You need to make sure you have a travel board bag. A board sock or day bag just won’t cut it. The difference between a day bag and a travel bag is the thickness of the foam layer. A day bag may provide 1 to 5 mm of foam, while a travel bag will provide about 10 mm of foam. If you try to fly with a day bag without any extra protection, you board is guaranteed to break. Kimberly has once, however, used a day bag to pack a surfboard on a short flight from California to Mexico, along with 200 feet of bubble wrap and a full outline of cardboard, and the board was fine! But we were worried the whole way, so we would absolutely recommend a proper travel bag.
Overall, you don’t need to be too worried about the stories you hear of airlines breaking surfboards or expensive fees. As long as you pack your surfboard properly and confirm baggage fees before you fly, you will be okay.Â
For more surf travel tips, check out 8 Unique Travel Tips for Your Next Surf Trip.
Do you have any extra tips or experiences to share? If so, we’d love to hear below!
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