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Summary
- Most major airlines accept bikes as checked luggage, but you will need to disassemble some parts and pack them in a box or bag alongside the bike frame.
- eBikes and electric bicycles are usually not allowed to be transported due to lithium battery restrictions.
- Some airports, like Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Singapore Changi International Airport, provide free bike parking for travelers. However, you will need to bring your own locks.
While many of us stick to public transport or rental cars as a mode of transportation when abroad, others look to take their bike with them, this article will dig deep into some of the world's major airlines and busiest airports as to the process for traveling with your two-wheeled friend.
Understandably, you can't book the seat next to you to store your bike, nor is there a bike rack in the galley of the aircraft, and for these reasons, among others, your bike usually will need to be sent as cargo or stored in the hold. With some airlines, the only exception is if you are traveling with a fold-up bike, but we will get to that later.
Checking your bike in like baggage
The most common way to transport your bike on the trip with you is to check it in alongside your suitcase. Depending on size and weight, many airlines will accept a bike as a checked piece of luggage. Check the guide below to see how your preferred airline stacks up. Usually, you will need to disassemble some parts of your bike for the trip, like removing the wheels and placing them in the box alongside the bike frame.
For example, Star-Alliance carrier United Airlines will accept your bike if sealed in a box or wrapped in plastic, along with the handlebars turned, pedals removed, and all small, loose parts removed and stored safely. Oversize fees are waived on properly packed bicycles, but it's best to check your respective airline's website just to be sure. Most motorized bikes, or E-bikes, can't be checked due to the lithium battery.
Check out our guide on the ins and outs of flying with a folded bike.
Airline policies
Details are noted below for some of the world's most popular carriers. As pointed out by The Plane Edit, various policies are in place and vary between carriers, so always check with your airline before showing up to the airport with your bike in tow. The details below are subject to change:
|
Airline |
Bike Fee |
Max Weight |
Max Dimensions |
Notes |
|
$50 |
70lb/32kg |
292cm/115in total dimensions |
Bikes should be registered at the time of booking and must be packed in a hard-shell bike case with tires partially deflated. The case should contain no other items. Each bicycle counts as one piece of baggage toward the maximum number of checked bags your fare type allows. Plus, it’s accepted on a space-available basis only. The fee applies to one-way flights and for each way of travel on round-trip and multi-segment flights. Latitude, premium economy, or business class passengers within Canada or on Canada-US flights will be exempt from the $50 fee. |
|
|
Varies from (€40 - €100) based on distance |
50lb/23kg |
118in/300cm total dimensions |
Requires approval at least 48 hours before flying. Any battery over 160 watts is not allowed onboard any Air France aircraft. Cardboard boxes suitable for bicycles (175 x 21.5 x 86 cm) are on sale at Air France check-in counters at most airports. |
|
|
NZD 25 |
50lb/23kg |
62in/158cm total dimensions |
Bikes must be adequately packed and accepted as checked luggage. For NZD 25 at a New Zealand airport, Air New Zealand will sell you a bike box with dimensions of 80cm x 144cm x 31cm. |
|
|
$30 |
None |
The fee, which used to be up to $75, is for the first bag. If you have another piece of checked luggage for any reason, that second piece is $40, and further checked bags, if allowed, are $100 per bag. |
||
|
Free if below the limit |
None |
62in to 115in total dimensions |
There is a fee if the aircraft and flight route requires it between 62in/158cm and 115in/292cm. |
|
|
No fee |
50lb/23kg |
61in/157cm total dimensions |
If the bike is overweight/oversized, there will be a fee of $150. |
|
|
No fee |
50lb/23kg |
75 x 37.5 x 25.5in/190x75x65cm total dimensions |
Call at least 72 hours ahead of time to confirm your bike reservation. |
|
|
No fee |
70lb/32kg |
61in/157cm total dimensions |
The airline removed its fixed sports equipment fee back in 2019. However, if a bike is overweight/oversized, there will be a fee of $150. |
|
|
£45 online, £55 at the airport |
70lb/32kg |
Unclear |
Bike must be stored in a bicycle box or bicycle bag. You can easily add your bicycle to bookings via the airline's website or app under 'My Bookings,' then 'Add Sports Equipment.' |
|
|
No fee |
44-77lb/20-35kg, depending on class |
118in/300cm total dimensions |
Bikes are accepted and count as one item of your standard checked baggage allowance. The bike must be registered at least 24 hours before the flight. |
|
|
Varies |
70lb/32kg |
80 in/203cm total dimensions |
If boarding a 737, the max length is 39 in/100 cm. |
|
|
$100 |
99lb/44kg |
61in/157cm total dimensions (bike cases - 80in max dimensions) |
Bikes are treated as checked baggage and also command a fee of $100 per item. If the bike is overweight/oversized, JetBlue will not accept it. Bicycles are not accepted on flights to/from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Peru, and Port of Spain. BUT bicycles are accepted on flights to/from Cuba if they are in plastic, hard-sided, padded case designed for bikes and no more than 70 pounds/32 kilograms and 80 linear inches/203 centimeters (length + width + height). |
