For those who want to take a bicycle from one country to another or from one end to another by the airline, the first thought that comes to mind is whether the airline will allow the bicycle to fly with them or disallow.

Well, passengers don’t have to worry about this because except for some handful of airlines, almost all airlines provide the opportunity to travel with bicycles on their planes. Throughout today’s complete article, I will tell you about many airlines that allow you to fly with a bike regularly. In addition to that, I will also give detailed information about the rules of paying extra fees for traveling with a bike and which airlines cannot allow travel with a bike. So, let’s start our tour to the airline, air traveling with our bicycle flying.

Taking Your Bike On Planes

You can certainly take your bike on most of the airlines’ planes and travel to different countries as well. If you notice, you will find that many times the cost of carrying a bicycle is calculated according to the normal baggage cost. That means you can easily carry your favorite bike as luggage on the plane instead of a suitcase or backpack of sorts.

Also, if you look at the major airlines, you will find that they easily allow passengers to carry various types of luggage, including bikes, as well as sports items.

Moreover, it can be seen that in most cases, the smaller airlines that are there also show interest in taking such accessories with the passengers. But when you transport these bicycles on a plane, you must follow various rules. Airlines often recommend using a bag or box for your bike, or specially designed hard-sided and padded cases for bicycles.

  • If there isn’t a hard-sided case, bicycles that have handlebars must be secured from the sides and the bike’s pedals well out of the way.
  • You must take care to enclose the bicycle with plastic foam, as well as a cardboard box or similar material to properly prevent damage.

Some airlines may charge an additional fee for transporting bike bags. So in that case, with some airlines, you must make a reservation in advance when you want to take your bike on the plane. For which the passenger must call in advance to confirm that the plane has extra space for bicycles.

In a word, you can take your bike with most of the airlines. But rules and regulations must be followed.

  • If there is an additional baggage charge after including the amount of extra bike weight, never forget to pay it.
  • When traveling by plane with a bicycle, carefully check these points before booking with the airline.

Usual Airline Bike Fees:

Airline Bike Fees Maximum Weight Maximum Dimensions
American Airlines No additional fee for bikes (Only standard checked bag fee) 50 lb Or 23 kg 61 in Or 157 cm total dimensions
British Airways No fee 50 lb Or 23 kg 75 x 37.5 x 25.5 in Or 190 x 75 x 65 cm total dimensions
Air Canada $50 70 lb Or 32 kg 292 cm Or 115 in total dimensions
Japan Airlines (JAL) Varies 70 lb Or 32 kg 80 in Or 203 cm total dimensions
JetBlue $30 for the first checked bag & $100 for a bicycle bag. 50 lb Or 23 kg 61 in Or 157 cm total dimensions
EasyJet £42 70 lb Or 32 kg Unclear
Air France Different types of fees available, it’s depending on the distance. 50 lb Or 23 kg 118 in Or 300 cm total dimensions
Emirates No fee 44 To 77 lb Or 20 To 35 kg depending on class 118 in Or 300 cm total dimensions
United $35 for the first bag & $45 for the second bag. 50 lb Or 23 kg 60 in Or 152 cm total dimensions

Some Bike-Friendly Airlines In the USA:

1. Alaska Airlines:

Alaska Airlines tops the list of most bike-friendly airlines in the USA.

The main reason is that these airlines treat the box your bike is in as a regular piece of luggage. But oversized fees are waived for various requirements as well as overweight fees. However, it is important to note that you must pay the standard checked baggage fee.

  • $30 fees for 1st checked item.
  • $40 fees for 2nd checked item.
  • $100 fees for 3rd checked item.

2. American Airlines:

American Airlines generally accepts bicycles as checked baggage, which is great news for bike enthusiasts.

  • If your bike weighs less than 23 kg/50 lbs, you can bring your bike for free. In that case, only the passenger has to pay the standard checked bag fee applicable to your destination. Moreover, no oversize fee will be charged in this case.
  • But, if your bicycle weighs between 23 kg to 32 kg, or between 50 pounds to 70 pounds, a $150 bicycle fee will apply.

3. Southwest Airlines:

Southwest Airlines treats your bike bag as checked baggage.

  • That’s why a flat fee of $75 USD is charged even if your bike weighs less than 50 lbs or 23 kg.
  • And, besides fitting into the standard 62 linear inch space, you can easily carry the bicycle for two of your checked bags to the south and west. In that case, you will never be charged the $75 bicycle fee.

4. Delta Airlines:

Delta Airlines does not charge a $150 USD bike handling fee. So, these airlines are very popular as bike-friendly US-based airlines.

  • Here, bicycles may be accepted as a special piece of baggage for routine checks, and the standard checking baggage fee must be applied in addition to your baggage allowance.
  • You must be aware that the 50 lb or 23 kg weight limit still applie If your bike bag or box weighs more than this, an extra fee may be charged for the excess weight.

