Unfortunately surfboards are large and unwieldy, which makes them tricky for airlines to deal with; subsequently flying with a board can be an expensive and complicated affair, with various hidden costs and fees. Some airlines are straight up about their fees, while others present a pretty face but hide further terms away in the small print on their websites (like Turkish airlines for instance, thank you for the extra charge and then dinging my board). We’ve all heard horror stories of unsuspecting surf bums being charged more in fees to carry their boards than the original ticket price of the flight.
To help preserve your financial wellbeing and save your credit card a hefty hit, LUEX Surf Travel experts have investigated almost every airline flying to any surf destination you can think of, and come up with this nifty alphabetically ordered list. Simply check which airlines service your surf spot of choice, and scroll down to check their policy on surf boards.
Please note that while all information is correct at the time of publishing, airlines are free to change their baggage regulations at will, so it is always worth double checking before booking.
Here is the full list of airlines including rules and costs:
| Airline | Accept Surfboards? | Cost | Details | More Information |
| Aeroflot | Yes | Free – €150 | Whilst not explicitly listed, one board bag should count as part of your free baggage allowance, as with bikes/skis/snowboards. However you must call Aeroflot to request carriage. | Extra pieces, or oversize/overweight baggage will be charged. |
| Aer Lingus | Yes | Free – €30/€40 | Boards are carried free on flights to/from North America, or for €30 (each direction) to all other destinations if paid in advance; €40 if paid at the airport. | Max board length 9 foot, or max 6.7 on regional flights |
| Aero Mexico | Yes | $40 – $50 USD | $40 if paid on advance, $50 if paid at the airport | |
| Air Asia | Yes | Varies | Book online for a 50% discount and the option to add 15-40kg extra weight. Paying at the airport costs more and limits you to 20kg extra weight. | Max board length 9 foot |
| Air Berlin | Yes | Free | 1 board bag can be carried as your free baggage allowance | You must notify the airline that you’ll be taking a board at least 48 hours before your flight, and it must be packed in a suitable case. If you exceed the number of pieces in your free baggage allowance, you will need to pay a fee of €50-75. No sports baggage on JustFly tickets. |
| Air Canada | Yes | $50 USD/CAD | While surfboards that fit within the dimensions can be counted as your free baggage allowance, you must pay a handling charge per board (NOT per bag) each direction. | Boards must be under 203cm long, and less than 277cm total (length + width + height) |
| Air China | Yes | Free – $150+ USD | Board bags can be carried as free checked luggage if total linear dimensions (length + width + height) are less than 158cms. | If your board exceeds 158cm total liner length then you must pay an oversize baggage charge. Charge varies by route, size and weight, but expect to pay minimum $150 USD |
| Air France | Yes | €55-100 | Boards from 107-300cm long can be carried, with a fee of €55-€100 each way depending on route. | You must notify the customer service department prior to flying, and the fee can only be paid at the airport. |
| Air India | Yes | Varies | You will be charged 50% of the normal excess baggage fee for the route. | We advise you to call the customer service department to confirm fees when booking your flight. |
| Air Malta | Yes | € 30 | In principal surf equipment can be carried in addition to your free baggage allowance, but we recommend that you confirm with the customer service department when booking. | |
| Air Mauritius | Yes | Free – €200 | If total linear size (length + width + height) is under 2000cms and weight is under 23kg, you can take a board bag for free. | Fee, when applicable, varies by route – ranging from €55 – €200 each way. |
| Air New Zealand | Yes | Free | Board bags up to 2 metres in length are permitted as your free baggage allowance, and multiple boards are allowed in one bag. | 200cm is generally the maximum length allowed, but some items up to 250cm long can be taken by prior arrangement. |
| Air Pacific | Yes | Varies | Items up to total linear dimensions of 277cm can be carried, but fee (and currency) varies depending on route and final destination. | Expect to pay approximately 50-100 AUD |
| Air Seychelles | Yes | Free | Boards up to 158cm and 15kg can be carried free of charge | Boards must be packed appropriately, and you must sign a waiver that Air Seychelles is not liable for damage |
| Air Tahiti Nui | Yes | Free | Boards up to 250cm and 23kg can be carried free, in addition to standard checked baggage allowance | |
| Air Vanuatu | Depends on plane | Free | As part of your free checked baggage allowance, boards up to 250cms can be carried free on international flights, and boards up to 150cms can be carried free on most domestic flights. Some smaller planes on certain routes cannot take surfboards. | Call airline to check which plane flies on your route |
| Alaska Air | Yes | $25 USD | One board bag with up to two boards can be carried for the standard checked luggage fee. Size permissible depends on route. | On Alaska Airlines flights 1-999 the equipment may measure a maximum 115” ( 9 ft., 7 in.) in length alone. On Alaska Airlines flights 2000-2999 and 3440-3499 the maximum combined linear dimensions (height + length + width) may not exceed 115”. |
| Alitalia | Depends on route | €75 – $260 USD | Boards up to 300cm can normally be carried for a fee, though the amount and currency depends on route. | You must call the airline when booking the flight, as not all planes can take surfboards. |
| American Airlines | Yes | $42.50 – 150 USD | Boards up to 320cm total linear dimensions incur a fee of $150 USD, other than flights to/from/through Brazil. | When travelling to/from/through Brazil, the first board is charged at $42.50 USD, and subsequent boards at $85 USD. |
| Ana | Yes | Varies | If within your free checked baggage, boards up to 203cm total linear dimensions travel free. If the board is in addition to your normal checked baggage allowance, you will have to pay a fee (varies on route), but calculated by weight rather than size. | Fees depend on route, and not all planes can accommodate boards. Please call the airline when booking. |
| Arikair | Yes | Varies | Surf boards are can be carried, but are subject to a fee, depending on route. | You must call the airline when booking flights. |
| Asiana | Yes | Free | If within the weight limit and number of pieces stipulated in the free baggage allowance, one surfboard can be carried for free. No extra charges for oversize board bags, but extra charges will apply to overweight bags. | |
| Austrian Air | Yes | €50-100 | Boards up to 2m in length can be transported for €50 each way within Europe, or for €100 each way on intercontinental flights. | You must call the airline when booking the flight, as not all planes can take surfboards. |
| Avianca El Salvador | Yes | $50-125 USD | You can take one board bag containing up to 3 boards (up to 370cm long and weighing up to 32kg) for $50 USD if travelling to/from Brazil, or $125 USD if travelling to/form America. | A board bag can be taken on certain routes to/from America for $100 USD. |
| Azul | Yes | Free | If within your checked baggage allowance and under 23kg, a board can be taken for free. | |
| Bahamas Air | Yes | $65 USD | A board bag up to 203cm is permitted, but will incur a fee of $65 USD | The board must be securely packed in an appropriate bag |
| Bel Avia | Yes | Free | As long as the combined weight is under that stipulated in the free baggage allowance (varies by ticket class), 1 surfboard can be carried for free | No more than 1 board can be taken |
| Blue Wing Airlines | Maybe | Varies | Ticket price is calculated by personal weight and the weight of your baggage. | You should contact the airline directly when booking your flight. |
| BMI Regional | Yes | Free – £30/€45 | One board can be carried free if within checked baggage allowances, or at an additional cost of £30/€45 if not (up to 20kg extra) per sector. | Any item between 21-32kg will be charged an additional fixed fee of £30/€45 per sector. |
| British Airways | Yes | Free | One board bag up to a maximum size of 190cm x 75cm x 65cm and weight of 23kg can be carried as your free checked allowance. | Board must be packed in a recognisable surfboard bag. |
| Brunei Air | Yes | Varies | Baggage with total linear dimensions of over 147cm are charged by volumetric equivalent weight, though the airline waives the first 5kg for surfboards. | You should contact the airline directly when booking your flight. |
| Brussels Airlines | Yes | Free | Provided it fits within your free checked baggage allowance, a surfboard can be taken free of charge. | |
| Cape Air | Depends on route | Varies | Not all planes can accommodate surfboards. You must call the airline when booking a flight. | |
| Carpat Air | Yes | $75 | Surfboards incur a $75 charge, per board. | You must call the airline when booking to reserve space for your board. |
| Cathay Pacific | Yes | Varies | Fee varies by route. You can take boards free of charge on some routes, and between Hong Kong and Doha even receive an extra 10kg weight allowance. Free baggage allowance also varies by route; where free baggage allowance is calculated purely by total weight, boards may travel free if within restrictions. On routes where free baggage allowance is calculated by pieces and dimensions, an extra fee is payable, though costs vary by starting point and destination. | You should contact the airline directly when booking your flight. |
| Cayman Airways | Possibly | Varies | Some sporting items can be carried as part of free baggage limit, irrespective of size, though surfboards aren’t explicitly named. Fees of $150 USD normally apply to items over 157cm total dimensions, up to a maximum of 203cm. | You should contact the airline directly when booking your flight, and obtain written permission. |
| China Airlines | Yes | Varies | In general boards cannot be carried as part of the free baggage allowance. Boards up to 277cms total dimensions will be charged at 100% of the applicable excess baggage, while larger boards will be charged at 150% of the fee. The fee applies per board. | The exceptions are flights to/from/within the SW Pacific, where boards can be counted as part of your free baggage allowance. If they exceed the free allowance, a board up to 277cm total dimensions will be charged at the applicable rate for 5kg of excess baggage, or 8kgs if larger than 277cm. |
| China Eastern | Yes | Varies | Surfboards are not included in the free checked baggage allowance, and will be charged 50% of the applicable fee if not exceeding 277cm total dimensions, or 100% of the applicable fee if larger. Only one board per passenger is entitled to the 50% special rate. Any additional boards will be charged at the applicable excess baggage charge (by weight): one board up to 277cm total linear dimensions will be charged at the applicable rate of 5kg of excess baggage, or one board exceeding 277cm will be charged at the applicable rate of 8kg of excess baggage. |
Please note that the special rate is not applicable to passengers travelling to / from / within the following countries in South West Pacific: American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati (Canton and Enderbury Islands), Nauru, New Caledonia (including Loyalty Islands), New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna Islands. |
| China Southern | Yes | Varies | Fee varies by route and number of boards, but you must obtain permission from the airline to transport a surfboard at the time of booking. | |
| Condor | Yes | $65-78 USD | Boards must be pre-registered with the airline. A fee of $65 USD applies if registered 30 or more days before the flight, or $78 USD if registered within 30 days of the flight. | |
| Copa Air | Yes | $50-100 USD | One board bag with up to two boards can be carried for $100 USD to all destinations other than São Paulo and San Jose, where only $50 USD is charged. | |
| Corsairfly | Yes | Varies | Surfboards can be taken free of charge if within the applicable free baggage weight and dimensions, which vary by route. | You should check the exact fee with the airline when booking a flight. |
| Croatia Airlines | Yes | Free | One board up to 200cm can be carried as part of your free baggage allowance, but you must notify the airline when booking. | |
| Czech Airlines | Yes | Varies | A board can be carried for free if within the applicable weight and size restrictions on free baggage allowance, or fee a fee if larger. You must notify the airline at the time of booking. | |
| Delta | Yes | $100-150 USD/CAD or €105 | Two boards can be carried on one bag for $100 USD when travelling to/from Brazil, or for $150 USD/CAD or €105 to all other destinations | |
| Easyjet | Yes | £35 | One surfboard bag can be carried for £35 per flight. | If the surfboard bag is your sole checked luggage, it can weigh up to 32kg. If it is in addition to other checked baggage, you receive and extra 12kg weight allowance. |
| Egypt Air | Yes | Varies | One surfboard up to 200cm can be taken as checked baggage, but is not included in the free baggage allowance. Fees will be calculated as 50% of applicable excess baggage rate. | |
| Emirates | Yes | Varies | Board bags up to 300cm total dimensions can be carried, at the applicable oversize baggage fee for the route | No items exceeding 300cm total dimensions can be carried, with no exceptions. |
| Etihad | Yes | Free | Boards up to 300cm can be transported for free | |
| Ethiopian Airways | Yes | Varies | Boards up to 200cm can be transported for €40 within Europe or €80 on intercontinental flights. Boards over 200cm are subject to a fee of €80 on European flights or €160 on intercontinental flights. | |
| Finnair | Yes | Free – €150 | Boards under 190cm long and 23kg can be carried free if within checked baggage allowances, otherwise (and for larger boards) a fee of €150 applies. | |
| First Air | Yes | $70 USD | Boards with linear dimensions (length + width + height) of 161 to 292 comes are subject to a $70.00 excess charge. | |
| Flybe | Yes | £30 | In principle boards can be carried for a few of £30, though size is restricted on certain routes. | You must call the airline when booking to reserve space for your board. |
