Flying With Skis: Expert Tips for Winter Travel
Experts weigh in on the top tricks for flying with skis
With ski season around the corner, are you dreaming of snow and where you’ll ski this winter? After helping hundreds of guests travel with skis across Europe every season, the Lumi team has learned a few tricks to make flying with gear smoother, cheaper, and less stressful.
Most guests on Lumi trips bring skis with them. Our team helps take care of everything from storage to waxing once you arrive. Here are a few insider tips we share before takeoff:
Add Baggage to your flight
When booking flights, be sure to include a ski bag with your ticket. Be sure to check the details of your airline ticket to see what type of luggage and how many bags are included.
If you’re certain you’ll be bringing a suitcase and ski bag, simply make sure it’s included with your ticket when you book. If you’re not sure you’ll bring your ski bag when you book your flight, you can usually add baggage up until the day before you depart.
It’s best to check this before arriving at the airport since baggage fees are typically higher the day of your flight.
decide the Number of Bags
If you’re traveling with someone, you may be able to put both of your skis in one bag. Sometimes, airlines also allow you to check a boot bag for free with your ski bag. Remember to double-check the size limits for the boot bag.
If you’re able to check-in your ski and boot bags, you may not need to pay for a second checked-bag if you can fit your additional luggage like softgoods in your carry-on.
Rolling hard shell ski bags along the cobbles in Cavalese, Italy
Baggage Fees
Since you’ll be checking at least one bag, in addition to your flight cost you’ll be paying baggage fees, which differ from airline to airline. Kayak’s flight search tool allows you to compare total flight costs with baggage fees included.
Bag Type
Similar to suitcases, there are two main types of ski bags: soft and hard shell. If you will be purchasing a new ski bag, we recommend getting a ski bag with wheels. Wheels are a big help rolling through the airport or train station when you’re traveling with multiple bags.
You can find wheels on both soft and hardshell ski bags. New Moon Ski Shop carries Sportube, who makes the most popular hard shell ski case. For soft bags, pack clothes around your skis to add extra padding and prevent them from being damaged in transit.
Pole Tube
To protect your skis inside the bag, you’ll want to put your poles in a pole tube. Ski shops sell plastic ones, but you can also make one yourself using a recycled PVC pipe or cardboard carpet roll.
Luggage Tag
We recommend adding a luggage tag with your contact information to your ski bag.
Travel Wax
Most guests on Lumi trips bring both classic and skate skis. Before packing your skis for travel, it’s always a good idea to iron on some travel wax. It will both act as a protective layer on the base of your skis and help you hit the trails as quickly as possible when you arrive at your destination. We recommend using glide wax that lines up with the approximate temperature range where you’ll be skiing. Then just scrape, and go!
If you’re on a guided Lumi trip, your trip leaders will take care of that when you arrive.
Flex testing skis during a visit to the Salomon ski factory
Kick Zones
For classic skiing on Lumi trips, we always recommend bringing skin skis. Given the temperature fluctuations throughout the day, it’s much easier to “grab and go” with your skin skis than to have to pack waxes, a cork, and re-apply wax throughout the day.
If you prefer waxable classic skis, remember to clean and mark your kick zones before adding them to your ski bag so you don’t get your bag or its contents sticky with wax.
Travel Insurance
In the midst of the Covid pandemic, there is a lot more uncertainty around air travel than there used to be. We now recommend that all of our guests purchase travel insurance. Many past Lumi guests recommend Travelex Insurance. Their Travel Select plan has the added benefit of including coverage for sporting equipment like your skis.
Allianz Travel also offers travel insurance with various inclusions. We recommend contacting your travel insurance company directly to confirm what’s included.
If cross country skiing sounds like your kind of winter adventure, Lumi’s guided Nordic ski tours make the travel part easy — so you can focus on skiing, not the logistics.
Take a look at our Lumi trips to France, Austria & Switzerland, and Norway.
Happy travels and smooth flying with your skis!