5. Frontier Airlines:

With Frontier Airlines you can easily get your bike from one place to another via airline by paying a flat fee of $75 USD. Here, you will not be charged any kind of excess weight or extra oversize fee.

Moreover, no separate fee is required. However, make sure that your bicycle box weighs less than 99.9 pounds or 45 kg.

Flying with a Bike On Air Canada

When you want to travel on Canadian airlines with your favorite bike, it is important to have proper knowledge about Air Canada’s Baggage and Bicycle Policies. Now let me tell you about all those things in the form of a chart-

Criterias:

Dimensions 62 Linear Inches Or 157 cm Oversize Fee $100
Weight Limit 50 lbs Or 23 kg Overweight Fee  $100

General Baggage Fees:

1st Checked Bag  $25
2nd Checked Bag $35
Carry on Charge Included
Bicycle Baggage Fee $50 To $59

Which Airline Allows Flying With Bikes In Australia?

1. Qantas Airways

You must have to properly compress your bicycle inside a cycle box if you’re flying with Qantas Airways.

Absolute Dimension & Specifications Need To Follow:

  • Length: 140 cm
  • Width: 30 cm
  • Height: 80 cm

2. Rex Airlines

 Baggage Allowance Weight Which Is Depends On Airlines Class:

  • All particular fees (except Flex): Maximum weight 15 kg.
  • Flex: Maximum weight 23 kg.
  • Economy (Promo & Saver): Maximum weight 23 kg.
  • Economy (Flex): Maximum weight 23 kg.
  • Business Class (Biz Saver): Maximum weight 32 kg.
  • Business Class (Bix & Biz Plus): Maximum weight 32 kg.

3. Virgin Australia

Checked baggage Weight guidelines for Virgin Australia:

  • Lite: Not included. You can add bags for a fee.
  • Choice: 1 x 23 kg
  • Flex: 1 x 23 kg
  • Business: 2 x 32 kg
  • Rewarded Seat In virgin Australia: 1 x 23 kg

Airline For Flying By Bike In Europe

1. Swiss Air:

  • Extra Cost– £50
  • Maximum Weight– 32 Kg

2. British Airways:

  • Extra Cost– Included In Normal baggage allowance.
  • Maximum Weight– 23 Kg

3. Jet 2:

  • Extra Cost– £35
  • Maximum Weight– 32 Kg

4. Ryan Air:

  • Extra Cost– £60
  • Maximum Weight– 30 Kg

5. Lufthansa:

  • Extra Cost– £50
  • Maximum Weight– 32 Kg

6. Thomas Cook:

  • Extra Cost– £45
  • Maximum Weight– 30 Kg

7. Norwegian:

  • Extra Cost– £35
  • Maximum Weight– 25 Kg

8. Tap Portugal:

  • Extra Cost– £50
  • Maximum Weight– 32 Kg

Which Airlines Allow Charge Free Bikes Carrying Flying?

There are many airlines that allow you to fly with your bike as a special part of the standard baggage allowance allotted to you. This means that there is no fee to pay for traveling by bicycle. As long as you don’t exceed the limits of the weight limit that is allowed for you, stay within it.

In most cases, West Jet, Frontier Airlines, and Alaska Airlines fly your favorite bikes absolutely free. Additionally, US airlines are specifically permitted to take your bicycle as checked baggage to your destination at no charge.

But payment of the standard checked bag fee is waived only if applicable.

  • If your bike weighs less than 23 kg or 50 pounds, it is possible to travel with the bike without an extra fee in most cases.

Tips For Taking Your Bike On A Plane

Your bike should be carefully packed properly in a bike bag or bike box. So, pack in such a way that the box cannot be opened in any way.

  • According to the type of your bicycle, the bicycle should be divided, and well-arranged one by one in the box.
  • Be careful not to open or damage any equipment or parts of the bike.

Of course, you need to confirm all these things before traveling with the airline. Sometimes you can also use a cardboard box for taking your bike. Many airlines allow the use of such cardboard boxes. But again there are many airlines that do not allow the use of this box then you must exclude all these things. That’s why your bike must be properly segregated.

Moreover, keep in mind that- some airlines require you to tell them in advance that you are traveling with your own bike. All the airlines have such rules that you have to book space for your bike in advance or you have to inform the authorities of the airlines. So, be sure to inform the time of ticketing correctly, otherwise, you may face various problems later.

Conclude On Air Flying With Bicycle – Guidelines, Costs, Packing & Tips

Hope you have read today’s complete article carefully. After reading it thoroughly, you should have got proper pieces of information about the airlines of different countries with your bicycle.

As a result, when you travel with your bike via airline in the future, you can avoid all kinds of problems after acquiring and learning all the unknown and important information related to bike travel in Australia, Europe, Canada, the USA, and other airlines. And I am confident- these will be very useful in your future adventurous life while traveling on airlines by bike.

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