Southwest Airlines+kite/surf gear

aksurfer · Since 30 Aug 2010 92 Posts Anchorage, AK

I know the traveling with kite/surfboards has been beat to death but I'm heading for SPI and was thinking of using Southwest to Harlingen vs suck my ass Continental. Looks like $50 for a surfboard bag.
Any insight?

shred_da_gorge · Sun Jan 08, 12 2:44 pm

Just take a golf-style or snowboard bag, keep it under 50 lbs, and don't bring attention to it. I flew there with about 25 friends from SF/Silicon Valley, all wielding kite/golf bags, and ironically arrived with a bunch of collegiate golfers. One young girl even asked me, "so are you guys, like, the Apple golf team?".

I use a snowboard bag plus pack my 7m, 10m, and 14m Rebels into the 14m bag, never had a problem (with Southwest). A few folks packed them outrageously heavy and got dinged overweight charges, but I don't think anyone payed 'surfboard' fees.

Continental screwed my friends and I over, so they lost my business and I tell everyone I know they suck. Sounds like you have a similar story. I've also flown American into McAllen with no problems; not too much farther.

Have fun y'all!

aksurfer · Since 30 Aug 2010 92 Posts Anchorage, AK

Thanks, I plan on bringing surfboards and the stuff they had to rent at AirPadre last time was marginal so the golf bag doesn't work.

Sailut · Since 31 May 2005 72 Posts Utah

Southwest is great. IMHO
Coffin bag with surfboard, twintip and 4 kites.
As long as it's under 100 lbs it only costs $50.
Considering most airlines charge $25 or more for checked luggage anyway, you break even. And you can still take another checked bag for free.

Wish they flew to Hawaii....

Inept_Fun · Since 14 Apr 2005 1417 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

usually southwest never charges. Fly back and forth from Hood to Salt Lake all the time with snowboard gear, as long as its under 50 lbs don't expect any charges.