|
|
£30 |
70lb/32kg |
71x35in/182x91cm |
Register your bike in advance. You may need proof of insurance covering your bike's journey. |
|
|
Varies |
70lb/32kg |
115in/292cm total dimensions |
One bicycle is one piece of checked baggage, and the fees vary based on seating class & destination. |
|
|
No fee |
50lb/23kg |
110in/280cm total dimensions |
It must be in a suitable bicycle case. Can ship per person one standard bicycle (non-motorized/no e-bikes) OR 1 children’s bicycle trailer OR 1 unicycle as part of your checked baggage allowance set by seating/travel class. You can register your bike up to 24 hours before flying. Register as early as possible, as there is limited space onboard flights. |
|
|
No fee |
70lb/32kg |
55x12x32in / 140x30x80cmIt must |
t be packed in a bike box, which can be purchased at most Qantas terminals in Australia. |
|
|
€/£60 (€/£75 at the airport) |
66lb/30kg |
Unclear |
It must be packed in a box or a protective bike bag. Plus, the fee goes up to €/£75 if checked in person and not online. |
|
|
$75 if beyond a certain size |
100lb/45kg |
80 in/203cm total dimensions bicycle can count towards free checked luggage if |
Suppose the bicycle weighs less than 51 pounds/23 kilograms and is 62 inches/157 centimeters or less in overall dimensions. In that case, the bike must be non-motorized and single seat adequately packed in a bicycle box or hard case from 51 to 100 pounds in weight or 62 to 80 inches in total dimensions. |
|
|
$75 |
100lb/45kg |
80 in/203cm total dimensions |
To ship a bike, it’s checked baggage with an additional charge. To add a bicycle to your reservation, you must use a Spirit reservation center or visit a Guest Service Agent at the airport. |
|
|
$35 if the first bag, $45 if the second bag |
50lb/23kg |
60 in/152cm total dimensions |
Will accept as checked baggage at the airport check-in counter only nonmotorized bicycles. Standard checked baggage fees, as well as overweight service charges, still apply. |
|
|
Depends on seating class |
23kg |
Unclear |
If the bike is overweight/oversized, there will be a fee of £65+. |
|
|
CAD$50 |
100lb/45kg |
115in/292cm max |
Bikes must be packed flat in a bicycle bag or box. The fees can vary depending on seating class and destination, on top of a $50 handling charge. |
There remain a few common denominators here:
- eBikes and electric bicycles are usually not able to be transported
- You can only pack bike parts into the bike box or bag; other items are prohibited.
- You must follow the airline's policies for packing the bike to be permitted to check this in as sports equipment.
- Many recommend deflating your tires
- Ensure your airline knows you plan to check a bicycle
Throwback: When Virgin Atlantic Provided Premium Passengers Free Motorbike Transfers
A particularly unique way to get to the aircraft.Folding bikes
While the standard bike remains popular, the world has evolved, and now we can don a helmet and ride off into the sunshine on an E-Bike or even a folding bike. However, once again, each airline will have a different set of rules depending on your form of transport. Folding bikes have risen in popularity for those looking for a small but simple solution to get around. Folding bikes are ideal for those who use a hybrid way of getting to work, where they might cycle and then catch the metro before cycling a little more. The ease of folding your bike up to the size of a suitcase makes it easy to get around. In this instance, some like to travel with a folding bike abroad. For more information on traveling with a folding bike, read here.
Parking your bike at the airport
While many airports around the world may provide bike parking in some form or another, Simple Flying decided to put the spotlight on a few airports around the world to see what they are doing for their cyclist travelers:
In the Netherlands, where traveling by bike is extremely popular, the nation's busiest airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), has free bike parking for up to four weeks. There are many easy bike paths leading up to the terminals, and the bikes are checked over frequently for security and to ensure they are not being left past the official timeframe. The airport also provides secure bike lockers, where you store your bicycle with your lock.
Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN) also provides complimentary bike parking outside Terminals Two and Four, near the Changi Airport Connector. However, you must bring your locks. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), one of the busiest airports in North America, can be found outside parking building P3 or on the first floor of P6. Australia's Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) also provides bike parking outside Terminals One to Three; locking them anywhere else will mean they are removed.
Copenhagen is also making it easy for cyclists at the airport with specially designed bike storage racks near Terminal Two and Three. These parking areas are accessible and close to the airport terminals.
If you're traveling with your bike and plan to use this on arrival at your destination, be prepared with another form of transport in mind, just in case your flight arrives with no checked baggage at all, as this Swiss Air Lines flight did in October.
Source: The Planet Edit, Schiphol, FlyLAX, Changi Airport, Melbourne Airport, Copenhagen Airport