Travelling with your Skis

The idea of travelling with your skiing equipment can bring up some comic images of trying to awkwardly carry skis through the passenger door of a plane, or a pair of ski poles getting stuck on the baggage reclaim carousel. That said, there are some practical issues to bear in mind when it comes to taking your personal belongings on a skiing holiday.

Ski travel insurance

Once you've booked your travel insurance policy and selected the type of cover you expect you might need while away, you should then add on your winter sports cover if you're skiing. This way, you'll be medically covered, have cancellation cover but also with this sports add-on, you'll have insurance for your ski equipment in the event where it is lost, damaged or stolen.

How to carry skis on a plane

Before taking your skis on holiday, it is best to contact the airline first to check their hold luggage weight restrictions and to give them advance notice that you will be checking-in ski equipment. Before you start the packing process, make sure you are using a correctly-sized ski bag to transport all of your equipment. Bindings can also be carried on as hand luggage.

Can you carry your ski boots in your hand luggage?

You are allowed to take ski boots in hand baggage, but if you choose to carry them on in a bag they must not exceed the weight restrictions for your chosen airline. If you decide to wear your boots, they'll need to be removed and scanned at the x-ray check at security.

What does ski carriage mean?

Ski carriage is the luggage allowance for carrying ski equipment on board your chosen airline. This might sometimes be considered as an extra checked bag or it will incur a separate charge, but you'll need to contact each airline on your trip to double-check. If you're worried about any harm coming to your ski equipment, taking out ski travel insurance is always advised.

General tips for travelling with ski equipment

Unfortunately, it's not possible to show up at the airport with a loose set of skis and poles. You'll need to buy a kit bag that's designed for skis, snowboards or boots. Ski bags range from a simple zip-up bag to more expensive padded ones to protect the bag's contents. The main piece of advice for travelling with ski equipment is to contact your airline and get all the relevant information.