As best I can tell, most U.S. domestic carriers are: charging for the first bag, charging more for the second bag, and charging both an arm and a leg for any bag that weighs more than 50 pounds. I have some opinions regarding the weight of the passenger vs. the amount of allowable baggage, weight-wise, but I've been told by several lawyers that these ideas are discriminatory, so I'll abstain from repeating them in this venue. For skiers and snowboarders, it's now a virtual tossup as to which is cheaper: bringing your own gear, or renting gear when you arrive at your destination.
Of course, there's always a third option, one which I'm strongly considering for the future - going the dirtbag route and packing as little real clothing as possible. My girlfriend may not approve, but I suspect she'll change her tune when informed it's her Visa card, and not mine (a snowboarder with a working credit card? Not in this economy!), that will bear the brunt of the overweight charges on our next trip. Besides, I recall a time in the not-so-distant past when it was cool to wear your snowpants for days on end!
Comments
Fly WestJet or Air Canada. Just got back today from a trip to BC. No extra charges for baggage.
Southwest gives you two free bags and ski/snowboard bags are included with no extra charges.
I went thru the hell of reading American Airline’s website for baggage information and calling them 4 different times. They all said I would be charged the oversize fee for a snowboard. When I got there, I wasn’t charged the $150 each way oversize fee. I was charged $15 for my suitcase and $25 for my snowboard bag. It was my second trip out west ever(Jackson Hole) and it was very stressful trying to navigate their “tax code.” I feel for everyone! I didn’t wear my snowpants but I wore 3 sweaters more than one time, and the same jeans every night for the 7 day trip. And I’m a woman.
This is a great post. Thanks for sharing the information. Readers might also be interested in this great site I found with the best priced Burton snowboarding gear on the internet. They’ve got great deals at 50 – 80% off. Crazy! Keep shredding!
Leave your skis/board at home and make friends with shop kids! I like beer and Haagen Dazs milkshakes
Great suggestions, everyone. It seems as though Southwest is the way to go, but unfortunately not everyone can fly that particular airline (depending on where one is leaving from and where one is headed).
Meg,
I like your idea about leaving the gear at home, but I wonder – what happens when a customer treats the shop gear as “gently” as they treat their own stuff?