Best UK Airlines for Flying with Skis in 2023/2024
Escaping on a ski vacation to France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, or beyond? We've compiled a list of the best UK-based airlines for flying with ski on your next winter vacation.
Be sure to understand the airline's ski equipment fees and policies, being sure to pay special attention to the maximum weight allowances, before booking your trip, so that you don't break the bank before hitting the slopes on your next trip. [AMZ asins='B083176696,B074F945NM,B08512DLZK,B07X3MMRLX']
Most airlines will not charge an Oversize Luggage fee for a set of skis, but the weight limits are strictly enforced and overweight fees will be charged if applicable.
1. British Airways - Free - Standard Luggage Fee
British Airways will accept your ski bag as part of your standard checked luggage allowance, in place of a regular suitcase. There is no oversize luggage fee, as long as your ski bag is less than 190cm in length.
Be sure to pack your ski boots together into the same bag as your skis, as checking them in separately in their own boot bag will count as an additional item, incurring an extra luggage fee.
Flying with Skis on British Airways
British Airways will accept your ski equipment free of charge as long as it is within your free checked baggage allowance. If your ski equipment is in addition to your free checked luggage, or you have purchased a no-baggage fare, the standard checked luggage fee (same as for a normal suitcase) will apply.Your ski bag is limited in length of up to 190cm (75in).
If your ski bag weighs more than 23 kg / 50 lbs, a heavy bag fee of 65 GBP / 75 EUR / 100 USD / 100 CAD will be charged.
Please ensure that you:
Pack your skis and snowboards in a recognised ski or snowboard bag
Pack your ski poles with your skis
Pack your boots together your skis or snowboardIf you pack your boots separately from your skis, you can take them into the cabin if within your carry-on allowance, otherwise they will be checked in as a separate bag and incur an additional extra bag charge.
You do not need to notify British Airways that you are flying with skis or snowsports equipment, but you should arrive early to drop off your skis at the oversize/out-of-gauge baggage belt at least 90 minutes before your flight.
View Regular British Airways Baggage Policies 2023
View British Airways Skis Policy
2. Jet2 - £30 GBP
Bringing a set of skis of Jet2 will cost you £30 GBP, with a weight allowance of 22 kg / 48.5 lbs. This is a little bit cheaper than both EasyJet and Ryanair, but most importantly includes a 2 Kg higher weight allowance.
This higher weight allowance means that you may be able to squeeze in 2 pairs of skis into 1 ski bag, offering some significant savings if travelling as a family.
Flying with Skis on jet2.com
Jet2.com will accept your skis for a fee of £30 GBP each way. This fee may vary slightly depending on the origin/destination of your flight.Your ski equipment on Jet2.com flights is limited in weight to 22 kg / 48.5 lbs. Excess weight is charged at a rate of 12 GBP per KG, up to maximum of 32 kg / 70 lbs. No bag weighing more than 32 kg / 70 lbs will be accepted.
View Regular jet2.com Baggage Policies 2023
3. EasyJet - £37-47 GBP
EasyJet allows you to bring your skis as checked luggage when paying a Small Sports Equipment fee. This will cost you £37 GBP if pre-booking online, or £47 GBP when paying at the airport.The Small Sports Equipment is limited in weight to only 20 kg / 44 lbs, after which you will be charged an Excess Weight fee of £12 GBP per KG at the airport. If you know that your ski bag will weigh more than 20 kg, you have 2 options to avoid paying the Excess Weight fee:
1. Pack less into your standard hold-luggage suitcase (the weights of your hold luggage and sports equipment can be pooled and split) as long no bag weighs more than 32 kg / 70 lbs.
2. Purchase a Large Sports Equipment for £45 GBP (£55 at the airport), which allows up to 32 kg / 70 lbs.
Pack your boots into your ski bag, or bring them on-board as your carry-on item (you will have had to purchase a Large Cabin Bag or Upfront / Extra Legroom seat that includes a Large Cabin Bag). Checking-in a boot bag separately will count as another piece of hold luggage, which will cost extra.
If travelling as a family, you can save some money by packing multiple pairs of skis into one ski bag (up to a maximum total weight of 32 kg), either pooling your family's total weight allowance and "borrowing" a couple of kg from each passenger's regular hold luggage allowance, or purchasing the Large Sports Equipment option.
Flying with Skis on EasyJet
EasyJet accepts Skis as Small Sporting Equipment.EASYJET SMALL SPORTS EQUIPMENT FEE - limit of 20kg weight allowance
Paid Online - £37 GBP
At Airport - £47 GBPIf purchasing standard baggage and sports equipment, the exact distribution of weight between baggage items doesn't matter, subject to the maximum weights (32 kg per item) for health and safety reasons.
View Regular EasyJet Baggage Policies 2023
4. Ryanair - £45 / 45 EUR
Ryanair accepts ski equipment on its flights, but charges a separate Ski Equipment fee of £45 GPP / 45 EUR when buying online ahead of time, or £50 / 50 EUR at the airport. This is slightly more expensive than EasyJet's ski equipment fees.Like EasyJet, Ryanair sets a 20 kg / 44 lbs weight limit on your ski equipment, above which an excess baggage fee of £9-11 GBP per KG will be charged. Unfortunately, Ryanair does not allow you to pool your luggage weight between your ski equipment and your standard hold luggage.
Pack your ski boots together with your skis, as long as you stay below the 20 kg weight limit. If not, you can purchase a 10 kg Check-In Bag to bring your boot bag - it will come out cheaper than paying the per KG rate.
Flying with Skis on Ryanair
Ryanair Ski Fee 2022
Ski equipment is limited to 20 kilos per item upon payment of a discounted online fee of €45 / £45 (online), or €50 / £50 (at airport).
View Regular Ryanair Baggage Policies 2023
5. Aer Lingus - 40 EUR
Aer Lingus allows a set of skis and poles to fly for a fee of about 40 EUR (if purchased online) or 50 EUR (if purchased at the airport) on regional flights.Your ski bag is limited in weight to the standard 23 kg / 50 lbs weight limit, and overweight baggage fees will apply if you exceed it.
On trans-Atlantic flights to/from North America, Aer Lingus allows you to take a ski bag free of charge in exchange for a standard checked suitcase - this does not apply for flights within Europe, for which the ski bag fee will always apply.
Flying with Skis on Aer Lingus
For flights between Ireland and North America skis are part of the free allowance, normal excess baggage rates apply if the passenger carries excess to the free allowance.There is no charge for skis for passengers travelling in Business Class.
For all other flights a maximum of 1 Pair of skis, boots and poles per person and a fee of €40 or equivalent payable online prior to departure or a fee of €50 or equivalent, payable at the airport on the day of departure applies. This fee is charged each-way on outbound and return journeys.
The maximum weight for a ski bag is 23kg/50lbs, and excess baggage fees will be charged if it is exceeded.
View Regular Aer Lingus Baggage Policies 2023
Comments / Discussion / Questions
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