Shipping bike

I guess it depends on what your circumstances are.  I shipped a bike via UPS once and it cost me about $45 one way.  I went to my LBS and got an old box from them (I think they charged me $5 for the box).  All I had to do was remove the pedals and loosen and twist the bars around then it slid right in the box.  That said if you don't have good ship to address (friend, family, whatever) than that might not be a good option, but if you do it can save a boatload of money and hassle at the airport.

We have flown bikes dozens of times and shipped maybe a half dozen times.  Most airlines have a flat rate for bikes......weight does not matter if you tell them it's a bike.  Shipping can be a lot cheaper if you don't need the bike for a few days.  We used Fed Ex....no issues.

Here's a tip.......my kid started going to the kiask instead of the counter with his bike and just checking it like any other luggage.  When he walks to the counter to give it to to them they weigh it and if it's under 50.00 the don't charge him.  He's done it a half dozen times and it worked 5 times.  The other time they asked what was in the bag (Scicon soft side) and he told them it was a bike and got charged.

There is nothing set in stone for flying a bike....no matter what you hear.  Frontier/Alaska airlines did not charge us extra a few times.  Southwest as well.  United/American/Delta are a nightmare to fly a bike with.  I've seen charges as high as 250.00 one way on those airlines.

In addition to the dozens of times we've personally flown with bikes, the team has probably 4-500 round trip flights in the last 5 years.  The ONLY  problems were 2 bent rear derailleurs.  Those flights include hard cases, soft cases, hen houses, and most any kind of other travel case you can think of.  The flights include both domestic, international, and overseas.  Problems with broken up bicycles while flying are VASTLY over-inflated in my experience.

The most damage I've had from flying with my bike was a broken water bottle cage and that was just poor packing on my part using a soft case.  The worst issue I've had is my bike not arriving the same day as me (made it the next day) and dealing with the crooks at United who wanted to charge me $200 when the fee was really $100.

When my kid was 16 he had my credit card to get his bike home on a United flight out of Phoenix.  They hit it for 250.00.  They just told me that was the fee and there was nothing they could do about it. LOL

That's pretty much what the guy told me until the agent sitting at the terminal beside him looked up what it really was and he backed down.

I've also used the website bikeflights before.  had them ship my touring bike to a shop to set up for me when I was doing a bike tour.  worked out well.

Like I said, our worst experiences are all on United, American, and Delta.  Frontier/Alaska and Southwest are the best.....with Frontier/Alaska our first choice always when flying bikes.

Flying a lot with dive gear got into the habit of printing out pages from the airline's website showing the fees and policies.  Never had to use it but it might be a good idea for bikes too (or at least find it fast on your phone)

Delta is good, in that you know what to expect.  Bad in that they almost always charge you the bike fee on domestic flights.

In contrast, I've done international flights with many different carriers and I don't think they've ever charged me for the bike.  Qantas and Air New Zealand are both great, as well as British Airways.

Last note: most of the U.S. carriers will give you more leeway (a) if you're a frequent flier paying on their credit card, or (b) if you're on a business or first class flight.  Always scan bookings for deals on those because sometimes it works out close to what you'd pay for economy + bike fee.  And you wind up with a better seat and perks and a mileage bonus.

Can you imagine the uproar if they tried to pull this on a 60 year old for his golf clubs?  There'd be 24/7 news coverage of airline abuses, a hotline to call if you've been victimized, and a national moment of silence.

Yeah, what you said about Delta and their fees is right.....the problem with Delta is they will way overbook and your bike can arrive after you do.....how long after is up in the air.  Every instance we had to deal with in bikes being "lost" has been with Delta,  including Jrs. at AG worlds in Edmonton a few years ago. They were ok to work with.....but it was pretty obvious, too, that a "lost item" drill was pretty common for them.

That's what I have done ever since that time.