| Frontier Airlines | Yes | Varies | Boards can be carried, subject to the applicable fee depending on route and travel class. | You should check the exact fee with the airline when booking a flight. |
| Garuda Indonesia | Yes | Free | Surfboards can be carried free within the checked baggage allowance applicable to your ticket | We advise you to call the customer service department to confirm fees when booking your flight. |
| Georgian Airways | Yes | Free | Normally baggage must be under 158cm linear dimensions, but surfboards are listed as an exception. Any excess fees should be calculated by weight. | Check fees and size restrictions with airline when booking. |
| German Wings | Yes | € 50 | Surfboards can be carried, but are subject to a fee of €50 | Boards must be pre-booked with the customer service department |
| Go Air | Yes | Varies | Surfboards can normally be carried, possibly subject to an oversize baggage fee. You must call the airline to confirm fees when booking. | |
| Gulf Air | Yes | Free | Board bags up to 190cm and 32kg can be carried free as your checked baggage allowance. | |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Yes | Free – $150 USD | Two boards up to 292cm can be carried in one bag. Fees vary by route, ranging from free (to Australia and New Zealand) to $150 USD | Due to limited space in some planes you must contact the customer service department to reserve space |
| Iberia | Yes | $60 USD – €150/$150 USD | Boards up to 250cm can be carried for a fee of €150/$150 USD, with the exception of flights to/from Brazil, where only $60 USD is charged | Carriage is subject to available space, so you must contact the airline at the time of booking |
| Iceland Air | Yes | €62 – €87 | Price varies between routes flying to/from Iceland, Europe and North America | You must pre-book your surfboard |
| Interjet | Yes | Free | Boards are free, up to 50kg | |
| Japan Airlines | Yes | $50-150 USD | Price varies between routes | Up to two boards can be taken per board bag |
| Jet2 | Yes | €39 per flight | Max length 182cms | You must pre-book your surfboard |
| Jetblue | Yes | $50 USD | $50 USD each way, one board per case, counts as one piece of your checked baggage allowance | No size restrictions, but must be under 100lbs |
| Jetstar | Yes | Free | Counts as one of your checked baggage pieces | Surfboards, (including the surfboard bag), must not exceed 1.9 metres for Jetstar flights operated by an A320, A321 or B737 aircraft, and 2.77 meters for Jetstar flights operated by an A330 or 787** aircraft. |
| Kenya Airways | Yes | Varies | Surfboards over 107cm long must ALWAYS be pre-booked. A charge will always apply, but it varies by route. | |
| KLM | Yes | €55-100 | Fee varies by route. Boards 107-300cm long must always be pre-booked. | In most cases the board bag will count as your only piece of checked luggage. |
| Kulula | Yes | Free | Boards up to 190 x 75 x 65 cm travel free | Anything over 20kg will be charged extra, but you can easily add extra weight and pieces to your allowance |
| LAN Airlines | Yes | Free | Boards up to 300 linear cm travel free | |
| Lion Air | Yes | 200,000 IDR | We recommend you call the airline to confirm board carriage when booking your flight | |
| LOT Polish Airlines | Yes | €12-100 | Fee varies depending on route, from €12 for domestic flights to €100 for intercontinental flights. | You must call to confirm board carriage before your flight, as not all planes are large enough to accommodate then |
| Lufthansa | Yes | €50-100 | Boards up to 2m can are allowed on continental flights for a fee of €50, or on intercontinental for a fee of €100 | You must call the airline to register your sports baggage before flying |
| Luxair | Yes | € 50 | €50 per flight, up to 30kgs allowed | |
| Malaysia Airlines | Yes | Free | 1 board up to 2.5m will be carried free of charge, if within your free checked baggage limits | |
| Mango Airlines | Yes | Free | You must call before booking to ensure there is sufficient room in the aircraft hold for your board | |
| MEA | Yes | Free | First item of sporting equipment (up to 20kg) travels free of charge | Due to different regulations over different routes, we advise confirming carriage with the airline when booking |
| Meridiana | Yes | €90-190 | Fees vary by route, with a charge of €90 for domestic flights, €100 for international and €190 for intercontinental | |
| Monarch | Yes | £24.99/€29.99 | Boards up to 182cms can fly for a fee of £24.99, which entitles you to an extra 20kg weight allowance | |
| Nauru Airlines | No | |||
| Oman Air | Yes | Varies | You must call the airline when booking, as not all planes can take boards, and charges vary by route and class | |
