The 6 Best US-Based Airlines for Flying with Windsurfing Equipment in 2023

Flying with your own windsurfing equipment can be a bit of a pain, but it is well worth it to be able to ride your own gear. We present you a list of the best US-Based Airlines to fly with windsurfing gear in 2023.

When flying with windsurfing gear, you will almost always end up paying an excess baggage fee (except when flying with Alaska Airlines). However, the amount charged by each airline varies, as well as the weight allowance and how many boards you are allowed to pack into your boardbag once you pay the windsurfing / sports equipment baggage fee. [AMZ asins='B07WSRXMS8,3903038180,3937323228,B00JE3E028']

Before booking your flight, be sure to check the exact weight limits allowed for your chosen airline, whether the windsurf equipment counts toward your regular baggage allowance (can it be taken in place of a regular suitcase), and whether there is a note about whether the fee applies per board bag or per board (whether you have to pay double for 2 boards packed in the same bag).

You will find below our picks for the 6 Best Domestic US-Based Airlines for Flying with Windsurfing Equipment in 2023. We also recommend taking a look at our list of Windsurfing Equipment Baggage Fees for 300+ airlines to see what other options you have.

1. Alaska Airlines - $30/$40

Alaska Airlines is the most windsurfer friendly in the US in 2023, allowing windsurfers to bring a boardbag in exchange for a regular piece of baggage without any additional fees. This means that oversize and overweight fees will be waived, and you will only have to pay the standard checked baggage fee ($30 for first bag, $40 for second bag) for bringing your windsurf gear.

Even better, the weight limit is up to 45 kg/100 lbs. If flying with windsurf gear, our recommendation is to always book an Alaska Airlines flight if possible.

Please note that if your windsurf bag is a 3rd piece of luggage, you will be charged the 3rd item fee of $150, the same as if you were to bring a 3rd suitcase. Please note that this 3rd item fee has gone up to $150 for 2023, from its previous fee of $100 in years past.


Flying with Windsurfing Equipment on Alaska Airlines


Windsurfing Equipment is accepted by Alaska Airlines as regular checked baggage. Standard checked baggage fees apply, but oversize and overweight fees are waived. Alaska Airlines allows for multiple pieces to be checked in and considered as a single piece of checked luggage, so you may pack your board separately from the sail and rig.

If checked as a first bag, the fee is $30, $40 as a second bag, or $150 as a 3rd bag.

Windsurfing Equipment on Alaska Airlines flights
One piece of windsurfing equipment is defined as one windsurfing board and one mast, boom and sail. Accepted as excess baggage, subject to applicable charge. Note: On AS flights 1-999, the maximum single dimension is 9 ft. On AS flights 2000-2999 and flights 3440-3499, the maximum single dimension is 8 feet

Windsurfing Equipment allows for multiple pieces to be considered one checked piece.

https://blog.alaskaair.com/alaska-airlines/sports-equipment-update/

View Regular Alaska Airlines Baggage Policies 2024

View Alaska Airlines Windsurfing Equipment Policy


2. Delta Airlines - $30/$40

Delta Airlines no longer charges it's previous $150 USD windsurf handling fee, so has shot up in our rankings of windsurfer-friendly US-Based Airlines and is ranked as the 2nd Best US-Based Airline for Windsurfers in 2023. The reason it falls behind Alaska Airline is its lower 23 kg / 50 lbs weight limit, compared to 45 kg / 100 lbs for Alaska.

Windsurf Equipment will be treated as a piece of regular checked baggage, so it can either be included in your free checked baggage allowance, or the standard checked baggage fee will be charged, as if your windsurf board bag were a regular suitcase.

Be aware that the 50 lbs / 23 kg weight limits still apply, and you may be charged excess weight fees if exceeding it. If exceeding the weight limit, we recommend packing your quiver bag separately from the board bag, and to pay 2 checked baggage fees, rather than being dinged the more expensive overweight fee for exceeding the 50 lbs limit. The lighter bags will also help the baggage handlers when moving your bags, ensuring that your arrives safe and sound on the other end.


Flying with Windsurfing Equipment on Delta Airlines


Delta customers traveling with surfboards, bicycles, golf clubs, scuba gear and other large-sized sporting equipment will now be allowed to check them as part of their standard baggage allowance.

The airline is eliminating the $150 specialty sports bag fee previously charged for these items, effective for travel worldwide on tickets purchased beginning July 17, 2019. Customers will instead pay a first, second or third checked bag fee according to the fare rules associated with their booking and/or SkyMiles Medallion status.

- Standard baggage allowance and fees based on cabin and travel region apply.
- Windsurfing boards weighing over 50 lbs. will be charged the applicable excess weight fee.
- If the outside linear dimensions (length + width + height) exceed 115 linear inches (292 cm), the item will not be accepted.
- Items in excess of baggage allowance will be subject to additional or overweight baggage fees.
- Boards are allowed up to two boards per bag.

Windsurfing equipment exceeding 115 linear inches (292 cm) will not be accepted. Due to size limitations, windsurfing equipment will not be accepted on Delta Connection carriers or MD-88 aircraft.

View Regular Delta Airlines Baggage Policies 2023

View Delta Airlines Windsurfing Equipment Policy


3. Southwest - $75

Southwest Airlines charges a fee of $75 for a set of windsurfing equipment.

