Taking boards on flights

I am hoping to take my wakebaord and surfboard with me on a vacation in Flordia in a a few weeks. This will require taking them on a plane. Does anybody have exeriance with a good case for both or know of a good case.
Thanks

I forgot to mention we are renting a boat in the keys so I was going to do a little boarding/surfing.

Curb side baggage check. They expect tip$ so they never ask. This has worked for me every time. The one time I was asked, I said waterskis.

Do not tell them it is a surf board! They will charge you.

I was wondering the same thing. I have a padded Hyperlite wakeboard bag, but I was wondering what else would be best to do. Wrap my board and bindings in towels or something?? Bubble wrap?

I have used a Hyperlite padded board bag with no problems. I use pipe insulation from the hardware store - its like a styrofoam sort of material. I wrap it around the edges of the board and secure it with masking tape or painters tape (not as much residue as duct tape). I remove the fins, throw all the hardware, fins, the roll of tape and a mini-screwdriver into a ziploc and the ziploc stays in the board bag. Throw your vest and rope in and you are good to go. When you get to your destination save the insulation in your board bag and use it again on the return flight.

"pipe insulation"

Same here. That stuff works great. You can also use your vest and other neoprene to protect the edges.

This is off the main subject a little bit, but here is a heads up for you.
Tell them it's a snowboard!!!!! And you wont be charged. NEVER EVER tell them it's a wakeboard, because they wont understand what it is. And when you describe it, they will say "Oh so it's like a surfboard", and you will be charge a ridiculous fee. I did some research into this after I was charged $105, BOTH WAYS, when traveling with a Mountain bike, that I completely broke down, and only weighed about 30 lbs.
Here's the deal, the Airlines are in "Cahoots" with the Ski Resorts. Soooo they let you fly snow ski's and snowboards for free. I mean think about it, if they charge for snow gear, it would kill the Ski Resort industry. And think of how many people fly all over the place for ski trips. As for your surfboard, your pretty much screwed. But if I wanted to buy a travel bag for a wakeboard. I would actually buy a snowboard bag, that said "such and such Snowboards" on the outside. Just a heads up!

I posted this on another site but seems to fit here as well:

Kiteboarders always have this problem. As of the beginning of this year, the airlines will charge you for any ski, snowboard, surfboard, wakeboard, kneeboard, kiteboard, anything!!! However, as said above, they never charge for golf clubs. Too much of their revenue is businessmen travelling with their clubs. So BEST kiteboarding is selling a huge golfstyle bag for boards and gear. It is shaped like a golfbag and even says golf on the side, but will hold everything you will ever need.

I just used it to go to Mexico and back and had no problems and I had it stuffed and it was way over 50lbs.




http://www.bestkiteboarding.com/tracking/t.asp?B=9&A=94&Task=Click

I heard the same rumor about charging for all ski's and boards last year also. But I went on 3 snowboard trips this season without any problems. And 2 of those trips were after new years. I just cant see them pulling that charge off becuase it would KILL the Ski Resort Industry. If so, I might have to invest in a "Golf Bag" myself.

(Message edited by r_dub on March 11, 2005)

Jason, many airlines have specific rules posted on their web site regarding what they do and don't charge for. So it's unlikely that the time of year has anything to do with it. Snowboards and skis are generally free, as well as waterskis. Check in at the curb with a tip is safer than at the counter but sometimes there is no curb check in. This happened to me on my last trip to Texas Ski Ranch and I got hit with an $80 charge on the return flight.

why dont you ship it fedex to ur hotel

I can't ship it because we are renting a yacht and staying on that. If there was a boardshop or rental shop I knew of I would see if they would rent one, but I haven't been able to locate any in the Keys. I see hyperlite has a nice case with wheels that one description said it's for clothes and gear, but the one shop I asked said it wasn't for boards, so I am going to call hyperlite this afternoon. I am not worried about getting charged extra because I have never had a problem with skis or a snowboard before.

bringing the surf board to florida, especially in the keys i know from experience that we only get mid-shin high breaks.

I just whent to owc from california and i brought three boards in the coffin bag. im not sure about the surfboard but i know the coffin bag works.

This is all very interesting. I have flown many many times with my board in the past 3 years. I always tell them it is a wakeboard and have never had a problem. When they ask what a wakeboard is, I just unzip, show them, and walla its on the plane. Another tip, DO NOT have your boardbag or golfbag weigh more then 50#. On 2 occasions I have had to transfer stuff to my wifes bag because mine was over 50. One time just 2# and they would NOT put in on the plane. Union contracts demand that bags weigh no more then 50# and they wont mess with them. If you got on with a heavy bag, then good job!!! Just don't risk it. If there is doubt about the weight, do curbside check in. But some airlines or airports are not doing curbside. I have run into this a few times in California and on frontier.

I have takin my board on the plane many times. It is a very imple task. I have a padded board bag, and usually have 2 boards, 1 pair of bindings, rope, handle and vest in the bag. I put a towel in between the 2 boards so they don't rub.

I was sitting in a window seat directley above where they were loading the cargo. I watched them put my bag on the belt and when it got to the top it fell off . When I arrived and opened the bag there was no damage done to the board. Just remember they don't care about YOUR stuff.