| Penair | Yes | Minimum $50 USD | You must call the airline when booking, as it’s likely that you board must travel as cargo | Fees vary by route |
| Philippine Airlines | Yes | 1120 PHP | You must call to book your surf board, but the fee entitles you to an extra 15kg weight allowance | |
| Qantas | Yes | Free | Boards up to 277cm and 32kg can travel free as part of your checked baggage allowance | |
| Qatar Airways | Yes | Free | 1 board bag up to 32kg can be carried free as part of your checked baggage allowance | |
| Royal Jordanian | Yes | $30-200 USD | Surfboards never travel free, and fee varies by route | |
| Ryanair | Yes | €50/£50 | €50/£50 per flight, up to 20kg | We recommend you call the airline to confirm when booking |
| Saudi Airlines | Yes | $130-440 USD | Surfboards incur an extra fee, which varies by route | You should call the airline to check fees on your route when booking |
| Singapore Air | Yes | Varies | Surfboards can be carried free if within size limits, which vary by route | We advise you to call the customer service department to confirm fees when booking your flight. |
| Sky West | Maybe | Varies by route | You must call the airline when booking, as not all planes can take boards, and charges vary by route and class | |
| Solomon Airlines | Maybe | Varies by route | You must call the airline when booking, as not all planes can take boards, and charges vary by route and class | |
| South African Airways | Yes | Varies | On most routes boards under 200cms fly free, if within the free baggage allowance | You should call the airline to check fees on your route when booking |
| SouthWest | Yes | $75 USD | Boards travel for $75 USD each way | You should call the airline to check fees on your route when booking |
| Srilankan Airways | Yes | Varies | Free if within the checked baggage limit (32kg) | Exceeding the checked baggage allowance on your route will incur fees, and we advise to call the airline to check costs when booking |
| Sriuijaye Air | Maybe | Varies | Surfboards should be free if under 20kg, but we advise you to confirm this with the airline when booking | |
| Suncountry | Yes | $75 USD | Max length 5 foot | |
| Sunwing Airlines | Yes | €80-100 | Fee varies by route, but you should pre-book your board with the airline | |
| Swiss | Yes | €50-100 | Boards up to 2m can fly for €50-100 depending on route | |
| TAP Portugal | Yes | €35-75 | MUST be pre-booked with the airline | |
| Thai Airways | Yes | Varies by route | Can be included in checked baggage allowance if flying to/from Australia/New Zealand, otherwise fees vary by route | You should call the airline to check fees on your route when booking |
| Tiger Airways | Yes | Varies | Surfboards under 190cm and 10kg can be included in checked baggage | |
| Transavia | Yes | Free | Boards can be transported free, but you are NOT allowed to store clothes/etc in the bag | You must call the airline to pre-book your sports baggage before flying |
| United | Yes | $150-200 USD | The service charge for a surfboard, wakeboard or paddleboard is $150 (each way) for travel between the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and $200 (each way) for all other travel. | |
| US Airways | Yes | $150 USD | Boards can be transported for $150 PER BOARD | You must call the airline when booking the flight, as not all planes can take surfboards. |
| Virgin America | Yes | Normally $50USD | Boards are normally transported for $50, but oversize weight fees can apply, varying by route | You should call the airline to check fees on your route when booking |
| Virgin Atlantic | Yes | Free | Boards under 23kg and 277cm fly for free, IN ADDITION to your normal checked baggage allowance | |
| Virgin Australia | Yes | Varies | Boards can be included within your free checked baggage allowance, but dimensions vary by route and plane | You must call to confirm board carriage before your flight, as not all planes are large enough to accommodate them. |
| Viva Aerobus | Yes | 400-550 MXN | Fees for boards vary by route and how/when you pay – we advise to call the airline when booking | |
| Volaris | Yes | Free | Free if under 2m and within the checked baggage allowance of your route and class | We advise you to call the customer service department to confirm fees when booking your flight. |
| Vueling | Yes | € 45 | Boards travel for €45 each way | You must pre-book your sports baggage before flying |
| Westjet | Yes | Varies | Boards under 3m can be carried, but all applicable excess/oversize baggage fees will be applied | We advise you to call the customer service department to confirm fees when booking your flight. |
| Wizz Air | Yes | €30-80 | Boards can be carried, but fees vary by route, class and season | |
| Yemenia | Maybe | Varies | We recommend you call the airline to confirm board carriage and fees when booking your flight | |
