A Guide To Flying With Bicycles
From SimpleFlying.com
A thorough review of how to fly with a bicycle to and from your destination. Complete with a table of major airlines’ policies.
Ever wondered if you can take your bicycle on a flight as luggage? Maybe you’re flying to a place with lots of cycling trails or bike lanes and would rather use your own two wheels than a hired ride. Since there are no bicycle racks on aircraft, the carry-on bins are too small to accept full-size bicycles, and the flight attendantswould not appreciate any space in their relatively small galleys replaced by bicycle racks; this guide answers the question: What can be done about taking a bicycle on a commercial flight?
To clarify, this guide will concern non-folding bicycles – airlines can have different policies regarding folding bikes, which are easier to store and can often be taken onboard as hand luggage.
Put your bicycle in the hold?
Yes, you can disassemble your bicycle and bring it on your trip as checked baggage, so long as it is suitably packaged up. You can, for instance, place your dissembled bike into a cardboard box to save money, although this increases the risk of your bike being damaged in transit.
Many travelers have not just done that but have also videoed the process for YouTube. One YouTuber thoroughly documented his process using a cardboard box and supplemental materials to dissemble his bicycle for shipping:
