks each way,pr is a 250 round trip ticket for me departing from ewr.I wouldn't pay 85% of the plane ticket on a board bag.

 

Have fun chad. Represent! Be sure to post some pics for us.

 

Last time I traveled to CR last winter, they did not charge me on the way out. A year ago flying to Nica, my buddy's board flew for free. Chat the agent up, be courteous, you never know what might happen, but sometimes your board will fly for free.....

 

Plenty of shops in Costa Rica to buy/Rent boards, if you are going to Tamarindo check Witches Rock Surf Camp, they have tons of boards to rent and are reputable. My experience with flying back from Liberia is they charge you, they see surfboard bags every day and look out for them. On the way down you might get lucky with a gate agent.

 

There's nothing like having your own board on a surf trip like that. My first trip to PR I rented, I had fun, but it wasn't the same, getting use to an unfamiliar board that isn't anything like the board you normally ride in an unfamiliar place is rough, you gotta learn the waves and learn the board all at the same time. Sure it's still fun and I still caught waves, but it just wasn't the same. 2nd trip I took my board, it was so much better, was very comfortable out there and surfed great. I plan on taking it with me again in October, it's so worth it.