Lumi's Guide to Booking Flights -- For Skiers!

Flying above the Austrian Alps

With snow already on the ground in parts of the Alps and in Norway, now is the time to book your flights for this winter. With decades of travel experience flying with skis as a racer on the US Ski Team and helping suggest flights for guests on Lumi trips, here are a few of my favorite “Pro Tips” for booking your next flight and traveling with your skis.

Whether you’re traveling internationally on a Lumi Experiences trip to earn a Worldloppet stamp, flying domestically to improve your time at the Birkie or simply chasing snow on your favorite cross country ski trails, the following tips are our recommendations for an easy booking and flying experience..

Ski flying at the Holmenkollen Ski Festival above Oslo, Norway

Book Early
Many winter destinations are very popular in the snowy season, so booking your flight early can help you secure an affordable price and also to make sure you get a seat with a little extra legroom (at 6’ 5”, I really appreciate every bit of legroom). It is much easier to change your plans later than it is to book a seat on a plane that is already full.

Use an aggregator
Websites like Google Flights aggregate offers from many airlines and can be a quick source to find the best fares. Beware! To offer a low sticker price, many airlines now lead with their “light” fares, which often only include a carry-on. If you plan to bring skis, make sure your ticket includes the baggage allowance you need ahead of time and avoid excess baggage penalties at check-in. Google Flights is our favorite aggregator, because it directs you to the airline’s website to book with them directly. Other booking sites where you book through the site, rather than the airline directly, can be tricky to change later.

Be Flexible With Dates
Maintaining flexibility can help reduce the price of flights. Many online flight aggregators utilize a calendar grid comparing the cost of traveling on different dates. Shifting arrival or departure dates by a day or two may save several hundred dollars, savings which could be used to offset longer hotel stays – potentially extending a trip for no additional cost. Building in a buffer also helps if flights are delayed due to weather or luggage is delayed. Arriving early also allows extra time to acclimate to a new time zone. The general rule of thumb is that it takes one day to acclimate to each hour of time change, so if you’re flying from Minneapolis to Munich, it might take up to a week to feel fully recovered from the 7 hour time-difference between Central Time and Central European Time.

Consider “Multi-city” routes
Although it may be tempting to purchase a round-trip ticket with the same arrival and departure airport, it may be more affordable to fly a multi-city route with multiple one-way fares. This is particularly true for trips that begin and end in different regions, such as Lumi’s Finlandia & Tartu trip. In this case, the added time and expense of returning to Helsinki to fulfill a round-trip ticket is easily outweighed by flying directly out of Tallinn. With so many options available to fly or take a train between destinations across Europe, it may be worthwhile looking into multi-city routes to eliminate unnecessary backtracking while opening up opportunities to explore another intriguing city along the way.

Pack Skis Well
We’ll admit it: traveling by air with a beloved pair of skis can be nerve racking! Be sure to pack ski bags securely by cushioning the tips and tails with bulky clothing like sweaters or jackets. Investing in a hard case ski tube may be the safest option to protect your investment and prevent headaches upon arrival. 

Flying into Iceland

Minimize Baggage Fees
Be sure to double check an airline’s baggage policy ahead of time to determine the cost of flying with skis. Baggage fees are often higher at check-in than if booked ahead of time, particularly for oversize bags or sports equipment. Consolidating bags where possible and utilizing carry-on allowances can further reduce surprise costs.

Consider Shipping your Skis
Shipping skis is becoming popular for many Lumi travelers, especially those traveling between multiple destinations where skis will not be needed for the entirety of the trip. Past Lumi guests have reported positive experiences with the company ShipSkis.

Collect your miles
Don’t want to take the time to set up a frequent flyer account or take the time to find your number? You may be missing out on future flight deals. The miles you earn from one trip to New Zealand could mean a free flight to Yellowstone Camp next fall.

Offset your carbon
As skiers, we often see the impacts of climate change impact snow conditions. Air travel seriously increases your carbon footprint. Can you carpool or drive to that ski destination? If you must fly, most airlines give you the option to offset your flight emissions. It’s a small step, but go ahead and check that box when purchasing your flight.

A different kind of flying above Switzerland’s Engadin Valley

Purchase Travel Insurance
As much fun as it is to plan for exciting parts of a trip, it is also important to plan for what might go wrong. Travel insurance can help alleviate the stress of an unfortunate situation by covering short term costs in the case of lost luggage, as well as protecting your overall investment in trip reservations, hotel & flight costs and unexpected medical expenses. Read more about Lumi’s travel insurance recommendations here.

Packing Tips
Looking for tips on how to pack for an extended ski vacation? Take notes from Olympian and Nordic skier Julia Kern with her video, What’s in the Bag?

Many guests want to bring the traditional European sleds home with them — some do!

Where will you travel to ski this winter?

If you’re still thinking about where you want to travel this winter, the 2026 France Transju’ Trip might be a great option. The trip starts and finishes in Geneva, Switzerland – an international airport with direct flights from the US and Canada, so you can simply book one non-stop, round-trip flight. If you’d rather test out these flight bookings tips on a multi-city route, so you can explore two cities on either side of your ski vacation, I recommend the 2026 Slovenia Sight-Skiing trip. . Like all of Lumi’s Sight-Skiing trips, there is no racing, so you can simply enjoy the beauty and discover the culture of Slovenia. The trip starts in Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana and finishes in Venice – at time of year with relatively few tourists and lots to explore!

Other popular trips include:

• 2026 Iceland trip: fly round-trip AND nonstop to Reykjavík, Iceland

• 2026 Norway trip: fly round-trip to Oslo, Norway

Sign up for any of these four trips by October 31 and save $100 / person.

Hopefully these tips help as you search for flights to your next winter adventure! 

See you on the trail,

Garrott Kuzzy