The $75 fee is always charged for windsurf equipment, and windsurfing gear unfortunately cannot be substituted for a suitcase as part of your 2 free checked bags that you get when flying with Southwest.

Only on flights between the islands of Hawaii does Southwest accept a surfboard to be taken free of charge in place of a regular suitcase, so you may attempt to bring your windsurf gear as part of your 2 free checked bags when flying between Maui and Oahu, just claim it as a surfboard at check-in.


Flying with Windsurfing Equipment on Southwest


The items listed below will be accepted as Checked Baggage for a $75 charge each way.

Wind surfing board, keel removed and placed in checked baggage to prevent damage to the sail, boom, and other baggage.

View Regular Southwest Baggage Policies 2023

View Southwest Windsurfing Equipment Policy


4. American Airlines - $150

American Airlines is one of the more generous airlines when it comes to flying with windsurfing equipment. Although they charge a high flat fee of $150 for windsurfing equipment, the nice thing is that they allow for 2 bags of 32kg/70lbs, allowing you to check in a both a boardbag and quiver bag, making it easier to handle your equipment when travelling and bringing it through the airport. This also allows you to pack boards and sails to cover a range of conditions.

American Airlines is a good option if flying with 2 or more boards and rigs, as once you pay the higher windsurfing equipment fee, you can include more gear within the allowed limit. As such, it ranks quite well on our list of windsurfing-friendly airlines in 2023, despite its more expensive fixed fee. American Airlines is the preferred airline of many pro windsurfers, as they tend to often fly with quite lot of gear.


Flying with Windsurfing Equipment on American Airlines


Allowance/Requirements
You can travel with:

1 board
1 mast
A boom and sail

Cost
$150 for every 2 pieces

Maximum Weight and Size
70 lbs. and 126 inches based on the airplane size and load factors

Additional Information
Acceptance conditional on aircraft size and load factors
Up to two pieces (as described) count as one piece for baggage charges.

Source: http://www.aa.com

View Regular American Airlines Baggage Policies 2024

View American Airlines Windsurfing Equipment Policy


5. JetBlue - $100

JetBlue, which was previously the most windsurfer friendly airline in the US (charging only $50 per boardbag), has increased it's windsurfing fee up to $100 per boardbag for both domestic and international flights. As such, it has dropped in our ranking of best US-based airlines for flying with windsurfing gear in 2023.

Please note that this $100 windsurfing fee is in addition to the regular checked bag fee, so you will be charged both fees for a single board bag. The only reason JetBlue has managed to sneak its way onto this list for 2023 is that they do offer a generous weight allowance (up to 100 lbs / 45 kg) for windsurfing gear, so you can pack quite a lot of gear into a single board bag once you pay the fee.

Be aware that the official wording states that the fee is charged "per board", so depending on your check-in agent you may be in for a slight surprise if they find multiple boards in your boardbag.


Flying with Windsurfing Equipment on JetBlue


What is accepted:
One windsurfing board with an aluminum (or similar type material) wishbone style boom, one mast with a maximum length of 15 feet, one sail. Items weighing more than one hundred pounds (100 pounds) will not be accepted as checked baggage.

Domestic Flights:
Wind Surfing equipment is accepted on JetBlue domestic flights for a fee of $100 each way and will count as one of your checked bags.

International Flights:
Windsurfing equipment on JetBlue International flights is accepted for a fee of $100 each way and will count as one of your checked bags.

Windsurfing equipment is accepted to all destinations EXCEPT to/from Bermuda, Cuba, Haiti, Peru, Port of Spain, Santo Domingo and Santiago, Dominican Republic.

Windsurfing Equipment IS accepted on flights to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

View Regular JetBlue Baggage Policies 2023

View JetBlue Windsurfing Equipment Policy


6. Frontier Airlines - $75-$150

Frontier Airlines accepts windsurfing gear, but does not have a special baggage fee for the equipment. Standard checked baggage fees apply, as well as the airline's regular oversize ($75) and overweight ($50-$100) fees. Please note the increased overweight fees for 2023, as the standard allowed weight limit has been lowered to only 40 lbs (18 kg) - a $50 fee now applies to bags weighing 41-50 lbs (18-23 kg), and $100 to bags weighing 51-70 lbs (23-32 kg).

With this new structure, you are unlikely to fit within the lower 40 lbs / 18 kg standard weight limit when flying with windsurfing gear, so you will most likely be charged both the $75 oversize fee and either the $50 or $100 overweight fee. As such, Frontier has dropped quite significantly in our ranking of windsurfer-friendly airlines for 2023 and is best avoided if possible.



Flying with Windsurfing Equipment on Frontier Airlines


Frontier Airlines accepts windsurfing equipment as checked baggage. One bag which may include one windsurfing board, one wooden boom, one mast, and one sail.

Items which exceed 99.9lbs will not be accepted.

The following limits for length apply based on aircraft type:
Airbus 319/320: 15 ft
Airbus 318: 11 ft

Allow an extra 30 minutes for check-in.

Checked: Yes
Carry-on: No

Frontier Airlines Windsurfing Fees:
Standard Checked bag fees, including excess, are charged based on Fare Option purchased. Overweight and oversize fees are charged if applicable.

View Regular Frontier Airlines Baggage Policies 2023

View Frontier Airlines Windsurfing Equipment Policy


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